Technoaddiction: What It Is And What Are Its Causes And Symptoms
For a few decades now, New technologies are part of our lives and have caused important changes in the way we relate to the environment and with others. Due to technological advances, social networks and the presence of the Internet, we spend many hours connected to technological devices, be it our computer or our mobile phone.
Such has been the impact that some people may feel lost in this world dependent on new technologies if they do not have access to these gadgets. Experts say that if new technologies are not used appropriately, phenomena such as internet addiction, nomophobia or FOMO syndrome may appear.
Technoaddiction is the uncontrollable desire to be connected to ICT at all hours, and a behavior that can cause discomfort and deterioration in the individual’s life. It is a relatively new phenomenon, which is usually described as the inability to control the use of various types of technology, in particular the internet, smartphones, tablets and social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
This phenomenon has worsened with the proliferation of the use of smartphones, since access to the internet and social networking can now be done from almost anywhere and at any time. Many of us spend practically the entire day connected to technological devices, from the moment we get up to the moment we go to bed. The use of technology alone is not bad, but if used inappropriately it can cause serious problems for a person’s well-being.
Much of the problem lies in the education of individuals, which being such a current phenomenon, even the parents themselves are the first affected by this problem and are incapable of properly educating their children in this regard.
Is it a disorder?
Some experts have classified this problem as a disorder due to its negative consequences and the impact it can have on a person’s life. Technoaddiction is not a disorder recognized by the DSM, but it is It is a problem that has aroused much interest among health professionals since the 1990s
In 1995, Kimberly Young, an American psychologist, created the Center for Internet Addiction and the first treatment plan for technology addiction based on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. That same year, the term “Internet addiction disorder” was coined by psychiatrist Dr. Ivan Goldberg.
Now, the concept of technoaddiction encompasses different phenomena, among which nomophobia and FOMO syndrome stand out.
What the research says
Scientific studies show that, in the case of internet addiction, in the United States and Europe 8.2% of the population suffers from Internet addiction In 2006, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine conducted a telephone survey that found that one in eight Americans feels addicted to new technology.
Technology addiction is recognized as a widespread health problem in other countries, such as Australia, China, Japan, India, Italy, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, which have established dedicated clinics to address this growing problem.
Like other types of addiction, technology addiction can range from moderate to severe, and some researchers claim that the dependence is psychological rather than physical. Of course, being without internet access or without the possibility of using your smartphone can cause serious problems such as anxiety or discomfort. The dependence on new technology is so great today that people with techno addiction feel lost in the physical world. New technologies affect our daily lives, interpersonal relationships, academic or work performance…
Technoaddiction is a heterogeneous phenomenon that includes both addiction to technological devices and the need to be in contact with the virtual world; However, both are related. In general, Technoaddiction manifests itself in the following ways::
The problem is not technology, but its misuse
The appearance of this phenomenon does not have its cause in the use of technology itself, because like any addiction, its origin can be in the person’s lack of social skills or low self-esteem. New technologies bring us multiple benefits, as they allow us to be connected to any place in the world and have information practically instantly.
Psychologist Jonathan García-Allen suggests that education is key to preventing this phenomenon, as he explains that “the main problem is not new technologies, but rather their pathological use, which can materialize both in addiction and in uses that can generate psychological problems”.
In this sense, the answer to this problem is not to prohibit Internet use or remove smartphones from the lives of children or adolescents, but rather the important thing is to make them understand that their misuse brings detrimental consequences to their emotional health. It is the task of all educators and parents to educate them from an early age to avoid improper and pathological uses of new technologies.
Nomophobia and FOMO syndrome
Two phenomena associated with new technologies that have had the greatest media impact in recent times are fomo syndrome and nomophobia. The first is related to the formation of identity and the impact that social networks have when it comes to relating to others. l Nomophobia is the addiction to smartphones or smartphones
