It is difficult to be away from
technology in every facet of our lives. It is constantly changing and at times
is very difficult to adjust to. Technology in mental health can affect us negatively
especially in children who need the support and care of the human touch more
than anything at that age. The effects of technology can start as early as
infancy. Infants are being exposed to music, TV’s DVD’s, spend hours in their
strollers, car seats or swings and after too many hours a day being exposed to
technology can have negative effects socially and responding normally to the
human touch. They just aren’t getting enough human contact. Parents are too
busy to spend time with their children and spend more time on their cameras and
devices monitoring them for safety purposes and not thinking of even their
infant’s mental health issues. Too much technological devices can be more
harmful that good if there is no balance.
The majority of children have TVs
in their bedrooms. They can spend 6-7 hours of their day watching TV or playing
video games on the TV leaving them with less and less human interaction. Even
at school many elementary students are spending time working individually on
lap tops or left at computer terminals to go work individually and not in a
group interacting setting. Humans were designed to touch and smile at each
other. Technology is taking that aspect of our lives away from each other. At
the same time as children are spending more and more time using technology, in
the last five years the use of psychotropic medications has tripled for 2-4 year
olds and quadrupled for elementary school aged children. Very young children are being diagnosed with bipolar
disorder, depression, anxiety, autism and other types of mental illness.
Much of our stress is caused by
technology. We often even as adults become overwhelmed by technology’s flood of incoming demands on our time and
energy. Cell phones, texting, e-mails, Facebook, Twitter, all types of media is
demanding and expects an immediate response. We have allowed the gadgets to
dictate our lives and take all of our social interaction over. Social isolation can be caused by the overuse
of technology. It is important to cultivate a balance between face-to-face and
online communication. The interruptions and urgency’s of technology’s demands
can affect family life as well. Failure
to set boundaries is harmful to physical and mental health.
The effects of technology on
mental health may depend on whether we are in control of the technology usage
or whether the technology is controlling us. To properly treat any mental health issue is
still being effectively done the old fashioned way through counselling and
group therapies. One of the most successful mental health programs is the
widespread network of people available for each other any time of the day or
night through Alcoholic Anonymous which also discusses issues of other
drug addictions and general mental issues associated with the use of booze and
pills.
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