Are we too dependent on technology? 10 facts that prove it and its dangers

Technology is already in everything we do. Most of us get anxious if our computer crashes or we lose our mobile phone. Even if you think you’d be fine without your phone, it’s almost impossible to part with it as we find it everywhere: work, university, leisure…

Though the idea of ​​a society without technology sounds extremely peaceful and idyllicperhaps the percentage of regression over progress would be higher since this is present in aspects that are so vital for our continuity as human beings such as health, science, discoveries, etc.

The technology It was created with the purpose of making life easierbut we have become so used to it being there to solve our problems that, as a society, many consider that we have lost our way.

Online purchases that almost make us addicted to spending, social networks that we have as a lifestyle reference or sources of information, absolute control of where we are and what we do, “zombie” people who move through the streets with their headphones almost without noticing what happens around…

It seems that all these advances they are robbing us of our social essence as a human being. People are losing their interpersonal skills and it’s really sad. Technology has seeped into every aspect of our lives, and if not used in moderation, it can really harm us, despite all its benefits. by becoming too dependent on it.

According to the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, “Researchers have found evidence that people who overuse technology can develop brain chemistry and neural patterning similar to those of substance addicts.”

The Effects of Technological Dependence

Although we do not consider ourselves addicted to technology, this can have an impact on our mental, physical and emotional health and well-being. From causing a torticollis due to a bad position while working or playing on the computer to increasing anxiety due to a message that does not respond to us instantly.

The way we entertain ourselves today has changed dramatically since phones, computers and other similar technologies have become intertwined with our lives and have influenced the way we communicate.

Now, with the push of a button, we can talk to anyone in the world, at any time of the day, although with some exceptions (being in a place without Internet or without service). This may be good in theory, but the basic principles of healthy communication have been broken.

Secondly, many of us have forgotten how to interact with others without the devices between us. For example, technology has caused an increase in cases such as cyberbullying, which is one of the many dangers of technology among young people.

According to DoSomething.org, around 37% of 12-17 year olds have experienced online bullying. 30% have had it happen more than once.

In the realm of transportation and travel, most of us would have a hard time surviving or even moving around in a foreign place without access to technology. Technology makes travel easier for people who might not otherwise feel safe doing it, but there’s no denying that it has made us all too dependent.

Finally, in the development aspect of research and learning, in the old days people obtained information by doing their own research, usually with the help of books, talking to experts, or conducting experiments.

Today, you can quickly type your question into a search engine and find the answer. However, there is a drawback. With easy access to information, too There is often a lot of misinformation. And some of it isn’t even written by humans.

According to writer Max Read by NYMag, “…less than 60 percent of web traffic is human; some years, according to some researchers, a healthy majority is bot”.

What are its effects? What causes us this addiction to technology?

If you think you’re too dependent on technology but wonder why technology is bad for society, well, let me tell you this dependency can be really dangerous.

The technology can affect us physically, mentally and emotionally if we are not careful and in addition, it can also be harmful to others, according to this Guardian study.

1. The dependence on technology It has been linked to anxiety and depression. Whether it’s being away from others, the pressures of social media, the rise of online bullying, or the phone screen impairing our sleep, all of this is slowly taking its toll on our mental health. .

According to a study from the University of MissouriFacebook users experience envy of their friends’ activities and lifestyles on this social network and are much more likely to experience feelings of depression.

2. now we are very impatient. The fact that people can be available and accessible at all times has led us to believe that they should be there for us and we get frustrated when someone does not answer quickly. Let’s not even talk if they leave us on read or several days go by and they don’t answer us.

3. Another way our dependence on technology is dangerous is because can affect our memory and that state of happiness generated by remembering something beautiful.

Since technology has given us the possibility of using memory cards in a device to store our information, we have neglected this aspect. We take a photo or make a video and our brain forgets the moment.

4. Technology has increased the rate of technology addiction, which is characterized by the uncontrollable urge to constantly and consistently use technological devices or applications. Normally it affects teenagers more, but more and more children and adults are suffering from it.

How to know if you are too dependent on technology

There is nothing wrong with using technology to make life easier and more comfortable. It is when we become too dependent on it that we have to take a step back and reassess our dependence on technology.

So, exploring yourself for a moment doesn’t hurt either and thus know if we really are facing a problem. If you are wondering if you are too dependent on technology, ask yourself if some of these statements, according to this studyapply to your life:

1. You can’t do much of anything without internet access. If you lose access to it, you are done working for the day and until it is restored you are totally lost.
2. You lose track of time when you’re online.
3. You feel remorse every time you buy a new device or gadget and obsess over them when they are released.
4. You find it difficult to disconnect and focus on the present. You realize that you don’t live in the present and you often record the moments to upload them to Instagram, for example, instead of appreciating them.
5. You do not have phone numbers and/or addresses memorized.
6. The first and last thing you do when you wake up is take a look at your phone: social networks, games, chats…
7. You suffer from insomnia.
8. You feel like something is missing when you don’t have your phone nearby.
9. You are not able to have important and serious conversations in person or notice unless it costs you a little more to be social, something that, on the contrary, does not happen to you via WhatsApp.
10. You are not too concerned about your privacy on the network.

Most will probably have answered “yes” to at least some of these statements, that would be practically normal. If you answer everything negatively, perhaps we are facing the opposite, a person totally unrelated to technology.

However, If you’ve answered yes to most of them, then it may be time to start addressing your dependency on technology.

Finding the balance between technology and society

Although it can easily be argued that society is too dependent on technology, The important role that technology has played in our day-to-day lives cannot be discounted. Technology has made life easier, safer, longer and more enjoyable in many ways. The trick is to find a balance.

We should find a way to complement our lives, not as a way to direct them and probably the companies behind all this, governments and experts should step forward with this issue.

In the meantime, we must also put our grain of sand. As with everything, moderation is a good way to not become too dependent. In the end all this comes down to our well-being.