How Does Technology Affect Mental Health? Free Essay Example

Abstract

Excessive use of the internet leads to internet addiction. Internet addiction is one of the rising circumstances among young youth across the globe. There has been quick progression and advancement in technology. The abuse and excessive use of technology such as phones, computers and the internet all pose threats to its users since the users are linked to them. Mental illness issues have been associated with addiction to the continuous use of the Internet. This study, therefore, helps in discovering of internet addiction the difficulties among young youths especially those in higher learning institutions, how it is associated with depression, stress, mental diseases, and anxiety.

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Introduction

There have been recent studies that have clearly shown the difficulties associated with internet addiction among children, and also the risk factors it poses to those who use and abuse the internet. Digital learning like E-learning together with collaborative learning have been made possible through the advancement of technology. This has been made possible through the use of computers, tablets, and smartphones in conjunction with the internet.

The papers concentrate on the use of ICT among the youths and children in school and also the risks these poses to the children and youths around the world.

Individual Subtopic search: Consequences of Increased Use of the Internet among Youths

Internet abuse implies to using the internet in improper ways and these may include; use of internet to engage in criminal activities, cybercrime, using the internet in bullying and disheartening others commonly known as Cyberbullying. According to Young in 1998, he pointed out that addiction o the internet became a very clinical disease and a circumstance of postmodern society.

The criteria he used for this syndrome included; using the internet to control mood, the internet was referred to other activities by the users, much time spent on cyberspace and internet connection did take longer time the expected time. The abuse of the internet had effects such as cyberloafing where students would disrupt school activities by doing private tasks in the internet for example in the o going lecture. It also leads to cheating in schools and plagiarism according to Donat et al. (2014) as the deviant behaviors that the youth going children expressed. Cheating also in schools may involve some students directly looking for answers from google which further leads to suspension and even expulsion from colleges and universities when caught in such heinous acts.

Almost to a global population of about 3.9 billion are currently using the internet since the internet has become almost part and parcel of modern-day life. The interrelationship between mental illness and excessive use of the internet has significantly grown according to a study conducted a few years ago. In a pioneering study conducted by Young, the term “Internet addiction” was introduced and it was defined as an “impulse control disorder that did not involve an intoxicant”. Internet addiction results in different life functions being impaired, internet gaming disorder, a disorder where psychosocial functions are affected negatively through continuous gaming activities via the internet that cannot be controlled. Mental illness and disorders resulting from internet addiction are associated with core symptoms which include; spending too much time online, inability to plan well and deterioration of impairment control. Internet addiction has been correlated with so many psychiatric disorders. These disorders are connected to suicide, impulsivity, a disorder in mood, sleep quality being poor, and finally having self-esteem being low.

In conclusion, internet addiction predominance among the youth and school-going children was extremely high and can be linked to depression, stress, mental disorders, and anxiety. There should be care physicians in schools and higher learning institutions to curb internet addiction and reduce mental health issues like stress. For the treatment of internet addiction among youths and school-going children can be enhanced by the use of integrative therapies such as mindfulness and yoga. For future studies and research, more effort and resources should be put in place for therapeutic approaches such as integrative therapy to help in addiction disorders with internet addiction included.
Keywords: Internet addiction, mental disorders, depression, youths, internet, anxiety, students, stress

References

Milková, E., & Ambrožová, P. (2018). Internet Use and Abuse: Connection with Internet Addiction. Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science, 11(2), 22-28.
Tripathi, A. (2017). Impact of Internet Addiction on Mental Health: An Integrative Therapy Is Needed. Integrative Medicine International, 4(3-4), 215-222.
Donat, M., Dalbert, C., & Kamble, S. V. (2014). Adolescents’ cheating and delinquent behavior from a justice-psychological perspective: The role of teacher justice. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 29(4), 635-651.
Vaidya, N., Jaiganesh, S., & Krishnan, J. (2016). Prevalence of Internet addiction and its impact on the physiological balance of mental health. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 6(1), 97.
Vigna-Taglianti, F., Brambilla, R., Priotto, B., Angelino, R., Cuomo, G., & Diecidue, R. (2017). Problematic internet use among high school students: Prevalence, associated factors and gender differences. Psychiatry research, 257, 163-171.
Young, K. S. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyberpsychology & behavior, 1(3), 237-244.