Addiction to new technologies is a very common problem in adolescentsand, if not addressed appropriately, can cause many problems in young people.
New technologies are a way of providing and storing information that is available to everyone, including our adolescent children. The Internet, smartphones or video game consoles are clear examples of devices that can cause this behavioral addiction.
What makes new technologies so attractive to young people?
On the one hand, these new technologies allow us to access a large amount of information whenever we want. We can be connected and know what is happening anywhere in the world with just one click. They allow us to stay up to date with a single click of the mouse.
But they also allow us to work better, in a simpler way, since they save us a lot of time and effort.
Another advantage that these tools have is that make communication much easier. To talk to anyone, we just have to dial a number on our mobile phone, or send a tweet on social networks or a message through Facebook. The possibilities that new technologies offer us to communicate with other people are endless.
And of course, They are also a form of entertainment. You just have to look at the newer video game consoles, like the Playstation 5 or any other. Not only do they have an immense catalog of games available on the market for them, but they offer endless online options.
So what’s the problem with all this?
The advantages provided by new technologies are precisely those that can lead to the development of problematic behavior with respect to them.
When we talk about an addiction to new technologies we apply the same conditions that apply to chemical substances, redirecting them to these behaviors. In such a way, We will be facing an addiction if three of these elements that we point out below are shown for a prolonged period.
1. Tolerance
This implies that the person needs to use them more and more To feel good. Basically, it won’t come off your phone or computer.
2. Abstinence
Abstinence causes discomfort when this behavior stops being habitual for a certain period of time.. The person will not feel well and will experience different symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, and may even become obsessed with it.
@professional(2054529, “Are you interested in attending therapy?”)
3. It will be a repeated behavior
This is the case of those people who enter the Internet with the excuse of checking their email and get lost in the network.
4. Frustrated attempts and desires to stop doing this
There are times when people addicted to new technologies realize that they spend a lot of time on these devices. Despite this, It is an impossible task to reduce the time in front of them.
It usually occurs when the person, for example, continually and excessively searches for information to be fully informed about which device is best to buy and why.
6. They leave their life completely aside
It occurs when devices and new technologies govern a person’s life. You may stop doing anything else, like going out with friends or even being with family.. Their world is the computer or the mobile phone.
7. The behavior persists over time
The negative consequences that this behavior generates do not matter. Despite everything, you won’t be able to stop doing it, even if you want to and try.
Is it something to worry about?
Addictions are always something to worry about because of the consequences they can have on the person who suffers from them. In principle, the use of new technologies should not be problematic, but in certain cases it can..
If your child loses control by using them for longer than expected and they tell us that they cannot stop, it is time to go to a professional to help you. We must not forget that freedom is something that your child should never lose, and that happens with an addiction.
If you detect the slightest indication that this may be happening, seek professional help as soon as possible to avoid major problems.
