Constant technological changes are always happening in our society to which it is important that we adapt in a positive way. When this adaptation happens in a precarious, inadequate or inefficient way, they arise various physical, emotional, behavioral and psycho-social problems in individuals.
The internet is no different. The internet makes our daily life a lot easier. Many things can be done with this fantastic tool: interact with new people, make payments online, work, study and find countless possibilities and opportunities that we never even imagined before. But like everything in life, presenting both sides of the coin and depending on the use we make of everything, the advent of the internet also brought with it a range of challenges and consequences that the technological revolution has implemented, including illnesses for people who are not using it in a conscious way.
In other words, this happens when people do not know how to manage the time of use of electronic devices, getting involved beyond the count, without setting limits, as well as failing to live the possibilities of a real life to immerse yourself in an illusion or unreality. Therefore, living in another world is more motivating and this world is the virtual world. We have the power to choose between using technology to in our favor, benefiting from all the facilities it offers, or becoming its slaves, living in collective solitude and disconnected from real life, which is alienating. The matter of smartphones: Today, the function of a cell phone goes far beyond receiving and making calls. We can use, abuse or develop a dependency on the mobile device. In the last case, the dependency on the cell phone, for some people, has become a real extension of the body itself.
When the use of technological tools such as tablets or smartphones become an addiction or an addiction, hindering the performance of activities in the person's daily life, interfering in their social and family relationships, harming the focus on work activities and bringing consequent academic harm, we already have enough elements to classify a disorder, which has a name: nomophobia. In case you are exhibiting the following behaviors:
1. You are constantly checking your emails;
2. Does not leave social networks and even stops eating to stay in the chat;
3. Hear the phone ring or vibrate even when it is turned off
4. Tends to overvalue superficial relationships on social media
at the expense of real relationships;
5. Can't be without the cell phone, even in inappropriate environments such as
restaurants, meetings, taking the device even when going to the bathroom;
Caution; be aware! You might have nomophobia.
What is Nomophobia?
Nomophobia is a compulsion characterized by the irrational fear of remaining isolated and disconnected from the virtual world. In the abstinence from the cell phone or tablet (internet), the symptoms are very similar to those who are in the abstinence from drugs like alcohol and cigarettes. It is worth noting that nomophobia is generally related to secondary comorbidities of other disorders, especially the anxiety disorders such as social phobia, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
What are the symptoms of nomophobia?
The main symptoms of abstinence from the cell phone are: anguish, existential emptiness
(life seems to have no more meaning), despair, stress, irritability, nausea, tachycardia, sweating, muscle tension, panic, among other manifestations. Dopamine and the internet. We cannot talk about dependence or addiction without understanding how this happens behind the scenes of our brain. For this reason, it is imperative to talk about dopamine, the pleasure molecule, as it is directly related to our reward circuit. Dependency on smartphones is like any other addiction, therefore presenting potential additive and assuming exclusivity, the tolerance and abstinence, as well as the participation of dopamine in their biochemical processes. In addition, the overuse of the device can cause numerous physical health problems such as: back problems, stiff neck, tendonitis, insomnia, stress, retinal dryness, hearing loss, among others.
Emotional and psychosocial problems are not left out, as our children and teenagers who are constantly connected in the virtual, world suffer loss in capacity for interpersonal interaction, as they do not leave the cell phone to be able to spend more time in games and chats, forgetting to interact with real people and to perform normal everyday activities. In some countries, excessive cell phone use is already a public health problem.
So, what smartphones and tablets offer are able to provide pleasure (or dopamine in the brain) and reward. Through this logic, the most effective resource to reverse or prevent the development of addiction, is to replace the pleasure caused by cell phone use by other reinforcers that we can find in our environment: real love, sports and interactive activities, the company of friends at a party, trying to rescue positive habits and maintainers of real relationships with friends and especially with family, and thus rescue the affection. In other words, make present our real experiences. The issue of the pathological use of chats and social networks is that we designed our pending and emotional needs as a means of counterbalancing what we can´t have, be or resolve in “real life”.
Facing reality as it is and seeking effective strategies for social insertion, recognition and resolution of existential problems, is the first step to live a life without masks. It is necessary to have self-acceptance so that we have a better quality of life. The participation of the family is of extreme importance regarding the education of children, as well as setting limits regarding the use of internet games. Children today are much more attentive, learning very easily to use all available resources. Precisely for this reason, the family must pay attention, as children are more vulnerable and are at a higher risk situation, especially with regards to gambling addiction and photo posts in the media. The solution of this rising addiction is in love, connection, affection and, ultimately, family.
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