problem solution essay technology addiction

Problems of Internet Addiction Disorder Problem Solution Essay

Brain damage, loss of self-control, social isolation, loss of interest in life, solutions to internet addiction, works cited.

Internet addiction has many negative impacts on one’s life. The two major effects are brain damage and reduction in cognitive capabilities. Various researches have shown that individuals are better in reasoning and handling matters that require good cognitive abilities before they get addicted to the Internet.

Addiction to the Internet comes with a reduction in this ability since the Internet prevents one from thinking as it provides almost all the answers to their questions. Individuals tend to go ahead and search everything on the websites, including the simple tasks they used to handle on their own before getting addicted to the Internet. Another possible cause of a reduction in the brain capabilities is the kind of the materials that one is exposed to on the Internet.

Exposure to sexual materials makes one spend most of their time thinking about sex. According to the use and disuse law in science, it is only normal that the brain develops in the direction of use. In terms of sex and matters related to it, the individual addicted to pornographic sites on the Internet will therefore be way too good in sexual matters. This, however, comes with a negative impact as far as thinking about other life issues is concerned.

It is common knowledge that one may be seated in an exam room and, instead of thinking about the solutions to the questions, the mind is wandering as he/she is thinking of the last scenes seen on the Internet. The person also spends time thinking about when he/she will be free to use the Internet again. Some even go as far as escaping activities that could develop their cognitive abilities just to have a glimpse of the funny internet scenes (Young, “Caught in the Net” 34).

The victim’s tendency to be violent increases since once an individual is addicted to the Internet, he/she becomes exposed to violent materials in the form of games and movies. In most cases, it occurs because they lose the ability to reason and handle matters using dialogue.

Thus, they think that using their muscles to iron out issues is better and much easier than sitting down to discuss them with anybody. A dialogue and other diplomatic means of solving conflicts are seen as a waste of time by those addicted to the Internet. The major reason behind this is that they will want to spend most of their time on their addiction rather than on other life issues, such as solving disputes between them and other human beings.

Some persons become violent because of the violent movies or pictures that they download from the Internet (Block 306). Almost every new action movie or picture downloaded from the Internet teaches the addicted individual a fighting skill. Unfortunately, most of these individuals are not professional wrestlers and they have nowhere to practice, and the only available area to apply their skills is on fellow human beings who have no idea of what is going on in the lives of the addicted.

They also find satisfaction from winning such violent wars as their victims do not possess the same skills. This motivates them and makes them watch more violent movies on the Internet to learn more fighting techniques. At the end of it all, they lose themselves in violence, as they develop high levels of violent behaviors leading to isolation, since people tend to avoid their company (Watts 88).

An individual addicted to the Internet loses self-control and other social abilities. Self- control is all about being able to use your brain to say No to some things and Yes to others.

Unfortunately, those addicted to the Internet lose this capability as they are not in a position to differentiate between what is good and bad in their lives (Damasio 42). Furthermore, addiction to the Internet comes with other addictions, such as pornographic materials, drugs, and masturbation. Once an individual has many addictions, he/she has no room to ponder on whether to be into actions related to the addictions or not.

A simple thought related to such persons’ addictions, or mentioning of the act related to their addiction, comes with a strong urge forcing them to repeat the act. This is indeed degradation of the social ability of individuals and their ability to control their lives. Eventually, they end up losing their lives in the addictions. The levels of violence are likely to go up, as analyzed in the previous paragraph, which has to do with temperamental issues. At times in life, all that is required of an individual is to control their tempers.

This will prevent one from indulging in regrettable actions, but those addicted to the Internet resort to other means of solving temper related issues. They only consider violence the best option to exercise in all circumstances. This is the reason individuals addicted to the Internet become more violent every day. If it happens that one loses their temper at the lowest agitation, they will therefore lose friends, and this will definitely impact their lives negatively (Martin 72).

Social isolation is also a major negative impact of being addicted to the Internet. Individuals are good in socializing before they get addicted to the Internet. There is usually a balance between social life and other life matters. This, however, comes to an end immediately after one becomes an Internet addict (Pinker 32).

Individuals addicted to the Internet will want to spend most of the time alone in closed rooms away from distraction as they want to give all their concentration to their addiction, since having friends around them may not give them a chance to give undivided attention to the Internet scenes.

Friends tend to engage them in conversations that require concentration while they are using the Internet, yet they want to have all the time to surf the Internet. Thus, they develop poor relations with their friends, as they are not willing to follow the conversations with them and, in most cases, they take a lot of time to answer questions that are necessary to keep the conversations going.

When they finally answer the questions, the answers are usually wrong or kill the conversation, and with time, friends and family members lose interest in conversing with the individuals. The temper and violence issues also have a great impact on the individual’s social life. Nobody will enjoy staying around a person who punches them from time to time. All persons enjoy their peace and staying around calm people who can handle their tempers. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the individuals addicted to the Internet.

The Internet is a major issue in the lives of the addicted. They will spend a good amount of hours staring at Internet sites, reading funny materials, or watching silly movies. Addicted individuals will want to sacrifice every aspect of their lives just to have time to go through the Internet. Sleep becomes a thing of the past for these individuals. They go to bed with their laptops or Internet-enabled phones. All they do is chatting over the Internet with people they do not even know.

When caught up with sleep, they go out of bed to wash their faces. They do their best not to fall asleep easily, thus having more time to chat with their so called “friends”. For married couples, addiction may cause breakups or even divorces in extreme cases (Young, “Internet Addiction” 7). This happens when one partner finds it difficult to stay around the addicted. For instance, an addicted individual will laugh in the middle of the night just because of an interesting chat or scene on the Internet.

They end up waking up their partners in marriage, and with time, their partners will want to sleep alone in separate beds just to have some sleep. This way, the sexual contact, or even the romance, that is meant to keep a couple together disappears. The addicted individual may find sexual satisfaction from the Internet pornographic scenes forgetting that they have partners who need them. This is another reason as to why married individuals end up cheating on their partners.

It is common sense that if one cannot get what they want from their partners, they will look for it elsewhere. Eating is also a thing of the past for individuals addicted to the Internet since they eat less quantities of food, and with time, they become emaciated and lose their strength. A truly internet addiction is a vice that kills all the other aspects of one’s life (Dijik 46).

Feasible solutions refer to methods that can be used to solve the problem and that will provide a desirable outcome. These solutions are;support from family members and rehabilitation of the addicted individuals. Family members, friends, and other people in the lives of the addicted have a big role to play to help them out.

Family members and friends can create social events that make the addicted forget about the Internet for some time (Wallace 39). They can take them for swimming, mountain climbing, or enjoyable picnics. It is always advisable to replace bad addictions with good addictions like jogging, playing chess, or scrabble. Such activities will see the addicted spend less time on the Internet, and later on, they will be out of their trap.

Rehabilitation centers can also be attended by individuals who really want to overcome their addictions. At the centers, they will be taken through therapies that are likely to reduce their level of addiction (Welch 99). They may be treated with the help of music play lists, positive games, or even lessons that discourage them from using the Internet.

The use of mobile phones that are not Internet enabled is another way of fighting the addiction. This means that the individuals will only use the Internet when they get to cyber cafes or their computers. Indeed, Internet addiction is a vice that can take away an individual’s life, if not done away with at early stages, and thus dealing with it is a worthy endeavor.

Counseling is also another step that can be taken to ensure that the addicts are saved from their obsession. This process involves getting a psychiatrist to talk to the addicted individuals so as to understand why they prefer the Internet compared to the normal social life. Sometimes, people end up being addicted to the Internet due to unsolved psychological issues that can be dealt with by the psychiatrist.

Block, Jerald. “Issues for DSM-V: Internet addiction” American Journal of Psychiatry 165.1 (2008): 306–307. Print.

Damasio, Antonio. The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness . New York, NY: Mariner Books, 2000. Print.

Martin Paul. Sex, Drugs & Chocolate: The Science of Pleasure . London, UK: Fourth Estate, 2008. Print.

Pinker, Steven. How the Mind Works . New York, NY: Brilliance Publishers, 2012. Print.

Van Dijik, Jose. The Culture of Connectivity: A Critical History of Social Media. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2013. Print.

Wallace, Paul. The Psychology of the Internet , London, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Print.

Watts, Duncan. Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age . London, UK: Vintage, 2009. Print.

Welch, Edward. Addictions: a Banquet in the Grave . Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania: P & R Publishing, 2010. Print.

Young, Kimberly. Caught in the Net: How to Recognize the Signs of Internet Addiction. London, UK: Routledge, 2011. Print.

Young, Kimberly. “Internet Addiction: Symptoms, Evaluation, and Treatment.” Professional Resource Press 17.1 (2006):1-35. Print.

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Bibliography

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• Self-Control in Juveniles and Adults
• Group Counseling for Children of Addicted Parents
• Self-Control Theory and Recidivism Amongst Juveniles
• Behavioral Self-Control and Its Factors
• Internet Addiction in Modern Society
• Online Gambling Addiction
• Problems of Pornography Addiction
• Why Marilyn Monroe Was Addicted to Substance Abuse
• Neuroanatomy and Neural Processes
• Historical Maltreatment of Psychiatric Inpatients
• Medical Model Versus Counseling Model
• Connection between Extraversion and Need of Achievement
• How Mindfulness and Mental Depletion Influence Inattentional Blindness

• Signs of Addiction

Technology Addiction

Creating a healthy balance.

Extreme use of technology can disrupt normal patterns of mood and socialization in teens

Technology is everywhere, and it is not going away. Teenagers stare down at their iPhones, or keep their eyes glued to a tablet or laptop, instead of observing the world around them. It's not unusual to see two adolescents seated together on a bus, texting furiously on their mobiles rather than talking to one another. The fact that teens are so dependent on technology makes sense in our world, but it may also lead to negative consequences.

What is technology addiction?

Technology addiction can be defined as frequent and obsessive technology-related behavior increasingly practiced despite negative consequences to the user of the technology. An over-dependence on tech can significantly impact students' lives. While we need technology to survive in a modern social world, a severe overreliance on technology—or an addiction to certain facets of its use—can also be socially devastating. Tech dependence can lead to teen consequences that span from mild annoyance when away from technology to feelings of isolation, extreme anxiety, and depression.

What makes technology addictive?

Technology fulfills our natural human need for stimulation, interaction, and changes in environment with great efficiency. When teenagers experience stress, be it romantic rejection or a poor grade on an exam, technology can become a quick and easy way to fill basic needs, and as such, can become addictive.

Technology impacts the pleasure systems of the brain in ways similar to substances. It provides some of the same reward that alcohol and other drugs might: it can be a boredom buster, a social lubricant, and an escape from reality.

Video and computer games, smart phones and tablets, social media and the Internet provide a variety of access points that can promote dependence on technology and negative consequences for youth:

The Internet.  The Web can be addictive as a multifunctional tool that brings us exceptionally close to an enormous amount of information at unprecedented speeds. User-friendly by design, we now have access to the Internet on our computers, through apps on our tablets, phones and watches. "FOMO," or "Fear of Missing Out," is a commonly described phenomenon for teens and young adults, in which youth increasingly feel the need to stay connected to the Internet, so they aren't the last to know of a news story or social happening.

Related to FOMO, some Facebook users, for instance, report that they use the Internet-based social media platform as a chosen method to alleviate their anxiety or depression.1 With so much accessibility to its use, the Internet is just as hard to stay away from at any given point in a day as it is easy and rewarding to use.

Video and computer games.  One hallmark of human psychology is that we want to feel competent, autonomous, and related to other people. Challenging video games allow players to feel that they are good at something. Games offer a great variety of choice to players, promoting a sense of autonomy for teens who might feel otherwise out of control.

The same goals that drive people to pursue success in the real world are often present in video games. As one amasses virtual wealth or prestige by spending time on games and advancing through levels, virtual wealth can translate into some version of actual recognition—through monetary purchasing power within an online game or a positive reputation within an online community.

Gamers find themselves linked to others who share their hobby through YouTube channels or subreddits dedicated to discussion of their game of choice with other enthusiasts. Like the Internet itself, games make themselves increasingly accessible to teens via apps on smart phones, never leaving kids' palms or pockets.

While there is room for social connection in the gaming universe, this space also provides a potential escape from reality into a digital world where players get to assume new identities more appealing or more novel than those they hold in the real life.

Smart phones, tablets, and lifestyle technologies.  These highly-mobile, flexible machines have the power to constantly connect. Smart phones and tablets, and the emergence of other smart devices from the Apple Watch to the Amazon Echo, promote addiction by removing the time lapse from tasks and activities that previously required logging into a deskbound, or at least a backpack-bound, computer source.

Social media.  Social media presents individually-relevant information in the easiest ways—centralized, personalized portals, like a Facebook newsfeed, YouTube subscription, or Snapchat followership.

Whether it's a Skype conversation with our grandmother in Alaska or a Twitter reply to the President, social media feeds our need for human connection by allowing us to share feedback with those who are far from us in time, geography, or social status. As social animals, we need human contact for emotional and psychological health. The appeal of social media is that it helps us to fill social needs without the efforts or restraints of in-person contact.

What are the risks of teen technology use?

While technology is certainly not all bad, its overuse can pose certain key risks, especially to teens.

Technology can give students a false sense of relational security as they communicate with unseen individuals around the world. The speed with which technology moves makes everything a teen might be looking for available within seconds, which encourages an unhealthy desire for instant gratification. A slow internet connection or “unplugging” can promote irritability and anxiety for a teen otherwise used to constant connection through technology.

Sleep disorders can develop as teens stay up all night to play with technology, and as a result, academic, athletic, and social performance can suffer. Weight gain and other complications of a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, such as cardiovascular disease, may result. In-person social skills may deteriorate.

Even as healthy teens are challenged by increasing life responsibilities, hormonal changes, and the stress of new social and academic worlds like dating and applying to college, these life transitions become even harder for those wholly absorbed in technology.

Within a technology-addicted individual, the mind becomes increasingly unable to distinguish between the lived and the alternate realities that produce instant stimulation, pleasure, and reward. As such, the extreme use of technology can disrupt normal patterns of mood and socialization in teens. Dependency upon social media, gaming, or other platforms to function can become the new and unhealthy "normal."

Technology addiction and teen substance use.  Researchers have found evidence that people who overuse technology may develop similar brain chemistry and neural patterning to those who are addicted to substances. 2

Another concern is that those who are addicted to technology are actually more likely to also use substances than their peers with healthier relationships to tech, providing the insight that technology addiction may be a risk factor for alcohol and other drug addiction.

One preliminary study found that a group of teens who "hyper-texted" were 40% more likely to have used cigarettes and twice as likely to have used alcohol than students who were less frequent users of technology. This same research noted that those who spent more hours per school day than peers on social networking sites were at higher risk for depression and suicide. 3

It stands to reason then, that if we can prevent technology addiction, we may also be able to prevent other risky behavior and dangerous consequences to teens.

Technology and the brain.  Studies have shown that brain scans of young people with internet addiction disorder (IAD) are similar to those of people with substance addictions to alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis. 4

Damage to brain systems connecting emotional processing, attention, and decision-making are affected in both substance addicts and technology addicts. This discovery shows that being hooked on a tech behavior can, in some ways, be as physically damaging as an addiction to alcohol and other drug use.

When is technology a protective factor?

Of course, the advent of smarter, faster, more mobile technologies can be used positively with teens too. The following list reflects the many ways that technology, used in a healthy way, can encourage teens to explore their world and express themselves:

Learning.  In Ramsey Musallam's AP Chemistry class at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, California, cell phones are a natural extension of the way the teacher otherwise communicates with his students. As soon as kids walk into his classroom, Musallam sends out a text blast through Remind101, asking students a challenge question related to the day's lesson. 5

Some teachers use Facebook as a communication hub, creating a public page or smaller, closed groups for classes. Using technology like this, teachers can keep parents informed, distribute homework or permission slips, and share photos and videos from classroom activities and field trips.

Others in education and civic development have found that by piquing students' interest in social justice or commentary videos posted on YouTube, student engagement with world issues is enhanced.

Creativity and expression.  Technology can promote student creativity by prompting expression through user-friendly tools. Some studies have shown that blogging, or web journaling, enhances students' creative thinking. 6

Metacognition—the ability to be aware of, attend to, and use information about one's own cognitive processes—allows students to strengthen critical thinking across academic and artistic disciplines. Utilizing Internet-based technologies that ask students to reflect on and reiterate their learning processes provides a framework for the development of teen metacognition skills.

Now common technologies like tablets and smart phones are often much less bulky than notebooks and textbooks, allowing students to flex their imaginations, read fiction, write poetry, doodle, or take pictures through the ease of software applications found on highly-mobile devices.

Socialization.  When monitored properly by a parent or guardian, the use of social media can create safe and healthy friendship networks for teens with like interests online, through already established mutual friendships or within shared interest hubs, like a blogging community or Facebook group.

Preventing other teen risks.  Since the expansion of the Internet and mobile technologies, call-in hotlines have expanded to include Internet help sites and texting lines for teens run by knowledgeable and mature adults. These options provide a place teens can go for accurate information and timely support when they are not comfortable discussing their personal problems with an adult at home or school.

At her social advocacy organization, Nancy Lublin started receiving so many texts from students with questions about bullying that she set up a text-only crisis line.7 While online harassment is a concern, online support movements like the It Gets Better Project have sprung up to powerfully protect teens too.

Preventing Technology Addiction in Teens

Technology will only grow in its use in teens' worlds. Preventing teen addiction to technology means finding a balance within students' lives, so that teenagers do not misuse their technology as an escape from real world challenges, emotions, socialization, or identity. Adults can help children and teens have healthy relationships to technology when they:

Provide plenty of healthy highs, some of them offline.  How teenagers use technology really matters. Are teens playing video games among other recreational activities, and are they as excited about a dinner with friends as they are about "leveling up"? Or, are they turning on the Xbox so they don't have to face a life that they're not enjoying?

Balance activity and productivity with healthy stress management.  Everything in life requires energy, and often teens feel like they have too little energy to spend on too many demands. If they're are not guided by adults to discover healthy ways to replenish their stores of energy, they may default by overusing easy fixes for entertainment or stress relief that promote technology addiction.

Nurture pro-social identity development in the real world.  Adults must be proactive, creative, and excited as they help kids to discover who they really are! Once teenagers find something they are good at and want to do, they will naturally gravitate toward it. It is easier to create an Internet façade, but far more rewarding for teens to cultivate true purposes and genuine identities within their families, schools, and communities.

Consider treatment when there's a problem.  Inpatient treatment for technology addiction starts by removing a teenager from both the Internet and the surroundings that allowed a technology addiction to occur in the first place. It is a form of intensive therapy. Other treatments can include ways to help technology addicts see the offline world as more pleasurable, without fully removing the online element from their lives.

Creating a Healthy Balance

It is true that technology can fulfill many human needs, but its overuse comes with risk. Being addicted to technology is in some ways akin to an addiction to alcohol and other drugs, with many of the same effects on the developing brain.

We must do all we can to prevent any sort of addiction from occurring in our children's lives. Technology can be a protective factor if used properly, and healthy adults can play a role in student technology addiction prevention by showing young people the benefits to be gained from a healthy, balanced approach to technology use.

1. Conrad, Brent. "Why Is Facebook Addictive? Twenty-One Reasons For Facebook Addiction - TechAddiction." Video Game Addiction Treatment & Computer Addiction Help - TechAddiction. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.techaddiction.ca/why-is-facebook-addictive.html.

2. Goldstein, Rita Z., and Nora D. Volkow. (2011). "Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex in addiction: neuroimaging findings and clinical implications: Abstract: Nature Reviews Neuroscience." Nature Publishing Group: science journals, jobs, and information. Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v12/n11/abs/nrn3119.html.

3. NHS. "Extreme levels of texting 'unhealthy'." NHS Choices. 10 November 2010. N.p. Web. 2 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/11November/Pages/Texting-and-teen-behaviour.aspx.

4. Lin, Fuchun, Zhou, Yan, Du, Yasong, Qin, Lindi, Zhao, Zhimin, Xu, Jianrong and Hao Lei. (2012). "Abnormal White Matter Integrity in Adolescents with Internet Addiction Disorder: A Tract-Based Spatial Statistics Study." Plos One. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0030253.

5. Barseghian, Tina. "How Teachers Make Cell Phones Work in the Classroom | MindShift." KQED Public Media for Northern CA.KQED, 10 May 2012. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/10/how-teachers-make-cell-phones-work-in-the-classroom/.

6. Hargrove, R. "The Role of Technology in Developing Students Creative Thinking Abilities - IATED Digital Library." IATED Digital Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. http://library.iated.org/view/HARGROVE2009THE.

7. Lublin, Nancy. "Nancy Lublin: Texting that saves lives | Video on TED.com." TED: Ideas worth spreading. TED Conferences, LLC, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. http://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_lublin_texting_that_saves_lives.html.

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What is smartphone addiction?

Causes and effects of smartphone and internet addiction, signs and symptoms of smartphone addiction, self-help tips for smartphone addiction, modify your smartphone use, step-by-step, treatment for smartphone and internet addiction, helping a child or teen with smartphone addiction, smartphone and internet addiction.

Worried about your phone or internet use? These tips can help you break free of the habit and better balance your life, online and off.

While a smartphone, tablet, or computer can be a hugely productive tool, compulsive use of these devices can interfere with work, school, and relationships. When you spend more time on social media or playing games than you do interacting with real people, or you can’t stop yourself from repeatedly checking texts, emails, or apps—even when it has negative consequences in your life—it may be time to reassess your technology use.

Smartphone addiction, sometimes colloquially known as “nomophobia” (fear of being without a mobile phone), is often fueled by an internet overuse problem or internet addiction disorder. After all, it’s rarely the phone or tablet itself that creates the compulsion, but rather the games, apps, and online worlds it connects us to.

Smartphone addiction can encompass a variety of impulse-control problems, including:

Virtual relationships. Addiction to social networking , dating apps, texting, and messaging can extend to the point where virtual, online friends become more important than real-life relationships. We’ve all seen the couples sitting together in a restaurant ignoring each other and engaging with their smartphones instead. While the internet can be a great place to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, or even start romantic relationships, online relationships are not a healthy substitute for real-life interactions. Online friendships can be appealing as they tend to exist in a bubble, not subject to the same demands or stresses as messy, real-world relationships. Compulsive use of dating apps can change your focus to short-term hookups instead of developing long-term relationships.

Information overload. Compulsive web surfing, watching videos, playing games, or checking news feeds can lead to lower productivity at work or school and isolate you for hours at a time. Compulsive use of the internet and smartphone apps can cause you to neglect other aspects of your life, from real-world relationships to hobbies and social pursuits.

Cybersex addiction. Compulsive use of internet pornography, sexting, nude-swapping, or adult messaging services can impact negatively on your real-life intimate relationships and overall emotional health. While online pornography and cybersex addictions are types of sexual addiction, the internet makes it more accessible, relatively anonymous, and very convenient. It’s easy to spend hours engaging in fantasies impossible in real life. Excessive use of dating apps that facilitate casual sex can make it more difficult to develop long-term intimate relationships or damage an existing relationship.

Online compulsions, such as gaming, gambling, stock trading, online shopping, or bidding on auction sites like eBay can often lead to financial and job-related problems. While gambling addiction has been a well-documented problem for years, the availability of internet gambling has made gambling far more accessible. Compulsive stock trading or online shopping can be just as financially and socially damaging. eBay addicts may wake up at strange hours in order to be online for the last remaining minutes of an auction. You may purchase things you don’t need and can’t afford just to experience the excitement of placing the winning bid.

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While you can experience impulse-control problems with a laptop or desktop computer, the size and convenience of smartphones and tablets means that we can take them just about anywhere and gratify our compulsions at any time. In fact, most of us are rarely ever more than five feet from our smartphones. Like the use of drugs and alcohol, they can trigger the release of the brain chemical dopamine and alter your mood. You can also rapidly build up tolerance so that it takes more and more time in front of these screens to derive the same pleasurable reward.

Heavy smartphone use can often be symptomatic of other underlying problems, such as stress , anxiety, depression , or loneliness . At the same time, it can also exacerbate these problems. If you use your smartphone as a “security blanket” to relieve feelings of anxiety, loneliness, or awkwardness in social situations , for example, you’ll succeed only in cutting yourself off further from people around you. Staring at your phone will deny you the face-to-face interactions that can help to meaningfully connect you to others, alleviate anxiety, and boost your mood. In other words, the remedy you’re choosing for your anxiety (engaging with your smartphone), is actually making your anxiety worse.

Smartphone or internet addiction can also negatively impact your life by:

Increasing loneliness and depression. While it may seem that losing yourself online will temporarily make feelings such as loneliness, depression, and boredom evaporate into thin air, it can actually make you feel even worse. A 2014 study found a correlation between high social media usage and depression and anxiety. Users, especially teens, tend to compare themselves unfavorably with their peers on social media, promoting feelings of loneliness and depression.

Fueling anxiety. One researcher found that the mere presence of a phone in a work place tends to make people more anxious and perform poorly on given tasks. The heavier a person’s phone use, the greater the anxiety they experienced.

Increasing stress. Using a smartphone for work often means work bleeds into your home and personal life. You feel the pressure to always be on, never out of touch from work. This need to continually check and respond to email can contribute to higher stress levels and even burnout .

Exacerbating attention deficit disorders. The constant stream of messages and information from a smartphone can overwhelm the brain and make it impossible to focus attention on any one thing for more than a few minutes without feeling compelled to move on to something else.

Diminishing your ability to concentrate and think deeply or creatively. The persistent buzz, ping or beep of your smartphone can distract you from important tasks, slow your work, and interrupt those quiet moments that are so crucial to creativity and problem solving. Instead of ever being alone with our thoughts, we’re now always online and connected.

Disturbing your sleep. Excessive smartphone use can disrupt your sleep , which can have a serious impact on your overall mental health. It can impact your memory, affect your ability to think clearly, and reduce your cognitive and learning skills.

Encouraging self-absorption. A UK study found that people who spend a lot of time on social media are more likely to display negative personality traits such as narcissism . Snapping endless selfies, posting all your thoughts or details about your life can create an unhealthy self-centeredness, distancing you from real-life relationships and making it harder to cope with stress.

There is no specific amount of time spent on your phone, or the frequency you check for updates, or the number of messages you send or receive that indicates an addiction or overuse problem.

Spending a lot of time connected to your phone only becomes a problem when it absorbs so much of your time it causes you to neglect your face-to-face relationships, your work, school, hobbies, or other important things in your life. If you find yourself ignoring friends over lunch to read Facebook updates or compulsively checking your phone in while driving or during school lectures, then it’s time to reassess your smartphone use and strike a healthier balance in your life.

Warning signs of smartphone or internet overuse include:

Trouble completing tasks at work or home . Do you find laundry piling up and little food in the house for dinner because you’ve been busy chatting online, texting, or playing video games? Perhaps you find yourself working late more often because you can’t complete your work on time.

Isolation from family and friends . Is your social life suffering because of all the time you spend on your phone or other device? If you’re in a meeting or chatting with friends, do you lose track of what’s being said because you’re checking your phone? Have friends and family expressed concern about the amount of time you spend on your phone? Do you feel like no one in your “real” life—even your spouse—understands you like your online friends?

Concealing your smartphone use . Do you sneak off to a quiet place to use your phone? Do you hide your smartphone use or lie to your boss and family about the amount of time you spend online? Do you get irritated or cranky if your online time is interrupted?

Having a “fear of missing out” (or FOMO) . Do you hate to feel out of the loop or think you’re missing out on important news or information if you don’t check you phone regularly? Do you need to compulsively check social media because you’re anxious that others are having a better time, or leading a more exciting life than you? Do you get up at night to check your phone?

Feeling of dread, anxiety, or panic if you leave your smartphone at home , the battery runs down or the operating system crashes. Or do you feel phantom vibrations—you think your phone has vibrated but when you check, there are no new messages or updates?

Withdrawal symptoms from smartphone addiction

A common warning sign of smartphone or internet addiction is experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you try to cut back on your smartphone use. These may include:

• Restlessness
• Anger or irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Sleep problems
• Craving access to your smartphone or other device

There are a number of steps you can take to get your smartphone and internet use under control. While you can initiate many of these measures yourself, an addiction is hard to beat on your own, especially when temptation is always within easy reach. It can be all too easy to slip back into old patterns of usage. Look for outside support, whether it’s from family, friends, or a professional therapist .

To help you identify your problem areas, keep a log of when and how much you use your smartphone for non-work or non-essential activities. There are specific apps that can help with this, enabling you to track the time you spend on your phone. Are there times of day that you use your phone more? Are there other things you could be doing instead? The more you understand your smartphone use, the easier it will be to curb your habits and regain control of your time.

Recognize the triggers that make you reach for your phone. Is it when you’re lonely or bored? If you are struggling with depression, stress, or anxiety, for example, your excessive smartphone use might be a way to self-soothe rocky moods . Instead, find healthier and more effective ways of managing your moods, such as practicing relaxation techniques.

Understand the difference between interacting in-person and online. Human beings are social creatures. We’re not meant to be isolated or to rely on technology for human interaction. Socially interacting with another person face-to-face—making eye contact, responding to body language—can make you feel calm, safe, and understood, and quickly put the brakes on stress . Interacting through text, email or messaging bypasses these nonverbal cues so won’t have the same effect on your emotional well-being. Besides, online friends can’t hug you when a crisis hits, visit you when you’re sick, or celebrate a happy occasion with you.

Build your coping skills. Perhaps tweeting, texting or blogging is your way of coping with stress or anger. Or maybe you have trouble relating to others and find it easier to communicate with people online. Building skills in these areas will help you weather the stresses and strains of daily life without relying on your smartphone.

Recognize any underlying problems that may support your compulsive behavior. Have you had problems with alcohol or drugs in the past? Does anything about your smartphone use remind you of how you used to drink or use drugs to numb or distract yourself?

Strengthen your support network. Set aside dedicated time each week for friends and family. If you are shy, there are ways to overcome social awkwardness and make lasting friends without relying on social media or the internet. To find people with similar interests, try reaching out to colleagues at work, joining a sports team or book club, enrolling in an education class, or volunteering for a good cause. You’ll be able to interact with others like you, let relationships develop naturally, and form friendships that will enhance your life and strengthen your health.

For most people, getting control over their smartphone and internet use isn’t a case of quitting cold turkey. Think of it more like going on a diet. Just as you still need to eat, you probably still need to use your phone for work, school, or to stay in touch with friends. Your goal should be to cut back to more healthy levels of use.

• Set goals for when you can use your smartphone. For example, you might schedule use for certain times of day, or you could reward yourself with a certain amount of time on your phone once you’ve completed a homework assignment or finished a chore, for instance.
• Turn off your phone at certain times of the day, such as when you’re driving, in a meeting, at the gym, having dinner, or playing with your kids. Don’t take your phone with you to the bathroom.
• Don’t bring your phone or tablet to bed. The blue light emitted by the screens can disrupt your sleep if used within two hours of bedtime. Turn devices off and leave them in another room overnight to charge. Instead of reading eBooks on your phone or tablet at night, pick up a book. You’ll not only sleep better but research shows you’ll also remember more of what you’ve read.
• Replace your smartphone use with healthier activities. If you are bored and lonely, resisting the urge to use your smartphone can be very difficult. Have a plan for other ways to fill the time, such as meditating , reading a book, or chatting with friends in person.
• Play the “phone stack” game. Spending time with other smartphone addicts? Play the “phone stack” game. When you’re having lunch, dinner, or drinks together, have everyone place their smartphones face down on the table. Even as the phones buzz and beep, no one is allowed to grab their device. If someone can’t resist checking their phone, that person has to pick up the check for everyone.
• Remove social media apps from your phone so you can only check Facebook, Twitter and the like from your computer. And remember: what you see of others on social media is rarely an accurate reflection of their lives—people exaggerate the positive aspects of their lives, brushing over the doubts and disappointments that we all experience. Spending less time comparing yourself unfavorably to these stylized representations can help to boost your mood and sense of self-worth.
• Limit checks. If you compulsively check your phone every few minutes, wean yourself off by limiting your checks to once every 15 minutes. Then once every 30 minutes, then once an hour. If you need help, there are apps that can automatically limit when you’re able to access your phone.
• Curb your fear of missing out. Accept that by limiting your smartphone use, you’re likely going to miss out on certain invitations, breaking news, or new gossip. There is so much information available on the internet, it’s almost impossible to stay on top of everything, anyway. Accepting this can be liberating and help break your reliance on technology.

If you need more help to curb your smartphone or internet use, there are now specialist treatment centers that offer digital detox programs to help you disconnect from digital media. Individual and group therapy can also give you a tremendous boost in controlling your technology use.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy provides step-by-step ways to stop compulsive behaviors and change your perceptions about your smartphone and the internet. Therapy can also help you learn healthier ways of coping with uncomfortable emotions—such as stress, anxiety, or depression—that may be fueling your smartphone use.

Marriage or couples counseling. If excessive use of internet pornography or online affairs is affecting your relationship, counseling can help you work through these challenging issues and reconnect with your partner.

Group support. Organizations such as Internet Tech Addiction Anonymous (ITAA) and On-Line Gamers Anonymous offer online support and face-to-face meetings to curb excessive technology use. Of course, you need real-life people to benefit fully from any addiction support group. Online support groups can be helpful in finding sources of assistance, but it’s easy to use them as an excuse to spend even more time on your smartphone. Sex Addicts Anonymous can be a place to try if you’re having trouble with cybersex addiction.

Any parent who’s tried to drag a child or teen away from a smartphone or tablet knows how challenging it can be to separate kids from social media, messaging apps, or online games and videos. Youngsters lack the maturity to curb their smartphone use on their own, but simply confiscating the device can often backfire, creating anxiety and withdrawal symptoms in your child. Instead, there are plenty of other ways to help your child find a healthier balance:

Be a good role model. Children have a strong impulse to imitate, so it’s important you manage your own smartphone and internet use. It’s no good asking your child to unplug at the dinner table while you’re staring at your own phone or tablet. Don’t let your own smartphone use distract from parent-child interactions.

Use apps to monitor and limit your child’s smartphone use. There are a number of apps available that can limit your child’s data usage or restrict texting and web browsing to certain times of the day. Other apps can eliminate messaging capabilities while in motion, so you can prevent your teen using a smartphone while driving.

Create “phone-free” zones. Restrict the use of smartphones or tablets to a common area of the house where you can keep an eye on your child’s activity and limit time online. Ban phones from the dinner table and bedrooms and insist they’re turned off after a certain time at night.

Encourage other interests and social activities. Get your child away from screens by exposing them to other hobbies and activities, such as team sports, Scouts, and after-school clubs. Spend time as a family unplugged.

Talk to your child about underlying issues. Compulsive smartphone use can be the sign of deeper problems. Is your child having problems fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress? Is your child suffering with other issues at school or home?

Get help. Teenagers often rebel against their parents , but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try a sports coach, doctor, or respected family friend. Don’t be afraid to seek professional counseling if you are concerned about your child’s smartphone use.

Support groups

On-Line Gamers Anonymous  – Help and support for problems caused by excessive game playing. (OLGA)

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous  – 12-step programs for sexual addictions. (SLAA)

More Information

• Risky Business: Internet Addiction - Help for recognizing and dealing with smartphone and internet addiction. (Mental Health America)
• Internet Gaming - Symptoms of gaming disorder. (American Psychiatric Association)
• Dopamine, Smartphones & You: A battle for your time - How using a smartphone can deliver a release of dopamine, reinforcing your behavior. (Harvard University)
• Take Control - Things you can do right now to build a healthier relationship with your smartphone. (Center for Humane Technology)
• Yu, S., & Sussman, S. (2020). Does Smartphone Addiction Fall on a Continuum of Addictive Behaviors? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(2), 422. Link
• Conditions for Further Study. (2013). In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. American Psychiatric Association. Link
• Internet Gaming. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2021. Link
• Sohn, S. Y., Rees, P., Wildridge, B., Kalk, N. J., & Carter, B. (2019). Prevalence of problematic smartphone usage and associated mental health outcomes amongst children and young people: A systematic review, meta-analysis and GRADE of the evidence. BMC Psychiatry, 19(1), 356. Link
• Dopamine, Smartphones & You: A battle for your time. (2018, May 1). Science in the News. Link
• Canale, N., Vieno, A., Doro, M., Rosa Mineo, E., Marino, C., & Billieux, J. (2019). Emotion-related impulsivity moderates the cognitive interference effect of smartphone availability on working memory. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 18519. Link
• Twenge, Jean M., Thomas E. Joiner, Megan L. Rogers, and Gabrielle N. Martin. “Increases in Depressive Symptoms, Suicide-Related Outcomes, and Suicide Rates Among U.S. Adolescents After 2010 and Links to Increased New Media Screen Time.” Clinical Psychological Science 6, no. 1 (January 1, 2018): 3–17. Link
• Lin, L. yi, Sidani, J. E., Shensa, A., Radovic, A., Miller, E., Colditz, J. B., Hoffman, B. L., Giles, L. M., & Primack, B. A. (2016). Association between Social Media Use and Depression among U.S. Young Adults. Depression and Anxiety, 33(4), 323–331. Link
• Kross, Ethan, Philippe Verduyn, Emre Demiralp, Jiyoung Park, David Seungjae Lee, Natalie Lin, Holly Shablack, John Jonides, and Oscar Ybarra. “Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults.” PLOS ONE 8, no. 8 (August 14, 2013): e69841. Link

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The Problem With the Idea of Tech Addiction

Don't believe the idea that technology hijacks your brain..

Posted January 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Kaja Perina

A Personal Perspective: Telling ourselves that devices and platforms “hijack” our brains plays right into Big Tech’s hands.

Does repeating a falsehood make it true? It seems so, at least when it comes to the myth that technology is addicting us all. While a reassessment of the role our gadgets play in our lives is healthy, many people are buying into a self-defeating fallacy that ironically makes it harder to dial back.

Not only does the idea that technology “hijacks” our brains smack of the same moral panics leveled at previous pastimes—Novels corrupt women’s minds! Pinball machines create an unstoppable compulsion!—it also miscategorizes what addiction really is.

What addiction is and isn’t.

From a Latin word referring to enslavement, addiction is a compulsive dependency that harms the affected individual. It is a behavior or substance the person has a very difficult time stopping, even when someone wants to. An addiction, in the words of neuroscientist Marc Lewis, an addiction researcher and former addict, “is the brain focusing on just one thing, all else be damned.”

Addiction is a pathology . It is not simply liking something a lot.

In over a decade of researching, teaching, and writing about the power of technology to shape our behavior, I’ve come across many parents convinced their children are “addicted” to their phones. But when I enquire about the children’s behavior at home, most tell me they regularly have family meals with their kids and that their grades at school are fine. How can that be if they are using apps designed to addict them?

Many potentially addictive things do not addict everyone and can be used safely in moderation by nearly everyone. People drink alcohol and have sex , but that doesn’t make us all alcoholics and sex addicts. Addiction is a matter of who is using, how much they are using, and the harm done as a result. It’s never simply about the substance or behavior being used or abused.

We are quick to label behaviors we don’t like and don’t understand as “addictive” to provide a more satisfying reason to explain the things we (and others) do. It’s easier to say Netflix addicted me to binge-watching and that my child is addicted to Fortnite than to admit I didn’t spend any time planning something fun to do together as a family.

Watch what you say.

The words we use to describe our behaviors matter. While mental health professionals must offer resources for those struggling with technology overuse and the pathology of technology addiction, when we rush to call ourselves or o ur kids “addicted,” while doing little to try and change our ways beyond blaming big bad tech companies, we’re giving up our sense of agency when we need it most. Our perception of our own power to change is an important weapon against overuse.

A 2015 study of people addicted to alcohol found their level of physical dependency often mattered as much as their belief in their own power to change. Remember too that alcohol is a substance that crosses the blood-brain barrier; no one is injecting Instagram and freebasing Facebook. In most cases these are bad habits, not addictions.

It’s all in the brain.

But isn’t technology changing our brains? Doesn’t it send “squirts of dopamine ” and activate the same brain regions cocaine does? These decontextualized, click-baity ideas are repeated by people who haven’t comprehended the research.

Every repeated action, from learning to play the piano to studying a new language, rewires the brain and dopamine reinforces all forms of learning—neither of which are unique to online technology or necessarily sinister.

While some people with a predilection for addiction, such as those suffering from comorbidities like obsessive-compulsive disorder, may be at greater risk, the overwhelming majority of people will never become addicted to their phones. Furthermore, telling ourselves we are addicted promotes passivity instead of empowerment.

The government-waged “ war on drugs ” that began in the late 1960s has always been a losing battle precisely because it has often relied on the same outdated view of addiction, that the substance causes the addiction. We now know that addiction is typically a confluence of factors including the person and the psychological pain they seek to escape. For the vast majority, technology addiction will never be a problem, just as it isn’t with other substances and behaviors, so it’s senseless to regulate everyone’s use.

It’s ironic that at the same time states are deregulating cannabis, there is greater discussion of regulating the so-called addictive properties of personal technology. Nine percent of cannabis users suffer from a “ cannabis use disorder ” despite the fact that the psychoactive properties of cannabis are not addictive. How can this be? Because, with few exceptions, just about any analgesic is potentially addictive. Be it a substance or behavior, if it can take certain people’s minds off their problems and pain, someone is going to abuse it.

That’s why it is time for tech companies to help the small percentage of people they know are likely addicted. The silver lining of all the data being collected about each of us is that unlike other potentially addictive substances like alcohol, tech companies know how much each person is using their products. Through a “ use and abuse policy, ” companies could reach out to the people who spend an inordinate amount of time on their sites with a simple message: “Can we help?”

For most, it’s not about being addicted to technology, but getting the best out of it.

I’ve met with representatives from Facebook, Google, Reddit, and Snapchat, along with several other large consumer tech companies to discuss this solution. They’ve all assured me they’re looking into the proposition. But if they don’t act soon, use and abuse policies may be the basis of sensible regulation.

However, for those not actually addicted, the answer is not to vilify tech for its potentially addictive properties. After all, we want the products we use to be entertaining, sometimes even habit-forming. That’s what they’re designed to do and why we use them. We like that YouTube gives us topically relevant videos and that Instagram helps keep us in touch with friends. We want companies to use the same tactics that keep users hooked to social media or online games to also help us form healthy habits with apps encouraging exercise or learning a new language. Products designed to be engaging isn’t necessarily a problem, it’s often progress.

Of course, there are negative consequences to new, habit-forming technologies, such as the YouTube algorithm that has driven users toward extremist content. While those must be addressed, we must also not fool ourselves into thinking we’re hopelessly hooked. We don’t need to believe tech is addicting us to moderate its use. We can take steps to get the best out of tech without letting it get the best of us, like learning to cope with the emotional triggers that drive us to check our devices too much and by removing the pings and dings that don’t serve us. Remember, once we reclaim our phones and other devices to serve us instead of the tech companies, there’s little they can do about it. No matter how persuasive these companies’ products are, we are more powerful.

Clearly, there are many problems Big Tech needs to be held accountable for. I’m not giving them a free pass when it comes to privacy incursions, anticompetitive practices, and election meddling. But spreading the untruth that our devices are controlling all of our brains actually plays into these companies’ hands by making it so. The belief robs us of our agency to take action. If we hold our breath waiting for regulators to do something or tech companies to make their products less engaging, we’re going to suffocate. Instead, it’s time we stop relinquishing control and hack back.

Nir Eyal, who has lectured at Stanford's Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, is the author of Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Drug Addiction — Technology Addiction among Youth and Its Impact

Technology Addiction Among Youth and Its Impact

• Categories: Drug Addiction

About this sample

Words: 1677 |

Published: Jul 17, 2018

Words: 1677 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Table of contents

Technology addiction essay outline, technology addiction essay example, introduction.

• Overview of the positive and negative impacts of tech-gadgets and services
• Mention of the impact on youth's technical skills and real-life practical skills

Negative Impacts on Youth

• The shift towards an imaginary world
• Decreased outdoor activities and social interaction

Psychological Effects

• Addiction to social media and its consequences
• Internet gaming and shopping leading to depressive symptoms

Mental Health Impact

• Relationship between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorders
• Damage to brain systems and physical consequences of technology addiction

Causes of Technology Addiction

Preventing and addressing technology addiction.

• Balancing technology use with stress management
• Encouraging real-world socialization and identity development
• Treatment options for technology addiction, including inpatient treatment

Works Cited

• Walsh, S. (2012). The Impact of Technology on Youth in the Digital Age. In K. Hermann-Wilmarth & L. Ryan (Eds.), Teaching the iGeneration: Five Easy Ways to Introduce Essential Skills With Web 2.0 Tools (pp. 1-14). National Council of Teachers of English.
• Erickson, E. (2012). The Negative Impacts of Technology on Youth. Journal of Adolescent Research, 27(2), 155-169.
• Cabral, J. (2011). The Psychological Effects of Social Media Addiction on Youth. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, 1(4), 31-39.
• Cotton, S. (2001). Internet Addiction and Its Association with Depressive Symptoms among College Students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 28(4), 225-229.
• Young, K. S. (1998). Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237-244.
• Griffiths, M. D. (2000). Internet Addiction—Time to be Taken Seriously? Addiction Research, 8(5), 413-418.
• Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210-230.
• Block, J. J. (2008). Issues for DSM-V: Internet Addiction. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(3), 306-307.
• Weinstein, A., & Lejoyeux, M. (2010). Internet Addiction or Excessive Internet Use. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 36(5), 277-283.
• Cheng, C., Li, A. Y., & Wu, Y. S. (2018). Internet Addiction Prevalence and Quality of (Real) Life: A Meta-Analysis of 31 Nations across Seven World Regions. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 21(9), 540-550.

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Essay About Technology Addiction

In today’s fast world, there’s no wonder that a whole spectrum of anti-social young people have been able to overcome the barriers they face in every endeavor. This is the reason why the need for an essay on technology addiction is needed at this critical age in human history. Essay on technology addiction can be of great importance.

Technology addiction is the usage of computers, laptops and other devices that are considered as gadgets. This technology is used to make it possible for individuals to do different tasks while being connected with the Internet. The fact that this technology is easily available and free of cost makes it easy for them to use it. People tend to forget the fact that technology is not only useful but it can also be addictive.

It becomes easier for such activities to affect one’s mind, emotions and physical conditions. These activities cause many unwanted effects on a person. Such effects can range from a person’s performance at work to the health and mental condition of the individual.

It is important for the individual to make good use of such devices. However, many people are not aware of the fact that the Internet is just one of the various resources of technology. It is important for an individual to make use of all such resources in a positive way. Some other sources of technology include videos, music, social networking websites and games.

Individuals who are addicted to any of these resources may experience withdrawal symptoms. They may feel weak, tired, depressed or nervous. The withdrawal symptoms are sometimes felt after a long time. People who are addicted to video games may lose interest in their favorite games or find it very hard to stay motivated to play.

Technology addiction has also affected the educational system. The main reason behind this is the fact that a lot of individuals are using their computer in class. They use them to look for answers, answer questions or perform tasks. Many times, they also spend most of their time chatting with other classmates. These activities may even become an integral part of their academic curriculum.

The use of technology in the school system is becoming an increasing trend. Teachers and other school administrators are giving emphasis on teaching students by means of computers and laptops. They try to create a computer-based environment. This makes it possible for students to access the Internet and even collaborate online in order to solve the problems posed by the teacher.

Such behavior hinders the growth of the students. They may also get bored easily. A lot of students are affected by boredom due to lack of the same amount of stimulating activities that they used to have in the past. They also lose interest in learning new information that can give them the edge over their peers.

The good news is that technology addiction is not a very serious condition. However, the problem still exists. If you are suffering from such a condition, then you should take steps to solve it. There are several solutions available that can help you overcome your addiction.

The first thing to do is to make use of technology in a constructive manner. It is important to read a variety of books and articles to understand the subject matter well. You can also make use of online forums where you can learn from other individuals. who are experiencing the same problems as yours? These individuals will be able to provide you with valuable insights about your problem and also give you suggestions on how to fix it.

The second thing to do is to use the Internet for more constructive purposes. Instead of using it to the disadvantage of the environment, you can use it in a positive way to achieve your goals.

Lastly, make use of the Internet as often as possible. You can also try and improve your essay by reading blogs and articles written by others who are experiencing similar issues. This will ensure that you don’t miss any important details.

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Essay on Technology Addiction

Table of Contents

Essay on Technology Addiction in English : Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” Unfortunately the fear of this great soul has become a reality in today’s times. The use of technology has become a priority for majority of people. They have become addicted to it. Their relationships, work and health have taken a back seat.

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Long and Short Essay on Technology Addiction in English

Here are long and short essay on Technology Addiction to help you with the topic in your exam.

These Technology Addiction essay are written in simple English to make it easily memorable and presentable when needed.

After going through these essays you will understand what technology addiction is, what its harmful consequences are, its impacts on health and relationships, types of technology addictions and how to overcome them, etc.

Technology addiction, also known as digital addiction, internet addiction, or internet use disorder, describes when someone becomes excessively attached to technology. This can involve activities like playing games, using social media, shopping online, watching videos, or anything related to technology

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Short Essay on Technology Addiction 200 Words

Technology addiction is an umbrella term for different kinds of addictions including internet addiction, mobile addiction, social media addiction, TV addiction, computer addiction, gaming addiction and web series addiction to name a few. This is the newest kind of addiction that has gripped people around the world.

Just like drug and alcohol addiction, technology addiction also changes the brain activity. It provides momentary pleasure and releases stress temporarily. However, the impact it has on the human brain in the long run is irreparable. Continuous use of mobile, internet, television or any other technology creates new neuropath ways in our brain. These neuropath ways replace the healthier ones and also bar the development of healthy neuropath ways.

Technology addiction stimulates all the senses and it is thus hard to get over. It gives addicts a high just like drugs. Addicts return to technology again and again to experience this feeling. They feel sad and depressed when they are away from technology. This is the reason why they remain hooked to it for most part of the day. They start ignoring their work and other important tasks. They also start neglecting their loved ones. Associate happiness with their addiction. They only feel happy when they indulge in their addiction and display aggressive behaviour when advised to leave it.

Technology addiction impacts a person’s health, ruins his relationships and hampers work. One must make effort to overcome it in order to lead a healthier life.

Essay on Harmful Consequences of Technology Addiction in English –300 Words

Technology addiction is often taken lightly but research reveals that it is as bad as drug addiction. Many of the harmful effects caused by this new age addiction are as adverse as drug addiction. It impacts a person’s personal, professional and social life. Here is a brief look at its harmful consequences.

Impact of Technology on Health

Technology addiction of any kind has a negative impact on a person’s health. People addicted to technology such as mobile, computer, internet and the likes have a high risk of incurring many health issues. Dry and itchy eyes, backache, frequent headache and excessive weight gain are among the common health problems faced by technology addicts. Many of them go on to develop serious illnesses such as heart problem, hypertension and depression.

Impact of Technology on Work/ Studies

Technology addiction has a huge impact on a person’s brain. A person addicted to technology is unable to focus on work. He feels dizzy and lethargic most of the time and this hinders his work. He is unable to think creatively and rationally. Besides, he is so addicted to technology that he is unable to leave it. He often neglects his work and misses deadlines and meetings. This hampers his professional growth.

Students addicted to technology also face similar issues. Their academic performance dips as they are hooked to technology for most part of the day. Besides, they are least interested in sports and extra-curricular activities that are essential for their all round development.

Impact of Technology on Relationships

Technology addicts prefer technology over everything. Even as they sit with their family and friends, they are often engrossed in their mobile phones. They are either updating their social media accounts or playing video games or chatting with friends online. Therefore they do not like interacting with people in real life. They avoid going out with friends and ignore their loved ones. This creates problems in relationships.

Technology addiction is ruining the life of people. Technology must be put to good use. One must limit its usage to avoid getting addicted to it. If we don’t stand against technology addiction, the day isn’t far when it will prove lethal to our existence.

Essay on Technology Addiction 400 words in English: A Curse for the Society

Technology addiction is a curse for the modern society. Several people these days turn to technology to kill boredom or to distract themselves from their routine problems. Many among them start using it excessively and soon become addicted to it. It is important to identify the warning signs of technology addiction and get over it to take control of your life.

Signs of Technology Addiction

People addicted to technology often feel guilty for using technology excessively and ignoring their work and loved ones because of their addiction. Even as they want to work and spend time with their family members and friends, they aren’t able to do so as they feel drawn towards internet, mobile, video games and other technology-driven things. They are unable to leave these things.

Many of them lie and defend their act and express anger when someone guides them otherwise. Technology addicts experience a feeling of euphoria while using technology. They lose sense of time. Therefore they are unable to maintain a good schedule. They become socially isolated and experience problems such as anxiety and depression. Avoid actual tasks such as office work, homework assignments and household chores. They do not pay heed to their health and it often begins to deteriorate.

Ways to Overcome Technology Addiction

In order to overcome technology addiction it is important to distract your mind and channelize your energy in the right direction. It is thus a good idea to join a course that adds value to your profession. You may also try something that interests you such as pottery, dance, painting or some sports. Indulging in something you love will keep your spirits high and take your mind off technology.

It is also important to build a social circle as you try to get over technology addiction. Real life interactions are much more refreshing and fulfilling compared to meeting and chatting with people online. Getting back with your old friends and making new friends in school, office or in your neighbourhood is a good way to cut ties with the technology addiction. Seeking support from family members will also help in this direction.

You can take professional help to get rid of technology addiction if nothing else seems to work.

Technology addiction is hampering people’s overall growth and development. It is a curse to the society. There should be special sessions in schools and colleges to guide students to stay away from this addiction. Those addicted to it must be counselled to overcome it.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction 500 words in English

It is rightly said, “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master”. This is to say that technology can be a wonderful thing if you put it to good use. However, it can be dangerous if you allow it to overpower you. Addiction of technology is destroying the life of numerous people around the world.

Technology Addiction Promotes Drug Abuse

Addiction of any kind be it mobile addiction, internet addiction, social media addiction or gaming addiction is as bad as drug abuse. Drug addicts become vulnerable and delusional. All they want in life is a dose of their favourite drug. It gives them a high and releases all their tensions temporarily. They crave for this momentary pleasure and get addicted to drugs.

Technology renders the same soothing effect and quite similar to drugs its impact is also temporary. Technology serves as an escape from our daily problems. It relaxes our mind for some time and releases stress. However, it is as damaging for our mind, body and soul as drug addiction.

Researchers have observed a connection between these addictions. It has been seen that those addicted to technology are more likely to develop drug addiction. Most people turn to technology to release stress and they are able to achieve the desired result initially.

However, as they grow addicted to it they begin to feel stressed and depressed. In order to cope up with the situation, technology addicts look for something that can render a stronger affect and help them achieve that euphoric state. They often turn towards alcohol and drugs and become addicted to them.

Technology Addiction: Damaging Young Minds

While technology addiction is seen among people of all age groups, it is more common among the youngsters living in different parts of the world. The young generation is full of energy and new ideas. Their energy and ideas must be channelized in the right direction in order to help them grow better and achieve more in life.

However, this does not happen in most of the cases. Children and youngsters gain access to different kinds of technological devices these days and spend most of their time and energy on them. Many of them have grown addicted to technology and this is damaging their mind. All they think about is getting back to the internet, computer, social media or whichever technology they are hooked to. They lose interest in other activities.

Sometimes they are unable to focus on work as they feel a constant urge to get back to the technology they are addicted to. They feel guilty about using technology excessively and giving priority to it over their relationships and work. However, they still can’t get over it. This causes a lot of stress. Many of them face anxiety issues and even get into depression.

Technology addicts are unable to think rationally. They lose sense of time, become defensive when asked to restrict the use of technology and even start lying about its use. Their performance dips and they often develop behavioural issues.

Technology addiction should be taken seriously. People must keep a check on the use of technology. If they see any signs of technology addiction, they must take measures to overcome the same.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction in English: Types of Technology Addiction – 600 words

Drug and alcohol addiction have affected the lives of millions of people around the world. However, these are not the only kinds of addictions that grip people in today’s times. The advancement in technology and its growing use have given rise to a new type of addiction termed as technology addiction. There are different types of technology addictions. Here is a look at these:

• Mobile Addiction

Mobile addiction is one of the most common types of technology addictions in today’s times. Our mobile phones are a powerhouse of entertainment. They have so much to offer. Engrossing games, informative content, interesting videos, easy means to content with our loved ones and make new friends and what not – a mobile phone with a high speed internet connection has so much to offer. It is hard not to get hooked to it.

Numerous mobile users are addicted to their phones. They do not care if they are sitting in a social gathering, at the dinner table or in an important business meeting. However they are always on their mobile. They find it more interesting than anything happening around them.

• Computer Addiction

Computer addicts are always seen on their computer systems. They are involved in useless activities on their computer. They keep wasting their time and ignore all the important tasks at hand. Therefore they mostly confine themselves to their chair and incur various physical ailments as a result. They also become socially isolated as they skip outdoor activities and social events. This hampers their mental as well as physical growth.

• Internet Addiction

Internet has so much to offer to us. We need to see to it that it impacts our life in a positive manner and makes it better. Limited and correct use of internet can enhance our life. It can be used to learn something new that adds value to our personal and professional life. However, if we get addicted to the internet, we are on our way to ruin our life.

• Gaming Addiction

Gaming is a great way to de-stress and rejuvenate. However, most of the video games are highly addictive. They are designed to keep a person hooked for hours. Gamers crave to make new high scores and crack the next level. They get addicted to different games.

All they think about is beating their friends and build better score. They spend several hours of the day playing video games. The time that can be used to do something productive is wasted in gaming. Gaming addiction also messes with the mind and leads to aggressive and anxious behaviour.

• Social Media Addiction

Social media has become a craze among people of different age groups. It helps them connect with their near and dear ones living in different parts of the world. Healthy use of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram is good. However, it becomes a problem when people become obsessed with it.

Many people around the world have become social media addicts. They update their social media status frequently, upload pictures of everything they encounter, check for new notifications every few seconds and keep thinking about different ways to enhance their social media profile. They disconnect with people in the real world and prefer connecting with them over social media platforms.

Technology addiction is growing with the increasing use of new technology devices. This is affecting proper growth and development of people. They are glued to technology and as a result are ignoring various important aspects of their life. It needs to be understood that technology has been designed to enhance our life and not to degrade it. We must use it wisely and not grow addicted to it.

Essay on Technology Addiction FAQs

What is a short paragraph about technology addiction.

Technology addiction refers to the excessive use of digital devices like smartphones and computers, leading to negative impacts on one's life, including physical and mental health problems.

What is technology addiction?

Technology addiction is when people become overly reliant on gadgets and the internet, often to the detriment of their well-being and daily responsibilities.

What are the effects of technology addiction among youth?

Technology addiction in youth can result in social isolation, poor academic performance, disrupted sleep patterns, and diminished physical activity, affecting their overall development.

What is the concept of technology addiction?

The concept of technology addiction revolves around the idea that excessive screen time and online engagement can lead to addictive behaviors, similar to substance abuse.

What is the introduction of addiction?

Addiction, in general, is a condition where someone becomes dependent on a substance or behavior, often to the point where it has harmful consequences in their life. Technology addiction specifically involves dependency on digital devices and online activities.

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