During the one-and-a-half-year-long pandemic, digital addiction has crept into most people’s lives. Confined indoors, screens are suddenly the means to keep their connections with others alive and lift their spirits. Be it work, socialisation, education, entertainment, news consumption, shopping, attending weddings, or gathering for protests, everything has become virtual.
As days started to revolve around screens — whether it is out of disconnection, sheer boredom or necessity — whining about anxiety also started, especially for spending unintended time online. According to a World Advertising Research Center report, the daily global online content consumption — through smartphones, televisions, computers, tablets, and social media — more than doubled in 2020. Another study by Lancaster University in November 2020 states that “worrying about tech use is more likely to cause anxiety and depression than using the tech itself “.
Today, the present situation compels people to think about how to make this tech enslavement a healthier practice. The new wellness mantra includes digital detox, digital minimalism, cyber diet, dopamine fasting, etc. And such tech diets are replacing awful habits with some awesome ones — mentally, physically, and digitally.
The first step towards alleviating screen anxiety and fostering self-awareness about tech usage is to draw a firm line between screen time that is nourishing and screen time which is harmful.
Psychology journals explain that too much screen time can take a toll on people’s mental health, besides leading to sleep deprivation. Gadgets might be the first thing some people reach for in the morning or the last thing they see at night. This is where some simple solutions can come in handy. For instance, why don’t people use an alarm clock instead of mobile phones? Even the phone’s proximity could tempt them to wake up, and the blue light from screens can trick people’s brains into thinking it is daytime, which can psychologically stimulate them to stay awake. In such cases, it makes sense for people to consciously shelve their gadgets outside the bedroom.
Even though users may shut down one screen, the tendency to keep others open remains. To avoid such screen-jumping, unplugging devices and taking breaks from screens altogether is highly recommended. Replacing screens with a brisk walk, yoga, meditation, a workout, reading a book, cooking, gardening while leaving our gadgets behind could also amount to a form of relaxation.
Research suggests that constant digital distraction prevents people from the ability to recharge and reset their lives. For instance, Facebook and Twitter created their timelines so that one could scroll endlessly through updates, maximising the amount of time that users spend on their sites. Furthermore, fake news, clickbait contents and ‘infodemics’ too are all anxiety-inducing social media. Users need to resist such hooks designed to keep them glued to their screens and accord specific time slots every day to do it guilt-free and by strict adherence to it. Turning off app notifications that are not essential can be helpful. Still, if the temptation runs high, users should even consider breaking the cycle by deleting the social media apps from their phones.
Extreme addicts carry gadgets to their bathrooms, use them while dining or even when driving. Studies recommend the need to create “no gadget zones” and calendar events for just about everything, including browsing the web and taking breaks. In the US, the first weekend in March is celebrated as the National Day of Unplugging to raise awareness about tech addictions. Tech Shabbat (giving up devices from Friday evening to Saturday evening) is yet another trend among those who feel their lives are swarmed by digital cacophony. Pushing further, “dopamine fasting”, which involves depriving oneself of any stimulation — internet, television, mobile phones, or even conversations with friends — is a much-needed breather to “reset” and recalibrate the brain. People need to plan such seasonal mini-breaks to fix appointments with themselves and discover their ‘me’ time.
Clearly, all screen time is not bad. Today, children learn through online classes, and many adults continue their office work online. But while online, it is vital to filter out engaging and meaningful content instead of binging on whatever comes in.
There are some useful, cost-free apps like Flipd, Shut, Mute, or Moment, which can help one stick to digital detox and assist in mindful digital consumption. But if addictions go entirely out of hand or lead to academic, social, and/or occupational impairment, reach out to the SHUT (Services for Healthy Use of Technology) clinic. Eventually, just as this pandemic helped people decode who and what matters, this exercise should also help them to encode what digitally matters.
(The writer is an Assistant Professor with Christ Deemed to be University, Bengaluru)