DIGITAL ADDICTION

 'Touch humans, not Screens. Life does exist beyond a touch screen.'

Gone are the days when only food, clothing and shelter were considered the basic necessities of life. In this era of technological advancement, life can not be imagined without a digital world.

Our generation has been hit by digital addiction that is a harmful dependence on digital media and devices such as smartphones, video games, and computers. It's a pity that we have so blindly fallen into the clutches of this digital world that these are the last things we see when we sleep and the first when we wake up. We are truly in the era of digital natives, and it’s vital to consider how this will impact future generations. The relation between our smartphones and our health is a toxic one. Smartphones provide the functionality of a laptop computer, a television, the internet, and a games console, integrated into a portable device that fits in your pocket and follows you everywhere. The disadvantages of excessive screen time are many .

Studies have found a strong correlation between high-frequency digital media use and mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention-deficit, hyperactive disorder, loneliness, chronic stress, low self-esteem, Decreased focus and productivity and other negative emotions.

Technology certainly isn’t going to slow, so how can we appropriately manage our time that we spend on the Internet? And the answer to this question is balance. Fostering self-regulation ,Embracing quality media usage,Carving out times and places to disconnect ,Nurturing relationships and face-to-face interaction are some ways to prevent this addiction.

Technology isn’t going anywhere, So it’s pivotal that we find a way to lead healthy, meaningful, and productive lives via a balanced diet of media and technology. And remember that technology isn’t all bad—for many young people, it’s simply a means of discovery, connection, and creativity.

 

Deepika Maheshwari

12 A3

 

Digital Addiction

"The difference between digital addiction and slavery is that slaves are fully aware that they are not free."

I sometimes wonder how we will survive in a world without technology. Imagine if your mobile phones, laptop and tabs all of them just disappear in thin air. What will you do? I guess you'll walk out and try to observe the world you ignored all this while. You might just go to your neighbors to ask about your red leather ball that you and your friends accidentally threw which broke their glass window. Or why not say hello to the young tree which you once planted. It's been a long time since any of that happened. It will feel strange to walk in a neighborhood which you stopped focusing on .  Remember your mother once mentioned her hobby of maintaining a garden or maybe you missed it as you were busy posting selfies on your social media account. Don't you think you forgot about the happiness and excitement of a real book or a family trip? All those little things just got lost somewhere. No more libraries as eBooks are easier to carry and why talk to family when therapies are trendy!  Why focus on developing a hobby when anyone can become famous so easily? I think effortless is the new motto. I understand it's hard to confront teenage emotions so you all just chose to escape the real world.

Digital world is good at providing instant solutions to you. Its attractive nature of offering variety and flexibility has succeeded in capturing people of all age groups. No doubt it helps you grow and evolve but at the same time it kills patience and stability.

It's a platform to connect people far away, not a device to disconnect close ones. Especially teenagers who are fascinated with its features need to see the reality. It's not serving as a good friend, instead it's killing the potential to grow.

We are no longer using it, it's actually ruling over us. Letting a gadget control your life just because it's handy is not a smart choice.

We are fortunate to have been taught and counselled in school at various levels  to choose quality over quantity. We owe to our parents and schooling at mps, which deeply instills values in each mpsite and enables them to take the righteous path whenever it is the time to choose between the two roads. All thanks to the sagacity we acquired we know it is better to talk to the people around you and search inside you before it's robots who decide for you.

 

Palak Sharma

XII A3