Phones linked to social anxiety

Prolonged mobile phone usage has been linked to poor communication, exhaustion

From mobile phone to social media platforms, there are multiple avenues to spend your time in the virtual world. As youngsters get hooked to the Internet, parents and doctors alike are watching with increasing concern.

Leads to poor communicative skills, exhaustion

“Mobile phones are no replacement for interaction in the physical world,” says Dr Sugami Ramesh, a psychologist.

“Poor communication is a major problem in relationships today. Eye contact and body language help us understand messages and feelings better. That doesn’t happen when we are texting.”

Dr Manoj Sharma of Service for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) Clinic, NIMHANS, opines that in the long term, people will tend to avoid social situations and decrease their interaction with the physical world. They will have low social capital and find it difficult to bond with others.

The problem has not only psychological consequences but also physical, he said. Fatigue, dry eyes, headache and body fatigue are also the result of prolonged use of technology.

Parents restrict usage time

Vasantha Lakshmi, a mother of two, has firmly refused to buy her children mobile phones. “They are not old enough to be able to distinguish the good from the bad; they will have that discretion only when they grow up.”

She has also limited their Internet usage until they can understand the pros and cons of it. Her daughter is given anywhere between half an hour to one hour to go online in a day.

Manjula CD, also a mother of two, has just bought her daughter a mobile phone. Though the use is pretty high, she attributes it to still being early days. “I have a few rules at home for the use of gadgets — no phones on the dinner table and when guests come home.”

What doctors say

“If you find that your child overusing the mobile phone, don’t panic and blame him or her,” advises Dr Manoj. “Parents should communicate effectively to build trust and maintain their interest in offline activities such as playing.”

He also asks youngsters to acknowledge their problem of internet addiction, if any, and not to hesitate to ask for help from parents or professionals.

“Incorporate a gadget-free period into your routine. Don’t delay bedtime and take a break from the screen after 30 minutes of use,” he says.

Gaming addiction is a mental disorder

In 2013, the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) marked Internet Gaming Addiction as a condition that needed further study to be classified as a mental disorder. This indicates the rising importance of internet-related problems among people, especially the youth who are three times more likely to be on the internet.

“Gaming for long hours leads to lifestyle disturbances, such as affecting their sleep cycles. Sleep can be delayed because of spending more time on social media,” said Dr Manoj Sharma of Service for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) Clinic, NIMHANS. “Depression and stress are also associated with excessive use of social networking sites.”