Over the decades, technology has taken a total 360-degree shift. We went from rubbing two stones together to create fire to landing on the moon in a spacecraft. As much as it sounds amazing, the digital wave also plays a significant role in rising anxiety among people. In fact, research by Open University reveals various emotions, including anxiety, fear of missing out, stress, depression, etc., are all linked with excessive mobile use.
Many Irvine anxiety specialists also speak about how they encounter people with various mental health battles, linking back to excessive digitalization.
Technophobia -The Rising Concern
While people are quickly adapting to new technology, some people, especially adults and old people, have developed a fear of technology. These fears prevent them from adapting to new technology or make them too obsessed. What many people do not know about technophobia is that there is not a specific ‘age’ to develop it. Instead, when it starts affecting your daily life, it can also cause other mental health problems.
Technophobia is likely to crawl on you if you are already struggling with an anxiety disorder. While there is still no exact cause of what causes technophobia, it is usually common among people dealing with general anxiety related to the future. Moreover, the way the media portrays how technology will overpower humans in the upcoming years creates more anxious feelings in people, leading to fear of technology.
Besides, it can also affect physical health, such as dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath, and more.
Does technology really affect your mental health?
The younger generation, especially Gen Z, is a prime example of how technology has affected our mental health. The rise of using social media has led to people battling with their mental health. The glamorous lifestyle, money, fame, and success have been looked at way too easily on social media, which makes one think they are lagging behind.
You tend to achieve the same when you see the spotlight others receive. However, when you face reality (which most people are facing actually), people develop a feeling of insecurity, fear, anxiety, etc. This also causes long-term anxiety disorders in people. Digitalization has also made it easy for people to compare their lives with others. But in reality, no one posts their struggles on social media, which again makes it all sunshine and rainbows.
What can you do?
Adapting to the new technology and going hand in hand with the changes is vital if you want to keep moving forward. However, limiting your technology to take within 24 hours of your day is crucial. If you are developing anxiety due to technology, remember to seek support.