For many of us being immersed in the digital world has become a huge part of our everyday life. Research conducted by the Nielsen Company shows that the average adult in the US spends around 11 hours each day interacting with social media in one way or another.
Unfortunately, this continuous use of technology is associated with higher stress levels.
Research suggests that nearly one-fifth of Americans consider technology as a significant source of stress.
The horrors of digital addiction can be clearly seen when we look at the younger generation. As a working mom of 4 small children who is trying to juggle family life and career in Silicon Valley, I find that sometimes the only way to get something done is to give my kids an iPad. This temporary liberation comes with a huge cost. It’s heartbreaking to see how after continuous use of iPads my children - normally sweet and caring - start demanding the devices and get very agitated if denied, a classic sign of addiction.
To be totally honest, I first was getting very annoyed with my kids for these “weaknesses”. Then at some point, during their next meltdown, I caught myself unconsciously reaching for my phone and checking Instagram to “cope”. It dawned on me - I’m addicted to technology just as much as my kids are, and my negative feelings towards them is nothing but a well-masked projection of my own frustration with myself.
The first step in dealing with any addiction is awareness. If you, like me, suspect you may have a technology addiction, here are five signs that will help you identify it. As a former smoker, I’ll also mention the analogies between these two addictions.
#1 You feel compelled to check your phone every time it buzzes
Have you heard about classical conditioning theory and Pavlov's Dog Study? If you are addicted to technology, you are likely to react to a phone buzz in the same way - you’ll have this automatic reaction and a sense of urgency to grab your phone. You just have to.
This is very similar to a smoking addiction. If a smoker sees a cigarette lying around, there is an immediate pull to snatch it.
#2 You get anxious if you don’t check your phone
Imagine you are at a work meeting and you receive a message on your phone. You are curious to see what’s in there but you don’t want to come across as disrespectful. Meanwhile, the longer you delay this much desired glance, the more anxious you get.
This anxiety is very similar to a nicotine withdrawal and escalates even more when you are unable to get online for a period of time. A beautiful hike with your family could turn out to be a disaster if you left your phone in the car.
#3 You feel guilty, disappointed and even depressed after using your phone
If you ask any smoker how they feel after smoking, most will confess that after a short glimpse of gratification, they feel exceptionally frustrated with themselves. They hate themselves for their weakness, for damaging their health, and for being not in control. Digital addiction has a similar side effect.
Deep down inside we feel that we could have put our time to a better use than pointlessly browsing strangers’ feeds on Instagram or binge reading daily news - negative, for the most part. We could spend more time with our family and best friends, we could go for a walk, we could get that work project done on time.
#4 You often fail to be productive
Do you frequently find yourself distracted by your phone to the point where you are unable to accomplish your daily tasks, personal and work commitments? Does your laptop browser have twenty windows open with links to Facebook, YouTube, Quora and various messaging platforms and you tour through these windows instead of working? There is a real cost of this interruption, and this cost can be measured.
Research suggests that on average it takes about 23 minutes to get back to a task after being disrupted.
No wonder the quality of our work and time spent with families starts to suffer. Analogy with smoking addiction? Allen Carr, the author of a best-seller Easy Way to Stop Smoking, recollects that when invited to his daughter’s wedding, he spent the whole event looking for a quiet place to hide and smoke that highly desired cigarette. To his pain and sorrow, he later realized that he missed one of the most important days in his daughter's life because he was mentally not there, not celebrating but rather suffering from his addiction.
#5 You sacrifice sleep to be online
Last but certainly not least - we sacrifice our precious sleep. If you often stay up late watching YouTube, playing video games, and nervously hunting for more Instagram followers, you know what I mean. It’s just like a smoker sacrificing long-term health for a temporary gratification.
National Sleep Foundation guidelines advise that healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. This seems like an unattainable goal with the continuous entertainment that keeps us awake and stimulates our fear of missing out.
Let’s also take into consideration that using gadgets in the evening messes with our natural melatonin production (melatonin is a hormone that makes us sleep).
Research suggests that if we are online more than 1.5 hours before sleep, we are less sleepy and more alert, and we set ourselves on a downward path of needing to go to bed later and sleep longer.
The problem is that we still have the same life commitment the next day - waking up at 8AM for work or school or both if you are a working parent.
The good news is that if you manage to read this till the end, you have a chance to break this vicious circle and address your digital addiction. Don’t be hard on yourself, have faith and patience and know that you are not alone in all this.