technology addiction essay

• Signs of Addiction

Technology Addiction

Creating a healthy balance.

Extreme use of technology can disrupt normal patterns of mood and socialization in teens

Technology is everywhere, and it is not going away. Teenagers stare down at their iPhones, or keep their eyes glued to a tablet or laptop, instead of observing the world around them. It's not unusual to see two adolescents seated together on a bus, texting furiously on their mobiles rather than talking to one another. The fact that teens are so dependent on technology makes sense in our world, but it may also lead to negative consequences.

What is technology addiction?

Technology addiction can be defined as frequent and obsessive technology-related behavior increasingly practiced despite negative consequences to the user of the technology. An over-dependence on tech can significantly impact students' lives. While we need technology to survive in a modern social world, a severe overreliance on technology—or an addiction to certain facets of its use—can also be socially devastating. Tech dependence can lead to teen consequences that span from mild annoyance when away from technology to feelings of isolation, extreme anxiety, and depression.

What makes technology addictive?

Technology fulfills our natural human need for stimulation, interaction, and changes in environment with great efficiency. When teenagers experience stress, be it romantic rejection or a poor grade on an exam, technology can become a quick and easy way to fill basic needs, and as such, can become addictive.

Technology impacts the pleasure systems of the brain in ways similar to substances. It provides some of the same reward that alcohol and other drugs might: it can be a boredom buster, a social lubricant, and an escape from reality.

Video and computer games, smart phones and tablets, social media and the Internet provide a variety of access points that can promote dependence on technology and negative consequences for youth:

The Internet.  The Web can be addictive as a multifunctional tool that brings us exceptionally close to an enormous amount of information at unprecedented speeds. User-friendly by design, we now have access to the Internet on our computers, through apps on our tablets, phones and watches. "FOMO," or "Fear of Missing Out," is a commonly described phenomenon for teens and young adults, in which youth increasingly feel the need to stay connected to the Internet, so they aren't the last to know of a news story or social happening.

Related to FOMO, some Facebook users, for instance, report that they use the Internet-based social media platform as a chosen method to alleviate their anxiety or depression.1 With so much accessibility to its use, the Internet is just as hard to stay away from at any given point in a day as it is easy and rewarding to use.

Video and computer games.  One hallmark of human psychology is that we want to feel competent, autonomous, and related to other people. Challenging video games allow players to feel that they are good at something. Games offer a great variety of choice to players, promoting a sense of autonomy for teens who might feel otherwise out of control.

The same goals that drive people to pursue success in the real world are often present in video games. As one amasses virtual wealth or prestige by spending time on games and advancing through levels, virtual wealth can translate into some version of actual recognition—through monetary purchasing power within an online game or a positive reputation within an online community.

Gamers find themselves linked to others who share their hobby through YouTube channels or subreddits dedicated to discussion of their game of choice with other enthusiasts. Like the Internet itself, games make themselves increasingly accessible to teens via apps on smart phones, never leaving kids' palms or pockets.

While there is room for social connection in the gaming universe, this space also provides a potential escape from reality into a digital world where players get to assume new identities more appealing or more novel than those they hold in the real life.

Smart phones, tablets, and lifestyle technologies.  These highly-mobile, flexible machines have the power to constantly connect. Smart phones and tablets, and the emergence of other smart devices from the Apple Watch to the Amazon Echo, promote addiction by removing the time lapse from tasks and activities that previously required logging into a deskbound, or at least a backpack-bound, computer source.

Social media.  Social media presents individually-relevant information in the easiest ways—centralized, personalized portals, like a Facebook newsfeed, YouTube subscription, or Snapchat followership.

Whether it's a Skype conversation with our grandmother in Alaska or a Twitter reply to the President, social media feeds our need for human connection by allowing us to share feedback with those who are far from us in time, geography, or social status. As social animals, we need human contact for emotional and psychological health. The appeal of social media is that it helps us to fill social needs without the efforts or restraints of in-person contact.

What are the risks of teen technology use?

While technology is certainly not all bad, its overuse can pose certain key risks, especially to teens.

Technology can give students a false sense of relational security as they communicate with unseen individuals around the world. The speed with which technology moves makes everything a teen might be looking for available within seconds, which encourages an unhealthy desire for instant gratification. A slow internet connection or “unplugging” can promote irritability and anxiety for a teen otherwise used to constant connection through technology.

Sleep disorders can develop as teens stay up all night to play with technology, and as a result, academic, athletic, and social performance can suffer. Weight gain and other complications of a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, such as cardiovascular disease, may result. In-person social skills may deteriorate.

Even as healthy teens are challenged by increasing life responsibilities, hormonal changes, and the stress of new social and academic worlds like dating and applying to college, these life transitions become even harder for those wholly absorbed in technology.

Within a technology-addicted individual, the mind becomes increasingly unable to distinguish between the lived and the alternate realities that produce instant stimulation, pleasure, and reward. As such, the extreme use of technology can disrupt normal patterns of mood and socialization in teens. Dependency upon social media, gaming, or other platforms to function can become the new and unhealthy "normal."

Technology addiction and teen substance use.  Researchers have found evidence that people who overuse technology may develop similar brain chemistry and neural patterning to those who are addicted to substances. 2

Another concern is that those who are addicted to technology are actually more likely to also use substances than their peers with healthier relationships to tech, providing the insight that technology addiction may be a risk factor for alcohol and other drug addiction.

One preliminary study found that a group of teens who "hyper-texted" were 40% more likely to have used cigarettes and twice as likely to have used alcohol than students who were less frequent users of technology. This same research noted that those who spent more hours per school day than peers on social networking sites were at higher risk for depression and suicide. 3

It stands to reason then, that if we can prevent technology addiction, we may also be able to prevent other risky behavior and dangerous consequences to teens.

Technology and the brain.  Studies have shown that brain scans of young people with internet addiction disorder (IAD) are similar to those of people with substance addictions to alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis. 4

Damage to brain systems connecting emotional processing, attention, and decision-making are affected in both substance addicts and technology addicts. This discovery shows that being hooked on a tech behavior can, in some ways, be as physically damaging as an addiction to alcohol and other drug use.

When is technology a protective factor?

Of course, the advent of smarter, faster, more mobile technologies can be used positively with teens too. The following list reflects the many ways that technology, used in a healthy way, can encourage teens to explore their world and express themselves:

Learning.  In Ramsey Musallam's AP Chemistry class at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, California, cell phones are a natural extension of the way the teacher otherwise communicates with his students. As soon as kids walk into his classroom, Musallam sends out a text blast through Remind101, asking students a challenge question related to the day's lesson. 5

Some teachers use Facebook as a communication hub, creating a public page or smaller, closed groups for classes. Using technology like this, teachers can keep parents informed, distribute homework or permission slips, and share photos and videos from classroom activities and field trips.

Others in education and civic development have found that by piquing students' interest in social justice or commentary videos posted on YouTube, student engagement with world issues is enhanced.

Creativity and expression.  Technology can promote student creativity by prompting expression through user-friendly tools. Some studies have shown that blogging, or web journaling, enhances students' creative thinking. 6

Metacognition—the ability to be aware of, attend to, and use information about one's own cognitive processes—allows students to strengthen critical thinking across academic and artistic disciplines. Utilizing Internet-based technologies that ask students to reflect on and reiterate their learning processes provides a framework for the development of teen metacognition skills.

Now common technologies like tablets and smart phones are often much less bulky than notebooks and textbooks, allowing students to flex their imaginations, read fiction, write poetry, doodle, or take pictures through the ease of software applications found on highly-mobile devices.

Socialization.  When monitored properly by a parent or guardian, the use of social media can create safe and healthy friendship networks for teens with like interests online, through already established mutual friendships or within shared interest hubs, like a blogging community or Facebook group.

Preventing other teen risks.  Since the expansion of the Internet and mobile technologies, call-in hotlines have expanded to include Internet help sites and texting lines for teens run by knowledgeable and mature adults. These options provide a place teens can go for accurate information and timely support when they are not comfortable discussing their personal problems with an adult at home or school.

At her social advocacy organization, Nancy Lublin started receiving so many texts from students with questions about bullying that she set up a text-only crisis line.7 While online harassment is a concern, online support movements like the It Gets Better Project have sprung up to powerfully protect teens too.

Preventing Technology Addiction in Teens

Technology will only grow in its use in teens' worlds. Preventing teen addiction to technology means finding a balance within students' lives, so that teenagers do not misuse their technology as an escape from real world challenges, emotions, socialization, or identity. Adults can help children and teens have healthy relationships to technology when they:

Provide plenty of healthy highs, some of them offline.  How teenagers use technology really matters. Are teens playing video games among other recreational activities, and are they as excited about a dinner with friends as they are about "leveling up"? Or, are they turning on the Xbox so they don't have to face a life that they're not enjoying?

Balance activity and productivity with healthy stress management.  Everything in life requires energy, and often teens feel like they have too little energy to spend on too many demands. If they're are not guided by adults to discover healthy ways to replenish their stores of energy, they may default by overusing easy fixes for entertainment or stress relief that promote technology addiction.

Nurture pro-social identity development in the real world.  Adults must be proactive, creative, and excited as they help kids to discover who they really are! Once teenagers find something they are good at and want to do, they will naturally gravitate toward it. It is easier to create an Internet façade, but far more rewarding for teens to cultivate true purposes and genuine identities within their families, schools, and communities.

Consider treatment when there's a problem.  Inpatient treatment for technology addiction starts by removing a teenager from both the Internet and the surroundings that allowed a technology addiction to occur in the first place. It is a form of intensive therapy. Other treatments can include ways to help technology addicts see the offline world as more pleasurable, without fully removing the online element from their lives.

Creating a Healthy Balance

It is true that technology can fulfill many human needs, but its overuse comes with risk. Being addicted to technology is in some ways akin to an addiction to alcohol and other drugs, with many of the same effects on the developing brain.

We must do all we can to prevent any sort of addiction from occurring in our children's lives. Technology can be a protective factor if used properly, and healthy adults can play a role in student technology addiction prevention by showing young people the benefits to be gained from a healthy, balanced approach to technology use.

1. Conrad, Brent. "Why Is Facebook Addictive? Twenty-One Reasons For Facebook Addiction - TechAddiction." Video Game Addiction Treatment & Computer Addiction Help - TechAddiction. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.techaddiction.ca/why-is-facebook-addictive.html.

2. Goldstein, Rita Z., and Nora D. Volkow. (2011). "Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex in addiction: neuroimaging findings and clinical implications: Abstract: Nature Reviews Neuroscience." Nature Publishing Group: science journals, jobs, and information. Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v12/n11/abs/nrn3119.html.

3. NHS. "Extreme levels of texting 'unhealthy'." NHS Choices. 10 November 2010. N.p. Web. 2 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/11November/Pages/Texting-and-teen-behaviour.aspx.

4. Lin, Fuchun, Zhou, Yan, Du, Yasong, Qin, Lindi, Zhao, Zhimin, Xu, Jianrong and Hao Lei. (2012). "Abnormal White Matter Integrity in Adolescents with Internet Addiction Disorder: A Tract-Based Spatial Statistics Study." Plos One. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0030253.

5. Barseghian, Tina. "How Teachers Make Cell Phones Work in the Classroom | MindShift." KQED Public Media for Northern CA.KQED, 10 May 2012. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/10/how-teachers-make-cell-phones-work-in-the-classroom/.

6. Hargrove, R. "The Role of Technology in Developing Students Creative Thinking Abilities - IATED Digital Library." IATED Digital Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. http://library.iated.org/view/HARGROVE2009THE.

7. Lublin, Nancy. "Nancy Lublin: Texting that saves lives | Video on TED.com." TED: Ideas worth spreading. TED Conferences, LLC, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. http://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_lublin_texting_that_saves_lives.html.

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Digital addiction: how technology keeps us hooked

Associate Professor in Computing and Informatics, Bournemouth University

Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Bournemouth University

Principal Academic in Psychology, Bournemouth University

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The World Health Organisation is to include “gaming disorder” , the inability to stop gaming, into the International Classification of Diseases. By doing so, the WHO is recognising the serious and growing problem of digital addiction. The problem has also been acknowledged by Google, which recently announced that it will begin focusing on “Digital Well-being” .

Although there is a growing recognition of the problem, users are still not aware of exactly how digital technology is designed to facilitate addiction. We’re part of a research team that focuses on digital addiction and here are some of the techniques and mechanisms that digital media use to keep you hooked.

Compulsive checking

Digital technologies, such as social networks, online shopping, and games, use a set of persuasive and motivational techniques to keep users returning. These include “scarcity” (a snap or status is only temporarily available, encouraging you to get online quickly); “social proof” (20,000 users retweeted an article so you should go online and read it); “personalisation” (your news feed is designed to filter and display news based on your interest); and “reciprocity” (invite more friends to get extra points, and once your friends are part of the network it becomes much more difficult for you or them to leave).

Technology is designed to utilise the basic human need to feel a sense of belonging and connection with others. So, a fear of missing out, commonly known as FoMO, is at the heart of many features of social media design.

Groups and forums in social media promote active participation. Notifications and “presence features” keep people notified of each others’ availability and activities in real-time so that some start to become compulsive checkers. This includes “two ticks” on instant messaging tools, such as Whatsapp. Users can see whether their message has been delivered and read. This creates pressure on each person to respond quickly to the other.

The concepts of reward and infotainment, material which is both entertaining and informative, are also crucial for “addictive” designs. In social networks, it is said that “no news is not good news”. So, their design strives always to provide content and prevent disappointment. The seconds of anticipation for the “pull to refresh” mechanism on smartphone apps, such as Twitter, is similar to pulling the lever of a slot machine and waiting for the win.

Most of the features mentioned above have roots in our non-tech world. Social networking sites have not created any new or fundamentally different styles of interaction between humans. Instead they have vastly amplified the speed and ease with which these interactions can occur, taking them to a higher speed, and scale.

Addiction and awareness

People using digital media do exhibit symptoms of behavioural addiction . These include salience, conflict, and mood modification when they check their online profiles regularly. Often people feel the need to engage with digital devices even if it is inappropriate or dangerous for them to do so. If disconnected or unable to interact as desired, they become preoccupied with missing opportunities to engage with their online social networks.

According to the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom, 15m UK internet users (around 34% of all internet users) have tried a “digital detox” . After being offline, 33% of participants reported feeling an increase in productivity, 27% felt a sense of liberation, and 25% enjoyed life more. But the report also highlighted that 16% of participants experienced the fear of missing out, 15% felt lost and 14% “cut-off”. These figures suggest that people want to spend less time online, but they may need help to do so.

At the moment, tools that enable people to be in control of their online experience, presence and online interaction remain very primitive. There seem to be unwritten expectations for users to adhere to social norms of cyberspace once they accept participation.

But unlike other mediums for addiction, such as alcohol, technology can play a role in making its usage more informed and conscious. It is possible to detect whether someone is using a phone or social network in an anxious, uncontrolled manner. Similar to online gambling, users should have available help if they wish. This could be a self-exclusion and lock-out scheme. Users can allow software to alert them when their usage pattern indicates risk.

The borderline between software which is legitimately immersive and software which can be seen as “exploitation-ware” remains an open question. Transparency of digital persuasion design and education about critical digital literacy could be potential solutions.

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Essay on Technology Addiction

Students are often asked to write an essay on Technology Addiction in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Technology Addiction

Understanding technology addiction.

Technology addiction is the excessive use of technology like smartphones and computers. It’s similar to a compulsive disorder, causing people to spend hours on technology.

Effects of Technology Addiction

This addiction can lead to harmful effects. It can cause poor academic performance, health issues like eye strain, and a decrease in social activities.

Preventing Technology Addiction

To prevent this, set time limits for using technology. Engage in outdoor activities and hobbies. Always remember, balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle.

250 Words Essay on Technology Addiction

Technology addiction, also known as digital addiction, refers to the compulsive use of digital devices, platforms, and services. With the advent of the digital age, it has emerged as a significant concern, particularly among the younger generation.

The Pervasiveness of Technology

Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. From smartphones to laptops, we use technology for various tasks, such as communication, entertainment, and work. However, this constant engagement can lead to excessive dependence, resulting in technology addiction. It’s a phenomenon that transcends geographical and socio-economic boundaries, affecting individuals worldwide.

Implications of Technology Addiction

The implications of technology addiction are multifaceted. On a personal level, it can lead to physical health issues like eye strain and sedentary lifestyle diseases. Psychologically, it can result in anxiety, depression, and social isolation. In an academic context, excessive technology use can hamper students’ focus, leading to decreased academic performance.

Addressing Technology Addiction

Addressing technology addiction involves recognizing the issue and taking proactive steps. Strategies can include setting strict boundaries for technology use, engaging in digital detoxes, and seeking professional help if necessary. Educational institutions can play a vital role by incorporating digital literacy and responsible technology use into their curriculum.

In conclusion, while technology has undoubtedly brought numerous benefits, its addictive potential cannot be overlooked. As digital citizens, it is incumbent upon us to use technology responsibly and promote a balanced digital lifestyle. With collective efforts, we can mitigate the adverse effects of technology addiction and harness its positive potential.

500 Words Essay on Technology Addiction

Introduction.

Technology addiction, a rapidly growing public health concern, is a behavioral disorder marked by an excessive or compulsive use of technology, leading to negative impacts on mental, physical, and social well-being. While the digital revolution has brought countless benefits, it has also fostered an environment where dependence on technology is becoming alarmingly commonplace.

The Nature of Technology Addiction

Technology addiction, often referred to as digital addiction, is not a formally recognized disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, it shares similarities with recognized addictions, such as gambling disorder. It involves a pattern of behavior that includes at least three of the following: a preoccupation with technology, withdrawal symptoms when technology is inaccessible, the need for increased use, unsuccessful attempts to control use, loss of interest in other activities, continued use despite negative consequences, and lying about usage.

The Impact of Technology Addiction

The impact of technology addiction is multifaceted, affecting various aspects of an individual’s life. Psychologically, it can lead to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Physically, it can cause sleep disorders, eye strain, and sedentary lifestyle-related health issues. Socially, it can lead to isolation, relationship problems, and decreased productivity in academic or professional settings.

The Role of the Digital Age

The digital age has played a significant role in the rise of technology addiction. The ubiquity of smartphones, the popularity of social media, and the advent of immersive gaming have created an environment conducive to overuse. These platforms are designed to be engaging and rewarding, often employing strategies similar to those used in gambling, such as unpredictable rewards, to keep users hooked.

Addressing technology addiction requires a multi-pronged approach. Awareness and education about the risks and signs of technology addiction are crucial. Individuals should be taught digital literacy and self-regulation skills. Tech companies also have a responsibility to design products that promote healthy usage patterns. On a societal level, policies and regulations can be implemented to mitigate the risks associated with technology use.

In conclusion, technology addiction is a complex issue that requires concerted efforts from individuals, tech companies, and society at large. While technology has undoubtedly transformed our lives for the better, it’s essential to strike a balance between leveraging its benefits and avoiding its potential pitfalls. As we continue to advance into the digital age, it’s crucial to remember that technology should serve as a tool to enhance our lives, not to control them.

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Essay about technology addiction

Previously in my dissertation I have discussed the prevalence of technology addiction and have pointed out reasons why it may exist as a phenomenon. I have also examined the reasons why and how a person may become addicted to technology. In this section of my dissertation, I discuss addiction on its own merits and why people may be drawn to addiction when there is no chemical stimulation.

Many people are aware of chemical dependency, and it is often referred to as an addiction. People become addicted to chemicals that release endorphins in the brain. This may through legal methods such a with prescription drugs, with nicotine, caffeine and alcohol, and may also be through illegal methods such as with illegal drug use. These are more widely understood because they involve a chemical addiction. What is harder to understand is addiction when there is no chemical stimulation.

Things such as gambling and technology addiction are still addictions. Some lump sex addiction in with these too however, there is a form of chemical addiction that may be present during sex.

There are forms of addiction such as gambling and technology addiction that are still addictions even though there is no chemical stimulation. There are even recorded cases of people having addictions to TV shows such as Star Trek, where they physically encounter uncomfortable and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.

The reasons behind addictions that lack chemical input may be associated with feelings of helplessness. People are able to switch from non-chemical based addictions to chemical-based addictions and back again without any problems, and in almost all cases it is due to a feeling of helplessness within the individual.

These types of person may, rightly or wrongly, be labeled as people with an addictive personality. Yet, in almost all cases, their addictions are based on misdirected feelings of helplessness. A person that usually feels helpless may react to it in a healthy way even if that reaction is to ignore the problem. People with addictions are often determined to do something about their feelings of helplessness, but in their mind, they resort to addiction because they think it makes them feel better.

This also explains why people with addiction may suddenly give up for no reason, such as the many people that returned from the Vietnam war back to America after being very addicted to heroin in Vietnam. They were able to return home and re-take control of their lives, which is why they could quit heroin very easily. People that re-take control of their lives are often able to break from addiction, but sadly there are many addictions that make a person’s life worse, which makes it all the harder for them to regain control of their lives.

People with technology addictions may be reacting to feelings of helplessness, but instead of dealing with these feelings in the correct way, they instead immerse themselves in their technology. It is a distraction from their real life and so provides temporary relief from their feelings of helplessness. This means that some people that have a technology addiction may be cured with therapy. This therapy may help them overcome their feelings of helplessness, or may help them deal with their feelings of helplessness without resorting to technological stimulation.

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Essay on Technology Addiction in English for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Essay on Technology Addiction in English : Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” Unfortunately the fear of this great soul has become a reality in today’s times. The use of technology has become a priority for majority of people. They have become addicted to it. Their relationships, work and health have taken a back seat.

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Long and Short Essay on Technology Addiction in English

Here are long and short essay on Technology Addiction to help you with the topic in your exam.

These Technology Addiction essay are written in simple English to make it easily memorable and presentable when needed.

After going through these essays you will understand what technology addiction is, what its harmful consequences are, its impacts on health and relationships, types of technology addictions and how to overcome them, etc.

Technology addiction, also known as digital addiction, internet addiction, or internet use disorder, describes when someone becomes excessively attached to technology. This can involve activities like playing games, using social media, shopping online, watching videos, or anything related to technology

Hurry up, read all the essays given below and choose the best one for you:

Short Essay on Technology Addiction 200 Words

Technology addiction is an umbrella term for different kinds of addictions including internet addiction, mobile addiction, social media addiction, TV addiction, computer addiction, gaming addiction and web series addiction to name a few. This is the newest kind of addiction that has gripped people around the world.

Just like drug and alcohol addiction, technology addiction also changes the brain activity. It provides momentary pleasure and releases stress temporarily. However, the impact it has on the human brain in the long run is irreparable. Continuous use of mobile, internet, television or any other technology creates new neuropath ways in our brain. These neuropath ways replace the healthier ones and also bar the development of healthy neuropath ways.

Technology addiction stimulates all the senses and it is thus hard to get over. It gives addicts a high just like drugs. Addicts return to technology again and again to experience this feeling. They feel sad and depressed when they are away from technology. This is the reason why they remain hooked to it for most part of the day. They start ignoring their work and other important tasks. They also start neglecting their loved ones. Associate happiness with their addiction. They only feel happy when they indulge in their addiction and display aggressive behaviour when advised to leave it.

Technology addiction impacts a person’s health, ruins his relationships and hampers work. One must make effort to overcome it in order to lead a healthier life.

Essay on Harmful Consequences of Technology Addiction in English –300 Words

Technology addiction is often taken lightly but research reveals that it is as bad as drug addiction. Many of the harmful effects caused by this new age addiction are as adverse as drug addiction. It impacts a person’s personal, professional and social life. Here is a brief look at its harmful consequences.

Impact of Technology on Health

Technology addiction of any kind has a negative impact on a person’s health. People addicted to technology such as mobile, computer, internet and the likes have a high risk of incurring many health issues. Dry and itchy eyes, backache, frequent headache and excessive weight gain are among the common health problems faced by technology addicts. Many of them go on to develop serious illnesses such as heart problem, hypertension and depression.

Impact of Technology on Work/ Studies

Technology addiction has a huge impact on a person’s brain. A person addicted to technology is unable to focus on work. He feels dizzy and lethargic most of the time and this hinders his work. He is unable to think creatively and rationally. Besides, he is so addicted to technology that he is unable to leave it. He often neglects his work and misses deadlines and meetings. This hampers his professional growth.

Students addicted to technology also face similar issues. Their academic performance dips as they are hooked to technology for most part of the day. Besides, they are least interested in sports and extra-curricular activities that are essential for their all round development.

Impact of Technology on Relationships

Technology addicts prefer technology over everything. Even as they sit with their family and friends, they are often engrossed in their mobile phones. They are either updating their social media accounts or playing video games or chatting with friends online. Therefore they do not like interacting with people in real life. They avoid going out with friends and ignore their loved ones. This creates problems in relationships.

Technology addiction is ruining the life of people. Technology must be put to good use. One must limit its usage to avoid getting addicted to it. If we don’t stand against technology addiction, the day isn’t far when it will prove lethal to our existence.

Essay on Technology Addiction 400 words in English: A Curse for the Society

Technology addiction is a curse for the modern society. Several people these days turn to technology to kill boredom or to distract themselves from their routine problems. Many among them start using it excessively and soon become addicted to it. It is important to identify the warning signs of technology addiction and get over it to take control of your life.

Signs of Technology Addiction

People addicted to technology often feel guilty for using technology excessively and ignoring their work and loved ones because of their addiction. Even as they want to work and spend time with their family members and friends, they aren’t able to do so as they feel drawn towards internet, mobile, video games and other technology-driven things. They are unable to leave these things.

Many of them lie and defend their act and express anger when someone guides them otherwise. Technology addicts experience a feeling of euphoria while using technology. They lose sense of time. Therefore they are unable to maintain a good schedule. They become socially isolated and experience problems such as anxiety and depression. Avoid actual tasks such as office work, homework assignments and household chores. They do not pay heed to their health and it often begins to deteriorate.

Ways to Overcome Technology Addiction

In order to overcome technology addiction it is important to distract your mind and channelize your energy in the right direction. It is thus a good idea to join a course that adds value to your profession. You may also try something that interests you such as pottery, dance, painting or some sports. Indulging in something you love will keep your spirits high and take your mind off technology.

It is also important to build a social circle as you try to get over technology addiction. Real life interactions are much more refreshing and fulfilling compared to meeting and chatting with people online. Getting back with your old friends and making new friends in school, office or in your neighbourhood is a good way to cut ties with the technology addiction. Seeking support from family members will also help in this direction.

You can take professional help to get rid of technology addiction if nothing else seems to work.

Technology addiction is hampering people’s overall growth and development. It is a curse to the society. There should be special sessions in schools and colleges to guide students to stay away from this addiction. Those addicted to it must be counselled to overcome it.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction 500 words in English

It is rightly said, “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master”. This is to say that technology can be a wonderful thing if you put it to good use. However, it can be dangerous if you allow it to overpower you. Addiction of technology is destroying the life of numerous people around the world.

Technology Addiction Promotes Drug Abuse

Addiction of any kind be it mobile addiction, internet addiction, social media addiction or gaming addiction is as bad as drug abuse. Drug addicts become vulnerable and delusional. All they want in life is a dose of their favourite drug. It gives them a high and releases all their tensions temporarily. They crave for this momentary pleasure and get addicted to drugs.

Technology renders the same soothing effect and quite similar to drugs its impact is also temporary. Technology serves as an escape from our daily problems. It relaxes our mind for some time and releases stress. However, it is as damaging for our mind, body and soul as drug addiction.

Researchers have observed a connection between these addictions. It has been seen that those addicted to technology are more likely to develop drug addiction. Most people turn to technology to release stress and they are able to achieve the desired result initially.

However, as they grow addicted to it they begin to feel stressed and depressed. In order to cope up with the situation, technology addicts look for something that can render a stronger affect and help them achieve that euphoric state. They often turn towards alcohol and drugs and become addicted to them.

Technology Addiction: Damaging Young Minds

While technology addiction is seen among people of all age groups, it is more common among the youngsters living in different parts of the world. The young generation is full of energy and new ideas. Their energy and ideas must be channelized in the right direction in order to help them grow better and achieve more in life.

However, this does not happen in most of the cases. Children and youngsters gain access to different kinds of technological devices these days and spend most of their time and energy on them. Many of them have grown addicted to technology and this is damaging their mind. All they think about is getting back to the internet, computer, social media or whichever technology they are hooked to. They lose interest in other activities.

Sometimes they are unable to focus on work as they feel a constant urge to get back to the technology they are addicted to. They feel guilty about using technology excessively and giving priority to it over their relationships and work. However, they still can’t get over it. This causes a lot of stress. Many of them face anxiety issues and even get into depression.

Technology addicts are unable to think rationally. They lose sense of time, become defensive when asked to restrict the use of technology and even start lying about its use. Their performance dips and they often develop behavioural issues.

Technology addiction should be taken seriously. People must keep a check on the use of technology. If they see any signs of technology addiction, they must take measures to overcome the same.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction in English: Types of Technology Addiction – 600 words

Drug and alcohol addiction have affected the lives of millions of people around the world. However, these are not the only kinds of addictions that grip people in today’s times. The advancement in technology and its growing use have given rise to a new type of addiction termed as technology addiction. There are different types of technology addictions. Here is a look at these:

Mobile Addiction

Mobile addiction is one of the most common types of technology addictions in today’s times. Our mobile phones are a powerhouse of entertainment. They have so much to offer. Engrossing games, informative content, interesting videos, easy means to content with our loved ones and make new friends and what not – a mobile phone with a high speed internet connection has so much to offer. It is hard not to get hooked to it.

Numerous mobile users are addicted to their phones. They do not care if they are sitting in a social gathering, at the dinner table or in an important business meeting. However they are always on their mobile. They find it more interesting than anything happening around them.

Computer Addiction

Computer addicts are always seen on their computer systems. They are involved in useless activities on their computer. They keep wasting their time and ignore all the important tasks at hand. Therefore they mostly confine themselves to their chair and incur various physical ailments as a result. They also become socially isolated as they skip outdoor activities and social events. This hampers their mental as well as physical growth.

Internet Addiction

Internet has so much to offer to us. We need to see to it that it impacts our life in a positive manner and makes it better. Limited and correct use of internet can enhance our life. It can be used to learn something new that adds value to our personal and professional life. However, if we get addicted to the internet, we are on our way to ruin our life.

Gaming Addiction

Gaming is a great way to de-stress and rejuvenate. However, most of the video games are highly addictive. They are designed to keep a person hooked for hours. Gamers crave to make new high scores and crack the next level. They get addicted to different games.

All they think about is beating their friends and build better score. They spend several hours of the day playing video games. The time that can be used to do something productive is wasted in gaming. Gaming addiction also messes with the mind and leads to aggressive and anxious behaviour.

Social Media Addiction

Social media has become a craze among people of different age groups. It helps them connect with their near and dear ones living in different parts of the world. Healthy use of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram is good. However, it becomes a problem when people become obsessed with it.

Many people around the world have become social media addicts. They update their social media status frequently, upload pictures of everything they encounter, check for new notifications every few seconds and keep thinking about different ways to enhance their social media profile. They disconnect with people in the real world and prefer connecting with them over social media platforms.

Technology addiction is growing with the increasing use of new technology devices. This is affecting proper growth and development of people. They are glued to technology and as a result are ignoring various important aspects of their life. It needs to be understood that technology has been designed to enhance our life and not to degrade it. We must use it wisely and not grow addicted to it.

Essay on Technology Addiction FAQs

What is a short paragraph about technology addiction.

Technology addiction refers to the excessive use of digital devices like smartphones and computers, leading to negative impacts on one's life, including physical and mental health problems.

What is technology addiction?

Technology addiction is when people become overly reliant on gadgets and the internet, often to the detriment of their well-being and daily responsibilities.

What are the effects of technology addiction among youth?

Technology addiction in youth can result in social isolation, poor academic performance, disrupted sleep patterns, and diminished physical activity, affecting their overall development.

What is the concept of technology addiction?

The concept of technology addiction revolves around the idea that excessive screen time and online engagement can lead to addictive behaviors, similar to substance abuse.

What is the introduction of addiction?

Addiction, in general, is a condition where someone becomes dependent on a substance or behavior, often to the point where it has harmful consequences in their life. Technology addiction specifically involves dependency on digital devices and online activities.

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Addictive use of digital devices in young children: Associations with delay discounting, self-control and academic performance

Tim schulz van endert.

School of Business and Economics, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany

Associated Data

All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.

The use of smartphones, tablets and laptops/PCs has become ingrained in adults’ and increasingly in children’s lives, which has sparked a debate about the risk of addiction to digital devices. Previous research has linked specific use of digital devices (e.g. online gaming, smartphone screen time) with impulsive behavior in the context of intertemporal choice among adolescents and adults. However, not much is known about children’s addictive behavior towards digital devices and its relationship to personality factors and academic performance. This study investigated the associations between addictive use of digital devices, self-reported usage duration, delay discounting, self-control and academic success in children aged 10 to 13. Addictive use of digital devices was positively related to delay discounting, but self-control confounded the relationship between the two variables. Furthermore, self-control and self-reported usage duration but not the degree of addictive use predicted the most recent grade average. These findings indicate that children’s problematic behavior towards digital devices compares to other maladaptive behaviors (e.g. substance abuse, pathological gambling) in terms of impulsive choice and point towards the key role self-control seems to play in lowering a potential risk of digital addiction.

Introduction

Digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, have become an integral part in the lives of the majority of people around the world. Recent surveys e.g. in the US estimate that 81% of adults own a smartphone, 74% own a laptop and 52% own a tablet [ 1 ]. Notably, not only adults but also children have been increasingly surrounded by digital devices; a report from the UK states that in 2019 more than two thirds of 5- to 16-year-olds owned a smartphone and that 80% of 7- to 16-year-olds had internet access in their own room [ 2 ]. The same report also estimates that children’s average time spent online is 3.4 hours per day, with the main activities being watching videos (e.g. on YouTube and TikTok), using social media (e.g. Instagram and Snapchat) or gaming (e.g. Fortnite or Minecraft). These numbers have seen an unprecedented increase since the COVID-19 pandemic, which has, to a large extent, forced children to remain home, receive online schooling and interact with friends digitally. While the effects of these measures vary from country to country, a 163% increase in daily screen time during the first lockdown in Germany is not an unusual occurrence as observed by Schmidt et al. [ 3 ].

These developments have added momentum to the debate about the addiction potential of digital devices—especially for children, who are particularly at risk of developing addictive behaviors [ 4 ]. Evidence of negative implications of excessive digital device use, such as stress [ 5 ], sleep disturbance [ 6 ] or poor academic performance [ 7 ], has accumulated in recent years. However, researchers have not yet agreed on a standardized definition of digital addiction, which clearly separates it from other, possibly underlying disorders [ 8 ]. For one aspect of problematic use of digital devices, namely Internet Gaming Disorder, existing research has matured to stage where it suggests a potential future inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), as an officially diagnosable condition. Other aspects, such as smartphone addiction, are less mature and the literature has so far only identified a significant overlap between addiction to smartphones and substance-related disorders defined in the DSM-5 [ 9 , 10 ]. One area of research, which seeks to explore overall addiction to digital devices, encompassing various media (e.g. smartphones, tablets and laptops/PCs) and activities (e.g. gaming, social media), seems promising but is still in its infancy [ 11 ]. Unlike the aforementioned strands of literature, research on overall digital addiction takes into account the newly emerged usage behavior of performing a multitude of activities on and across several different digital devices (e.g. sending WhatsApp messages on a smartphone, playing games on a tablet and watching movies on a laptop). This may promote a degree of consolidation of the large number of concepts of technology addiction and their corresponding scales, which have emerged over the years but have recently been shown to be highly similar on a dimensional level [ 12 ].

A scale assessing digital addiction particularly among young children was recently introduced [ 11 ]. The Digital Addiction Scale for Children (DASC) measures to which degree children’s use of smartphones, tablets and laptops/PCs negatively affects their educational, psychological, social and physical well-being. To account for the ongoing debate about a standardized definition of digital addiction and the corresponding lack of a firm diagnosis, throughout this paper the softer formulation “addictive use of digital devices” is used rather than “digital addiction” when referring to children’s use of digital devices with adverse consequences. To further our understanding of this behavioral pattern and enable possible future intervention, the scale needs to be investigated in connection with personality factors, which may contribute to problematic behavior towards digital devices [ 13 ].

In this context, delay discounting, i.e. the tendency to discount rewards as a function of the delay of their delivery, suggests itself as an avenue for research. This cognitive process underlies human and non-human animals’ preference for smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards and is often used as a measure of impulsivity [ 14 ]. Delay discounting has been studied extensively in the past decades, mostly by means of intertemporal choice problems, in which participants are faced with the tradeoff between the amount and the delay of a reward (e.g. choosing between 100€ today or 150€ in one month). Several models seeking to capture behavior have emerged, with hyperbolic discounting providing the best fit for most empirical data [ 15 ]. Its equation V = A / (1+kD) (V is the present value of the future reward, A is the reward amount and D is the delay to the reward) contains one free parameter k, which represents an individual’s discount rate. The lower this discounting parameter, the less the individual devalues future rewards and is therefore relatively less impulsive than a person with a higher discount rate. Due to the relative temporal stability of individuals’ discount rates, delay discounting may be seen as a trait variable [ 16 ]. Also, a plethora of studies has shown an association between delay discounting and a variety of maladaptive behaviors, such as substance abuse [ 17 ], smoking [ 18 ] and pathological gambling [ 19 , 20 ] or overeating [ 21 ]. In these studies, addicted individuals discounted future rewards more steeply than control subjects, which makes delay discounting a reliable indicator for various kinds of addictions [ 22 ]. Given that the discounting of future rewards is not only related to substance-based but also to behavioral addictions, this raises the question if delay discounting is also associated with addictive use of digital devices. Past studies have only been able to show relationships between delay discounting and single aspects of digital use, such as internet gaming [ 23 ] or smartphone screen time [ 24 ]. In addition, the samples studied consisted of adolescents or adults, despite regular use of digital devices already starting in childhood [ 2 ].

Furthermore, researchers agree on the key role of self-control in the development [ 25 ] and treatment [ 26 ] of addictive behaviors. On the one hand, a decreased ability to regulate thoughts and emotions contributes to risk-taking behavior, such as initiating use of addictive drugs, which is a common phenomenon in adolescents [ 27 ]. On the other hand, impaired self-control is a key symptom of addicted individuals, i.e. the inability to stop engaging in addictive behavior despite a willingness to do so. Thus, behavioral training to strengthen control functions has been proposed as an effective approach to reduce addiction [ 28 ]. Additionally, prominent models of decision-making have also highlighted self-control as a mechanism underlying delay discounting [ 22 , 29 ]. According to these accounts, exertion of self-control suppresses the impulse of choosing a smaller, immediate reward and biases choice behavior towards the larger, delayed reward. However, the interrelationships between delay discounting, addictive use of digital devices and self-control have yet to be explored.

Lastly, a number of studies have shown an association between various kinds of addictive behavior and poor academic performance [ 30 – 32 ]. Being distracted in the classroom or while studying, concentration lapses due to lack of sleep or missing classes and exams have been put forth as explanations for this finding. Given the novelty of the concept of digital addiction, the question whether the pattern suggested by the literature also holds in the context of addictive use of digital devices, particularly by young children, needs empirical investigation. This issue is of great importance as fundamental reading, writing and mathematics skills are taught at this stage. It is also relevant for the debate about increasingly integrating digital media in classroom activities and homework as part of the digitalization of schools. Therefore, this present study examines the following three hypotheses:

• H1: Delay discounting is positively correlated with children’s addictive use of digital devices
• H2: Self-control is negatively correlated with children’s addictive use of digital devices
• H3: Children’s addictive use of digital devices is negatively correlated with academic success

This study contributes to the literature by showing behavioral similarities between addictive use of digital devices and other problematic behaviors, by highlighting the central role that self-control seems to play in the context of digital addiction and by uncovering an intriguing pattern when comparing the relationships of problematic use vs. raw usage duration of digital devices with academic success.

Participants

75 children aged 10 to 13 (mean 11.3 years, 47% female) with no officially diagnosed mental disorders (e.g. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) were recruited from a public elementary school in Berlin, Germany. The participants were 5 th and 6 th grade students and were selected for two reasons. On the one hand, participants needed to be able to understand the tasks and questionnaires employed in this study. On the other hand, this age represents a major crossroad for the children of Berlin; within the city’s school system, students graduate from elementary school after 6 th grade and progress to either high school (“Gymnasium”) or integrative secondary school (“Integrierte Sekundarschule”) depending on their academic performance (a German high school diploma provides eligibility to attend University, while students from Integrative Secondary School graduate after 9 th or 10 th grade in order to start an apprenticeship). This age group, prior to above-mentioned separation, thus had the positive side effect of implying a variety of academic skills as well as socio-economic backgrounds. Furthermore, the school’s headmaster affirmed that there was a significant diversity of ethnicities and nationalities among students and that no mental disorders existed in the observed classes. Parents (or guardians) of all participants were informed that participation was voluntary as well as anonymous and did not have an impact on their children’s grades. Roughly 15% of invited students chose not to participate in the study. Informed consent documents were signed before each study session.

Addictive use of digital devices

To measure the degree of addictive use of smartphones and tablets the Digital Addiction Scale for Children (DASC) [ 11 ] was employed. The DASC is a 25-item self-report instrument based on the theoretical framework of DSM-5 Internet Gaming Disorder as well as on the components model of addiction [ 33 ]. The resulting nine addiction criteria are Preoccupation, Tolerance, Withdrawal, Problems, Conflict, Deception, Displacement, Relapse and Mood Modification, each represented by two to four items within the scale. Scores range from 25 to 125, higher scores indicating a greater risk of addiction to digital devices. As only the degree of smartphone and tablet use with adverse consequences rather than the identification of addicts was relevant to this study, the scale was not used to distinguish between addicts and non-addicts in the analyses. Correspondingly, throughout this paper the formulation “addictive use of digital devices” is used rather than “digital addiction”, to avoid suggesting a firm diagnosis, which is not available at the moment. The scale was specifically developed for 9- to 12-year-old children and has been shown to be a reliable and valid instrument to assess the risk of being addicted to digital devices [ 11 ]. A German translation of the DASC was used, after having been checked for understandability by one 5 th grade and one 6 th grade teacher independently. The internal consistency of the scale was excellent (α = 0.94).

Delay discounting

The participants’ preference for smaller immediate rewards over larger delayed rewards was assessed with a German translation of the 27-item Monetary Choice Questionnaire [ 17 ]. In this questionnaire participants repeatedly choose between a smaller, immediately available reward and a larger reward available in the future, all rewards being hypothetical and consisting of small (e.g. €20), medium (e.g. €54) and large amounts of money (e.g. €78). The proportion of choices of the larger delayed reward (LDR) is used as a measure of impulsivity, i.e. the lower the proportion, the more impulsive the individual. The scale is widely used in the literature for studying adults and has also been shown to be a valid instrument for young children [ 34 – 36 ]. Also, the Monetary Choice Questionnaire provides similar results to more extended instruments [ 37 ] as well as to paradigms that use real or potentially real rewards [ 38 ]. Furthermore, the proportion of LDR measure is a simple yet reliable and valid measure, which does not require the assumption of hyperbolic discounting [ 39 ]. Within the present dataset the LDR proportion was highly correlated (r = -0.98, p<0.001) with the natural log of the discount parameter k according to Kirby et al. [ 17 ], indicating that the LDR measure was accurately assessing participants’ discounting of future rewards. The responses to the Monetary Choice Questionnaire were scored using automated scoring [ 40 ]. This tool also provides consistency scores in order to identify insufficient comprehension or a lack of or attending to the questionnaire. Three participants had consistency scores below 75%, the recommended threshold for good quality of responses [ 41 ], resulting in their exclusion from the analyses.

Self-control

As a measure of self-control the German adaptation [ 42 ] of Tangney et al.’s Brief Self-Control Scale [ 43 ] was used, which is a widely used self-report measure of trait self-control. Scores range from 13 to 65, higher scores representing better ability to regulate thoughts, emotions and behavior. Research has shown that the 13-item brief self-control scale provides equally reliable and valid results as the long version [ 43 ] and is appropriate for use with young children [ 44 ]. Good internal consistency was indicated by Cronbach’s α of 0.75.

Additional variables

As a measure of academic performance, the most recent semester’s grade average with a possible range from 1.0 (best possible, “straight A”) to 6.0 (worst possible, “straight F”) was used. Also, children were asked to estimate their average daily duration of several popular activities on digital devices (e.g. social media, games) as well as their typical total screen time on weekdays and weekends to attain various measures for self-reported usage, thereby allowing for robustness checks of results. Lastly, age, gender, years of smartphone ownership and weekly pocket money were elicited as control variables.

Data was collected in June 2020, several weeks after reopening of schools following the initial seven-week lockdown in Germany. The study was conducted in five sessions, which were held in the school’s computer lab. At the beginning of each session, the researcher instructed participants about the tasks, while a teacher assisted in ensuring a setting comparable to class examination (silence, no copying from neighbors etc.). Throughout all sessions the order of tasks was fixed as follows: 1) self-reported usage patterns, 2) Monetary Choice Questionnaire, 3) Digital Addiction Scale, 4) control variables and 5) Brief Self-Control scale. One session lasted about 30 minutes. The study was approved by the Central Ethics Committee of the Freie Universität Berlin (approval no. 2020–005)

Addictive use of digital devices and delay discounting

To investigate the first hypothesis, initially the relationship between scores of the DASC and the LDR proportion was analyzed. A negative correlation (r = -0.28, p = 0.016) between the two variables was found. On average, the more often children chose the larger delayed reward, the less they addictively used digital devices. When breaking down the DASC into its nine subscales, delay discounting was significantly correlated with Withdrawal (r = 0.30, p = 0.014), Deception (r = 0.24, p = 0.043) and Mood Modification (r = 0.29, p = 0.010). Next, to control for possible effects of gender, age, years of ownership of digital devices and pocket money a regression analysis was performed with the control variables and the proportion of LDR choices as independent variables and the overall DASC score as the dependent variable. All assumptions for multiple regression analysis were met. As shown in Table 1 , the LDR proportion was the only significant predictor of scores in the DASC (β = -0.27, p = 0.032). The overall model yielded an R 2 of 0.10, F-statistic of 1.50 and p-value of 0.201. The similarity in correlation patterns of the natural log of the discount parameter k and the LDR proportion indicated that the latter measure was accurately assessing participants’ delay discounting. Additionally, self-reported usage of digital devices was positively correlated to the DASC score (r = 0.37, p = 0.001), but no relationship was found with delay discounting (r = 0.09, p = 0.465). Self-reported usage was positively related to the DASC subscales Preoccupation, Withdrawal, Displacement, Relapse and Problems, the latter showing the strongest correlation of r = 0.41 (p<0.001). Table 2 shows bivariate correlations of the main variables in this study. The breakdown of the DASC and its correlations with key variables can be found in S2 Table .

Note: Effect coding was applied for categorical variables.

* p < 0.05

** p < 0.01

*** p < 0.001.

Addictive use of digital devices and self-control

The second hypothesis required an investigation of the relationship between addictive digital device use and self-control. There was a strong negative correlation between self-control and the DASC score (r = -0.69, p<0.001). On average, the higher children’s scores were on the brief self-control scale the less they tended to addictively use digital devices. Correspondingly, self-control was negatively associated with all nine subscales of the DASC, having the strongest relationship with Tolerance (r = -0.65, p<0.001). Furthermore, self-control was also correlated to the LDR proportion (r = 0.25, p = 0.034), indicating possible confounding between addictive behavior and delay discounting. Therefore, a regression analysis was performed with the control variables (gender, age, years of ownership of digital devices and pocket money), self-reported usage, self-control as well as the proportion of LDR choices as independent variables and the overall DASC score as the dependent variable. As displayed in Table 3 , self-control (β = -0.58, p<0.001) and self-reported usage (β = 0.32, p = 0.003) were the only significant predictors of the DASC score. Notably, with the variable self-control in the model the LDR proportion no longer significantly predicted the DASC score (β = -0.15, p = 0.100). The overall model’s R 2 was 0.59 with an F-statistic of 13.21 and p-value of <0.001.

Addictive use of digital devices and academic success

Lastly, for hypothesis 3 the relationship between addictive use of digital devices and performance in the classroom was examined. The DASC scores and grade averages were not correlated (r = 0.15, p = 0.197). However, there was a positive correlation between self-reported usage of digital devices and grade average (r = 0.43, p<0.001). On average, the more time was reportedly spent with digital devices the worse the academic performance. Furthermore, self-control was also correlated to academic success (r = -0.31 p = 0.007). Again, to take into account possible effects of gender, age, years of ownership of digital devices and pocket money a regression analysis with the latter variables, self-control and self-reported usage predicting grade average was performed. As displayed in Table 4 , self-control (β = -0.30, p = 0.009) and self-reported usage (β = 0.26, p = 0.040) were the only significant predictors of grade average. R 2 of the overall model was 0.31 with an F-statistic of 4.89 and p < 0.001. See S1 Appendix for robustness checks related to self-reported usage.

The main goal of this present study was to investigate the relationship between children’s addictive use of digital devices and delay discounting. Consistent with previous studies on more established addictive behaviors among adolescents and adults (e.g. substance abuse, gambling, smoking), children who discounted future rewards more heavily tended to more addictively use smartphones, tablets and computers. Children showing more addictive use seem to be drawn to the immediate rewards of watching videos, gaming or social media in spite of negative long-term consequences of that behavior. The implications of this finding are twofold. First, digital addiction as a fairly new concept compares to other problematic behaviors in the context of delay discounting, suggesting its further investigation as a potentially diagnosable addiction in the future. Second, children as young as ten years old may show problematic behavior towards digital devices which has previously been observed only in adolescents and adults.

Another question addressed by this study was which role self-control played in the relationship between delay discounting and addictive use of digital devices. The regression analysis yielded that self-control confounded the relationship between the two main variables, implying that steeper discounters tended to more addictive use of digital devices due to differences in self-control. The present data suggest that children’s ability to control thoughts and emotions is the mechanism underlying the association between delay discounting and addictive use and thus is a superior predictor of problematic behavior towards digital devices. Existing studies focusing on smartphone use and delay discounting found mixed results on a mediating role of self-control (mediation see Wilmer & Chein [ 45 ], no mediation see Schulz van Endert & Mohr [ 24 ]). Due to the cross-sectional and observational nature of the data, no conclusion with regard to mediation can be made in this present study [ 46 ]. Nonetheless, the moderate to strong association between self-control and addictive digital device usage found in this present study at least indicates that children who are better able to regulate thoughts and emotions tend to show a lower degree of addictive use of smartphones, tablets etc. Although the present data do not allow for firm conclusions on the direction of causality, it seems that self-controlled children resist the temptation of continued engagement with digital devices before negative effects (conflict, mood modification etc.) occur. Children lower in self-control on the other hand seem to be less able to refrain from gaming, watching videos or chatting despite recognizing adverse consequences of that behavior. Considering previous findings on the positive effect of self-control training on preventing internet addiction [ 47 ], the present finding hints at the importance of developing children’s self-control in order to lower the risk of developing addictive behaviors towards digital devices.

The third association of interest was that of addictive digital device use and academic performance. Based on previous findings with other problematic behaviors, a negative relationship between these two variables was hypothesized. However, no significant association was found in this current study. Instead, self-reported usage turned out to be a significant predictor of grade average; the longer children reported to use digital devices the worse their grade average tended to be. This pattern of results suggests that children need not show symptoms of addiction, but that screen time alone may already implicate lower academic achievement. The latter finding is in line with related studies which investigated the relationship between smartphone use and students’ academic success [ 48 ]. The classical interpretation for this result is that more screen time implies less study time, which leads to worse classroom performance. However, due to the correlational nature of results in this current study, the opposite causal direction cannot be ruled out. Last but not least, in line with previous large-scale studies [ 43 , 44 ], self-control was found to be a significant predictor of academic success. This highlights once more the key role of children’s self-control in achieving better grades already in elementary school.

The findings of this study need to be seen in light of several limitations. First, despite the (partially highly) significant results, the sample was limited in size and stemmed from one elementary school. Future studies should investigate samples from different cities and countries to allow for higher generalizability of results. Second, key variables (addictive use of digital devices, self-control, usage duration of digital devices) in this study were elicited using self-report questionnaires. While this method is standard practice in fields such as addiction or personality research, self-estimations of screen time have been shown to diverge from actual data [ 49 ]–a phenomenon which is likely amplified due to the young age of participants. To reduce response biases, future studies might include additional sources of reports (e.g. parents, teachers or peers) or even actual screen time data, as shown in e.g. Schulz van Endert & Mohr [ 24 ]. Third, due its novelty the DASC has not yet undergone extensive validation yet. Recent research has highlighted the importance of repeated validation of psychometric scales [ 50 , 51 ], which is why the results of the DASC should be interpreted tentatively at this stage. Fourth, the Monetary Choice Questionnaire is an efficient but—compared to more extensive alternatives—less sensitive instrument to assess delay discounting [ 52 ]. For example, it does not include intertemporal choices in which both rewards are given at different points in the future, which bears the risk of overweighting present bias [ 53 ]. Alternatively, adjusting delay discounting tasks, e.g. as proposed by Koffarnus & Bickel [ 54 ], could be used in future studies. Fifth, this study presented correlational results, which do not allow for causal interpretations. Looking at the reported association between self-control and addictive use of digital devices, one cannot determine using the present data whether a lack of self-control causes more addictive use or whether more problematic engagement with digital devices decreases self-control. Such conclusions may only be drawn from longitudinal or experimental studies, which are greatly needed in the future.

This study highlighted the importance of studying and monitoring the use of digital devices in children as early as at elementary school level. 10- to 13-year-olds may already show problematic behavioral patterns which have so far been only observed in older individuals. Furthermore, the central role of self-control in the context of addictive behavior as well as academic success was further underlined in this study. As experiences and influences in childhood greatly impact the trajectory of a person’s entire life, researchers, politicians, educators and parents/guardians are well-advised to closely observe the impact of omnipresent digital devices on children and to assist in the development of traits which promote their well-being in the present and in the future.

Supporting information

S1 appendix, s2 appendix, funding statement.

The author received no specific funding for this work.

Data Availability

• PLoS One. 2021; 16(6): e0253058.

Author response to previous submission

Submitted filename: Response letter.docx

Decision Letter 0

11 May 2021

PONE-D-21-11400

Addictive use of digital devices in young children: associations with delay discounting, self-control and academic performance

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Reviewer #1: Having read the revised manuscript, my concerns from the initial submission have been addressed. Overall, I think that the revisions have greatly improved the manuscript to this point. At this point, I just have a few very minor comments.

Regarding the data collection, given the events of the last year, to provide important context for this study, I think it is necessary for more information on the timing of data collection to be provided. i.e., did data collection occur before any lockdowns due to the pandemic, during the time of the pandemic etc.?

For the regression analyses can you please report the R^2, F-statistic, and p-value for the overall regression in the text. This applies to all three models.

It is interesting to note that in model 1 (as described in Table 2) LDR proportion is a statistically significant predictor but, in model 2 (as described in table 3), after controlling for self-control by including it in the model, LDR proportion is no longer a statistically significant predictor of DASC scores. In model 2, the only statistically significant predictor is self-control. I’m just highlighting this as a comment, as it is already pointed out on page 13. This has important implications for the discussion as, while model 1 might seem to indicate that LDR proportion and delay discounting are important predictors of addictive digital behaviours, this appears to actually have more to do with self-control than delay discounting. When the model accounts for self-control, delay discounting is no longer a statistically significant factor predicting addictive digital behaviours. While this is briefly noted in the second paragraph of the discussion, I feel that less emphasis on the finding in the first paragraph of the discussion is warranted.

I’m curious why model 3 (as described in table 4) did not include LDR proportion and self-control as additional control variables?

Overall, these remaining concerns are minor, and I am confident that the author can address them.

Reviewer #2: I think this manuscript has addressed an increasingly common feature in children with digital devices, and how too much of a good thing can be maladaptive.

Introduction:

I appreciate the very nicely drawn up relationship between delay discounting and other addictive/maladaptive behaviours. The case for self-control is a bit sparse but acceptable. However the link to academic performance seems a bit out of context. I had an impression that the author intended to draw out a mediation / moderation analysis with these variables and possibly academic performance as dependent variable. I am a little surprised with the rather humble hypotheses. Isn't H1 and H2 essentially the same since they both have the same DV?

Clear and replicable.

The three hypotheses were simple correlations and this was further expanded into a regression.

Could the author please explain why was self-reported usage excluded from the first two analyses?

From table 2, I would run the regression as (1) DV = DASC with IV; self-reported usage, LDR proportion, self-control. They are correlated and including the non-correlated ones will remove the power of an rather small sample. (2) DV = academic performance with similar IVs.

Another analysis that I would like to see is the breakdown in the DASC. At times, the sub-scales provide a much more robust explanation to the predictors. For example, I would imagine that a child's propensity to have more conflict (as measured in the DASC) would give an idea to the power of the delay discounting and tolerance/withdrawal to self-control.

Discussion:

The author could elaborate further on the second result; with delay discounting and self-control together. What possible reasons can there be to describe this in children?

Minor comments

1. Self-control scale did not have scoring definitions i.e. higher scores mean better self-control or not?

Writing style

"A negative correlation (r=-0.28, p=0.016) between the two variables was found, implying that on average, the more often children chose the larger delayed reward, the less they addictively used digital

devices." this seems a bit convoluted and I had to re-read it a few times to understand it. I found similar writing style in other parts of results, please change them. Thanks.

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Author response to Decision Letter 0

18 May 2021

1. Regarding the data collection, given the events of the last year, to provide important context for this study, I think it is necessary for more information on the timing of data collection to be provided. i.e., did data collection occur before any lockdowns due to the pandemic, during the time of the pandemic etc.?

Details on the timing of data collection is now provided in lines 243-244.

2. For the regression analyses can you please report the R^2, F-statistic, and p-value for the overall regression in the text. This applies to all three models.

The requested parameters are now included in all three models (lines 268-269, 313-314 and 531).

3. It is interesting to note that in model 1 (as described in Table 2) LDR proportion is a statistically significant predictor but, in model 2 (as described in table 3), after controlling for self-control by including it in the model, LDR proportion is no longer a statistically significant predictor of DASC scores. In model 2, the only statistically significant predictor is self-control. I’m just highlighting this as a comment, as it is already pointed out on page 13. This has important implications for the discussion as, while model 1 might seem to indicate that LDR proportion and delay discounting are important predictors of addictive digital behaviours, this appears to actually have more to do with self-control than delay discounting. When the model accounts for self-control, delay discounting is no longer a statistically significant factor predicting addictive digital behaviours. While this is briefly noted in the second paragraph of the discussion, I feel that less emphasis on the finding in the first paragraph of the discussion is warranted.

I appreciate the reviewer’s suggestion to put more emphasis on the confounding role of self-control in the discussion. First, I have now elaborated on this finding and highlighted the superiority of self-control as a predictor of addictive use of digital devices in lines 729-732. Second, I have extended the discussion by speculating on a possibly causal mechanism behind the strong relationship between self-control and digital addiction in lines 740-745.

4. I’m curious why model 3 (as described in table 4) did not include LDR proportion and self-control as additional control variables?

Model 3 is driven by hypothesis 3, which seeks to investigate the relationship between grade average and the DASC, the latter being replaced by self-reported usage. The control variables included in the model are standard potential confounders. LDR proportion was neither correlated with self-reported usage nor with grade average, precluding it from being a confounder in the present data. Self-control is correlated with grade average and almost significantly correlated with self-reported usage, which is why the variable is now included in model 3. Conceptually, it also makes sense to include it since it could have an influence on both self-reported usage as well as grade average.

1. I appreciate the very nicely drawn up relationship between delay discounting and other addictive/maladaptive behaviours. The case for self-control is a bit sparse but acceptable. However the link to academic performance seems a bit out of context. I had an impression that the author intended to draw out a mediation / moderation analysis with these variables and possibly academic performance as dependent variable. I am a little surprised with the rather humble hypotheses. Isn't H1 and H2 essentially the same since they both have the same DV?

I appreciate the reviewer’s suggestion to enrich the cases for self-control and academic performance in the introduction. First, I added an explanation of the mechanism of self-control in the context of delay discounting in lines 126-128. Second, I provided some proposed reasons for the relationship between addictive behaviors and academic performance in lines 132-134. Third, I offered a strong rationale for studying the relationship between addictive use of digital devices and academic performance of young children in lines 137-140.

H1 and H2 are not the same, since delay discounting and self-control – despite being related – are different concepts, as described in the introduction. Therefore, they could have idiosyncratic relationships with addictive use of digital devices – which was confirmed by the present data. Also, I appreciate that “perceived significance” is not a criterion for publication in PLOS ONE.

2. Could the author please explain why was self-reported usage excluded from the first two analyses?

Analysis 1 (table 1) is driven by hypothesis 1, which seeks to investigate the relationship between delay discounting and the DASC. The control variables included in the model are standard potential confounders. Self-reported usage is correlated with the DASC but not with the LDR proportion, precluding it from being a confounder in the relationship between DASC and LDR proportion in the present data.

As the reviewer requested, I added self-reported usage to the second model (table 3), as it is almost significantly correlated with self-control.

Regarding model 3 (table 4), LDR proportion was neither correlated with self-reported usage nor with grade average, precluding it from being a confounder in the present data. Self-control is correlated with grade average and almost significantly correlated with self-reported usage, which is why the variable is now included in model 3. Conceptually, it also makes sense to include it since it could have an influence on both self-reported usage as well as grade average.

3. Another analysis that I would like to see is the breakdown in the DASC. At times, the sub-scales provide a much more robust explanation to the predictors. For example, I would imagine that a child's propensity to have more conflict (as measured in the DASC) would give an idea to the power of the delay discounting and tolerance/withdrawal to self-control.

I thank the reviewer for the valuable suggestion to break down the DASC and investigate relationships with the main variables. The associations of the subscales with delay discounting are described in lines 259-262, with self-reported usage in lines 273-276 and with self-control in lines 299-301. Self-control indeed had the strongest relationship with the subscale Tolerance. The comprehensive correlation matrix is provided in S5 Table.

4. The author could elaborate further on the second result; with delay discounting and self-control together. What possible reasons can there be to describe this in children?

5. Self-control scale did not have scoring definitions i.e. higher scores mean better self-control or not?

A scoring definition is now provided in lines 226-227.

6. "A negative correlation (r=-0.28, p=0.016) between the two variables was found, implying that on average, the more often children chose the larger delayed reward, the less they addictively used digital

The mentioned sentence was simplified in line 258. The same was done in lines 297 and 324. Any new text as part of this revision was formulated as simple as possible.

7. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

All relevant data are provided in the file “S3 Dataset”.

Decision Letter 1

28 May 2021

PONE-D-21-11400R1

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Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

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Reviewer #1: (No Response)

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Acceptance letter

14 Jun 2021

Dear Dr. Schulz van Endert:

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Drug Addiction — Technology Addiction among Youth and Its Impact

Technology Addiction Among Youth and Its Impact

• Categories: Drug Addiction

About this sample

Words: 1677 |

Published: Jul 17, 2018

Words: 1677 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Table of contents

Technology addiction essay outline, technology addiction essay example, introduction.

• Overview of the positive and negative impacts of tech-gadgets and services
• Mention of the impact on youth's technical skills and real-life practical skills

Negative Impacts on Youth

• The shift towards an imaginary world
• Decreased outdoor activities and social interaction

Psychological Effects

• Addiction to social media and its consequences
• Internet gaming and shopping leading to depressive symptoms

Mental Health Impact

• Relationship between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorders
• Damage to brain systems and physical consequences of technology addiction

Causes of Technology Addiction

Preventing and addressing technology addiction.

• Balancing technology use with stress management
• Encouraging real-world socialization and identity development
• Treatment options for technology addiction, including inpatient treatment

Works Cited

• Walsh, S. (2012). The Impact of Technology on Youth in the Digital Age. In K. Hermann-Wilmarth & L. Ryan (Eds.), Teaching the iGeneration: Five Easy Ways to Introduce Essential Skills With Web 2.0 Tools (pp. 1-14). National Council of Teachers of English.
• Erickson, E. (2012). The Negative Impacts of Technology on Youth. Journal of Adolescent Research, 27(2), 155-169.
• Cabral, J. (2011). The Psychological Effects of Social Media Addiction on Youth. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, 1(4), 31-39.
• Cotton, S. (2001). Internet Addiction and Its Association with Depressive Symptoms among College Students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 28(4), 225-229.
• Young, K. S. (1998). Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237-244.
• Griffiths, M. D. (2000). Internet Addiction—Time to be Taken Seriously? Addiction Research, 8(5), 413-418.
• Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210-230.
• Block, J. J. (2008). Issues for DSM-V: Internet Addiction. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(3), 306-307.
• Weinstein, A., & Lejoyeux, M. (2010). Internet Addiction or Excessive Internet Use. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 36(5), 277-283.
• Cheng, C., Li, A. Y., & Wu, Y. S. (2018). Internet Addiction Prevalence and Quality of (Real) Life: A Meta-Analysis of 31 Nations across Seven World Regions. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 21(9), 540-550.

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Understanding and Addressing Digital Addiction

Carolanne Bamford-Beattie

Drowning in digital dopamine? How to foster a healthier relationship with technology

In today’s rapidly evolving digital age, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. From smartphones to social media platforms, we are constantly connected to a virtual world that offers endless opportunities for communication, entertainment, and information. However, the ubiquitous presence of our devices also brings along its share of challenges, one of the most pressing being the issue of technology addiction.

Defining Technology Addiction

Technology addiction , also known as digital addiction, refers to the compulsive and excessive use of digital devices and online platforms, leading to negative consequences on an individual’s physical, psychological, and social well-being. Digital addiction can manifest in several ways, depending on the type of digital activity individuals engage in excessively. Some common forms of digital addiction include:

• Social Media Addiction: Obsessive use of social networking platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, often driven by a desire for validation, social connection, or fear of missing out (FOMO).  
• Gaming Addiction: Compulsive playing of video games, whether on console, PC, or mobile devices, leading to neglect of responsibilities, withdrawal from real-life activities, and adverse effects on mental and physical health.  
• Internet Addiction: Excessive use of the internet for various purposes, including web browsing, streaming media, online shopping, gambling, or pornography consumption, resulting in time distortion, isolation, and negative consequences on personal relationships and productivity.

Are Digital Addictions drowning us in dopamine?

The causes of digital and technology addictions go deeper than sticky social media algorithms. Personal, mental and environmental factors can all play a role in developing an overreliance on technological devices.

Psychological Factors:

People suffering from existing mental health conditions or stresses, including anxiety and depression, may be more susceptible   to digital addiction as a coping mechanism or means of escapism. This can lead to a spiral of continuous technology use that makes a person feel more anxious and, in turn, more reliant on their devices.

Social Influences:

Peer pressure and cultural expectations can influence individuals’ digital behaviors, leading to the adoption of addictive patterns , such as excessive social media use to fit in or maintain social connections.

Environmental Triggers:

Access to digital devices and the internet, coupled with the omnipresence of technology in modern society, makes technology addiction an easy trap to fall into. Factors such as  accessibility, unlimited content sources, gamification techniques and powerful algorithms can fuel addictive behaviors and reinforce compulsive usage patterns.

What are some of the effects of digital addiction?

Spending too much time using technology has a holistic impact on a person’s health and wellbeing, having an effect on mind and body.

Physical Effects

Digital addiction can have significant consequences on an individual’s physical health , as  prolonged and sedentary screen time (especially when combined with poor lifestyle habits) can impact the body in a number of ways:

• Eye Strain: Extended periods of staring at digital screens can lead to eye strain, dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches, collectively known as computer vision syndrome (CVS).  
• Sleep Disorders: Excessive exposure to blue light emitted by digital screens, particularly before bedtime, can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, leading to insomnia, poor sleep quality, and daytime fatigue.  
• Posture Problems: Prolonged sitting and improper ergonomic setups while using digital devices can contribute to musculoskeletal issues, such as neck pain, back pain, and repetitive strain injuries (RSIs).

Psychological Effects

The psychological impact of digital addiction extends beyond physical discomfort, affecting individuals’ mental well-being and even their cognitive functioning.

• Anxiety and Depression: Excessive use of social media and digital devices has been linked to heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression , stemming from comparison with others, cyberbullying, and feelings of inadequacy.
• Problems with attention: Constant exposure to digital stimuli, such as notifications, alerts, and multitasking across multiple screens, can impair attention span, concentration, and cognitive performance. Researchers have found that children who spend more time than peers in front of screens are more likely to display behaviors that meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD.

Social Effects

Digital addiction can also take a toll on individuals’ relationships and overall social well-being.

• Relationship Strain: Excessive digital usage can disrupt relationships, leading to conflicts with family members, friends, and romantic partners, as individuals prioritize online interactions over face-to-face communication and quality time spent together.  
• Social Isolation: Paradoxically, while digital technology offers opportunities for connectivity, prolonged digital addiction can result in social withdrawal, loneliness, and feelings of isolation, as individuals become increasingly absorbed in virtual interactions at the expense of real-life social connections.  
• Decreased Productivity: Digital addiction often leads to procrastination, distraction, and diminished productivity in academic, professional, and personal pursuits, as individuals struggle to manage their digital usage and maintain focus on important tasks.

Recognizing Digital Addiction

Recognizing the signs of digital addiction is essential for early intervention and treatment. While the manifestation of digital addiction may vary depending on the type of activity involved, there are common symptoms and behavioral patterns to watch out for:

Behavioral Indicators:

• Excessive preoccupation with digital devices and online activities, often at the expense of other responsibilities and interests.
• Inability to control or limit digital usage, despite awareness of its negative consequences on physical health, mental well-being, or social relationships.
• Withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, anxiety, or restlessness when unable to access digital devices or internet connectivity.
• Neglect of personal hygiene, sleep, or nutrition due to prolonged digital engagement.

Emotional and Psychological Indicators:

• Mood swings, depression, or feelings of emptiness or dissatisfaction when not engaging in digital activities.
• Distorted perception of reality, as individuals prioritize virtual interactions and online personas over real-life experiences and relationships.

Digital Addiction Tests – what’s out there?

There are a number of online tools and questionnaires you can take to find out your – or a loved one’s level of reliance on technology. These tests typically evaluate various aspects of digital usage, including frequency, duration, motivations, and perceived impact on daily life. It’s important to remember that these are not diagnostic tools and if you, or someone you care about, is showing signs of addiction, speaking with a professional is always recommended.

Assessing Personal Usage Patterns:

• Keep track of the amount of time spent on digital devices and online activities each day, including specific platforms and applications.
• Reflect on the motivations behind digital usage, such as social connection, entertainment, information seeking, or escapism.
• Evaluate the consequences of digital addiction on physical health, mental well-being, academic or professional performance, and interpersonal relationships.

Addressing Digital Addiction: How to help yourself or others

There are a number of professional approaches to tackling digital addiction. Most will encourage a holistic approach, where therapeutic, lifestyle and environmental changes are made to tackle the issue.

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT techniques can help individuals identify and challenge maladaptive thoughts and behaviors associated with digital addiction, develop coping strategies for managing triggers and cravings, and improve self-regulation skills.
• 12-Step Programs: Support groups such as Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous (ITAA) provide individuals struggling with digital addiction a supportive environment to share their experiences, receive encouragement from peers, and work towards recovery through a structured step-by-step program.
• Digital Detox : Implementing periodic digital detoxes or screen-free days can help individuals reset their relationship with technology, reduce dependency on digital devices, and rediscover offline activities and hobbies.
• Setting Boundaries: Establishing clear boundaries around digital usage, such as designated screen-free times or zones, can help individuals regain control over their digital habits and prioritize real-life interactions and activities. Kidslox can help your family get on track with this.

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• Essay on Technology

Technology Addiction Essay Examples

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Technology , Addiction , Family , Health , Children , Media , Students , Life

Words: 1800

Published: 12/21/2021

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ATTENTION GAINER: As I speak, there will be people amongst us who would be checking their phones and if not checking they would be thinking of the one email that needs to be sent or that one application you heard about. Today’s generation is more dependent on technology than any of the generations that existed or have existed before us. We can hardly imagine life without the gadgets around us. Let me prove my point with the following example. SIGNIFICANCE (SOURCE): A Phoenix-based CEO of The J Brand Group, Jenn Hoffman, while giving an interview over breakfast to a WebMD writer, Jennifer Soong, was interrupted by her Blackberry Pearl several times to send out emails. She does not keep her phone out of sight even for a moment to the extent that even in the bathroom she carries her phone with her. THESIS: We have lost empathy and respect for the person speaking to us because of the technology disruptions around us. People physically around us have little value to us, and those connected with technology are given precedence over anything else. This goes to show that we as individuals are addicted to technology and similar to any other addiction this could have detrimental effects in the long run. PREVIEW: Today, I will bring to notice how we are addicted to technology and the effect it is having upon us as individuals and hampering our personal lives and what two institutes have the greatest role in creating technology addiction. Moreover, I would not leave you hanging mid-air. Consequently, I will also present ways to avoid being overly-dependent upon technology and prioritize the time we have.

We often overlook technology addiction because it is more about convenience than anything else. Little do we realize that this technology addiction can have serious health problems for those who have been victimized by their gadgets. Undoubtedly, technology has brought with it numerous benefits for us as a society and individuals. Business today is flourishing because of the advancements in technology and various opportunities have opened up for technology progress. But on the other hand, it is not all good news; the effects on our health are not given importance mainly because they cannot be seen in the short-term. Some years from now these health problems will come into notice, and it will be too late by then to reverse the effects. In a 2015 BBC News article, writer Zoe Kleinman discusses what one doctor of a technology addiction team of Nightingale Hospital has to say on the subject. People complain of feeling tired when they go to bed and waking up with the same feeling. When a person’s brain is unable to sleep at night, it is then that there should be a concern because it points towards technology addiction. People are in front of screens most part of the day while they are awake. The height of dependency on technology is such that our mobile phone or any other screen is the first thing we look at when we wake up and the last thing before we finally fall asleep. It is then no surprise to feel fatigued and tired even after sleeping for a good eight hours a night. Even after we feel such uneasiness and anxiety why do we continue using technology? The answer is simple; we are stuck in a vicious cycle. Without a smartphone, laptop, or tablet we will be disconnected from the world. There is a vast amount of information available on a simple click, and cutting ourselves from this will be considered an unwise move by society today. Any confusion can be cleared within a matter of seconds and who would be willing to let go of such comfort and convenience. This takes us to another point of information overload that can be another cause of anxiety and tiredness and out of the scope of this paper. Apart from the mental impact that technology has on us, it also becomes a cause of physical health problems. Children today prefer playing games in front of screens rather than outdoors and in parks where they are meant to be played. Parents find it easier to hand their children an iPad or a game controller rather than chauffeur them to a park down the road. Parents have become busy with their lives that handing their child with some sort of technology has become the easy way out. In an article for Daily Mail UK in 2013, Victoria Woollaston, highlights what a clinical psychologist Dr. Jay Watts has to say about children being in front of screens for a time more than required. Children become distressed when parents taken away their technology and gadgets, and this should concern parents. It goes to show that their child has become addicted to this sort of a lifestyle, and it is time for parents to change behavior and lifestyle. Playgrounds have become virtual, and this will greatly hamper the physical development of children. Physical exercise is essential for children in their growth years as it helps build muscle and strength. If this is taken away from the children, then various health problems will arise later in life. One of the most common problems that have come to notice due to a lack of physical activity is obesity amongst children which eventually leads to diabetes.

TRANSITION:

The aforementioned examples prove that technology addiction can cause serious health issues, and it is mostly lack of awareness that leads to this addiction creating a direct impact on our health. But the lack of awareness can be attributed to two of the most prominent institutions of society; 1) schools and 2) media.

According to Andrew Hough of the Telegraph in 2011, researcher’s found four in five students had panic attacks and severe withdrawal when they were asked to disconnect from their technology. Schools must not allow cell phones in class and condition students to survive without technology if the need arises. Moreover, research should be more focused on books from the library rather than one click of the internet. Some students during the research confessed to technology cravings as being of the same intensity as cravings for cocaine. By allowing cellphones in schools, the students are being taught the technology is part of life rather than just viewing it as a luxury it has been over-used and become a cause for concern today. The media incorporates all modes of communication be it through mobile applications or television channels. It has contributed significantly to causing technology addiction. There are game applications today that require complete dedication from the player; thus, causing technology addiction. According to Mara Tyler, in an article if a person feels isolated, forgets to eat or drink, and faces poor performance at school or work due to their gaming habit these are signs he may be addicted to technology. These games mentally involve a person so much that they disconnect from the wider world. The worst part is that these games are often advertised as being the “in-thing”, and those who are not familiar may be the crowd that is sidelined.

Now that we are aware of what technology addiction is and how it is being caused we can more closely examine how this can be cured and overcome. Technology addiction has more drawbacks than benefits; therefore, there is a need to find a sustainable solution to help minimize or eliminate this problem.

The best way to help get rid of this addiction is to start at your home. Children should have only a limited amount of time in front of the screen and parents should make a conscious effort to indulge their younger ones in physical activities. Moreover, children learn from what they see; therefore, minimal use of technology such as laptops and cell phones in front of children will help train the children to learn how to survive without technology as well. Parents need to turn off their notifications from social media for instance so that they are not tempted to check their phones constantly as suggested by an article published in The Guardian written by Emma Sexton. It may not be easy to disconnect from all the technology around us all of a sudden. Therefore, this needs to be done in phases. On weekends or on vacations one could disconnect from technology that is not vital for their survival over the weekend or on the vacation. Whenever one feels the urge to check their phone, they could distract by doing something more productive and healthy such as taking a walk outside. Barry Moltz from the Shafron Moltz Group has identified the above as possible ways to cure technology addiction one step at a time.

REVIEW: Today you have learned how technology addiction is affecting our physical health and personal lives and what have been the contributing factors towards this addiction. And possible cures to overcome this addiction have also been highlighted. RESTATE THESIS: Technology addiction has disconnected us from people around us and is simultaneously affecting our health in a negative manner. People have less personal interaction, and this is changing individualistic behavior in society. THE BACK TO ATTENTION GAINER: We may be present amongst a crowd and still not know the purpose of our presence in that crowd. People need to make the most of the time they have, and that can definitely not be through a generation that is overly concerned about what goes on in the virtual world.

Andrew Hough. "Student 'addiction' to Technology 'similar to Drug Cravings,' Study Finds." The Telegraph. 8 Apr. 2011. Web. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8436831/Student-addiction-to-technology-similar-to-drug-cravings-study-finds.html>. Barry Moltz. "Technology Is Making You Sick. Here's the Cure." OPEN Forum. 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2016. <https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/technology-is-making-you-sick-heres-the-cure/>. Emma Sexton. "How to Cure Your Technology Addiction Yet Hold onto Your " Web. 30 Jan. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/women-in-leadership/2015/jan/28/the-phone-hack-how-to-cure-your-technology-addiction-yet-stay-in-touch>. Jennifer SoongWebMD. "When Technology Addiction Takes Over Your Life." WebMD. WebMD. Web. 30 Jan. 2016. <http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/features/when-technology-addiction-takes-over-your-life>. Mara Tyler. "Video Game & Technology Addiction." Healthline. 14 July 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2016. <http://www.healthline.com/health/addiction/gaming-and-technology#Symptoms2>. Victoria Woollaston. "The Five Signs Your Child Is Addicted to Their IPad - and How to Give Them a 'digital Detox' Read More: Http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2479109/The-signs-child-addicted-iPad--digital-detox.html#ixzz3ykcko0gd Follow Us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook." Daily Mail UK. 30 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Jan. 2016. Zoe Kleinman. "Are We Addicted to Technology? - BBC News." BBC News. 31 Aug. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2016. <http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-33976695>.

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Essay on Technology Addiction

Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” Unfortunately the fear of this great soul has become a reality in today’s times. The use of technology has become a priority for majority of people. They have become addicted to it. Their relationships, work and health have taken a back seat.

Long and Short Essay on Technology Addiction in English

Here are long and short essay on Technology Addiction to help you with the topic in your exam.

These Technology Addiction essay are written in simple English to make it easily memorable and presentable when needed.

After going through these essays you will understand what technology addiction is, what its harmful consequences are, its impacts on health and relationships, types of technology addictions and how to overcome them, etc.

Hurry up, read all the essays given below and choose the best one for you:

Short Essay on Technology Addiction – Essay 1 (200 Words)

Technology addiction is an umbrella term for different kinds of addictions including internet addiction, mobile addiction, social media addiction, TV addiction, computer addiction, gaming addiction and web series addiction to name a few. This is the newest kind of addiction that has gripped people around the world.

Just like drug and alcohol addiction, technology addiction also changes the brain activity. It provides momentary pleasure and releases stress temporarily. However, the impact it has on the human brain in the long run is irreparable. Continuous use of mobile, internet, television or any other technology creates new neuropath ways in our brain. These neuropath ways replace the healthier ones and also bar the development of healthy neuropath ways.

Technology addiction stimulates all the senses and it is thus hard to get over. It gives addicts a high just like drugs. Addicts return to technology again and again to experience this feeling. They feel sad and depressed when they are away from technology. This is the reason why they remain hooked to it for most part of the day. They start ignoring their work and other important tasks. They also start neglecting their loved ones. They associate happiness with their addiction. They only feel happy when they indulge in their addiction and display aggressive behaviour when advised to leave it.

Technology addiction impacts a person’s health, ruins his relationships and hampers work. One must make effort to overcome it in order to lead a healthier life.

Essay on Harmful Consequences of Technology Addiction – Essay 2 (300 Words)

Introduction

Technology addiction is often taken lightly but research reveals that it is as bad as drug addiction. Many of the harmful effects caused by this new age addiction are as adverse as drug addiction. It impacts a person’s personal, professional and social life. Here is a brief look at its harmful consequences.

Impact of Technology on Health

Technology addiction of any kind has a negative impact on a person’s health. People addicted to technology such as mobile, computer, internet and the likes have a high risk of incurring many health issues. Dry and itchy eyes, backache, frequent headache and excessive weight gain are among the common health problems faced by technology addicts. Many of them go on to develop serious illnesses such as heart problem, hypertension and depression.

Impact of Technology on Work/ Studies

Technology addiction has a huge impact on a person’s brain. A person addicted to technology is unable to focus on work. He feels dizzy and lethargic most of the time and this hinders his work. He is unable to think creatively and rationally. Besides, he is so addicted to technology that he is unable to leave it. He often neglects his work and misses deadlines and meetings. This hampers his professional growth.

Students addicted to technology also face similar issues. Their academic performance dips as they are hooked to technology for most part of the day. Besides, they are least interested in sports and extra-curricular activities that are essential for their all round development.

Impact of Technology on Relationships

Technology addicts prefer technology over everything. Even as they sit with their family and friends, they are often engrossed in their mobile phones. They are either updating their social media accounts or playing video games or chatting with friends online. They do not like interacting with people in real life. They avoid going out with friends and ignore their loved ones. This creates problems in relationships.

Technology addiction is ruining the life of people. Technology must be put to good use. One must limit its usage to avoid getting addicted to it. If we don’t stand against technology addiction, the day isn’t far when it will prove lethal to our existence.

Essay on Technology Addiction: A Curse for the Society – Essay 3 (400 Words)

Technology addiction is a curse for the modern society. Several people these days turn to technology to kill boredom or to distract themselves from their routine problems. Many among them start using it excessively and soon become addicted to it. It is important to identify the warning signs of technology addiction and get over it to take control of your life.

Signs of Technology Addiction

People addicted to technology often feel guilty for using technology excessively and ignoring their work and loved ones because of their addiction. Even as they want to work and spend time with their family members and friends, they aren’t able to do so as they feel drawn towards internet, mobile, video games and other technology-driven things. They are unable to leave these things.

Many of them lie and defend their act and express anger when someone guides them otherwise. Technology addicts experience a feeling of euphoria while using technology. They lose sense of time. They are unable to maintain a good schedule. They become socially isolated and experience problems such as anxiety and depression. They avoid actual tasks such as office work, homework assignments and household chores. They do not pay heed to their health and it often begins to deteriorate.

Ways to Overcome Technology Addiction

In order to overcome technology addiction it is important to distract your mind and channelize your energy in the right direction. It is thus a good idea to join a course that adds value to your profession. You may also try something that interests you such as pottery, dance, painting or some sports. Indulging in something you love will keep your spirits high and take your mind off technology.

It is also important to build a social circle as you try to get over technology addiction. Real life interactions are much more refreshing and fulfilling compared to meeting and chatting with people online. Getting back with your old friends and making new friends in school, office or in your neighbourhood is a good way to cut ties with the technology addiction. Seeking support from family members will also help in this direction.

You can take professional help to get rid of technology addiction if nothing else seems to work.

Technology addiction is hampering people’s overall growth and development. It is a curse to the society. There should be special sessions in schools and colleges to guide students to stay away from this addiction. Those addicted to it must be counselled to overcome it.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction – Essay 4 (500 Words)

It is rightly said, “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master”. This is to say that technology can be a wonderful thing if you put it to good use. However, it can be dangerous if you allow it to overpower you. Technology addiction is destroying the life of numerous people around the world.

Technology Addiction Promotes Drug Abuse

Technology addiction of any kind be it mobile addiction, internet addiction, social media addiction or gaming addiction is as bad as drug abuse. Drug addicts become vulnerable and delusional. All they want in life is a dose of their favourite drug. It gives them a high and releases all their tensions temporarily. They crave for this momentary pleasure and get addicted to drugs.

Technology renders the same soothing effect and quite similar to drugs its impact is also temporary. Technology serves as an escape from our daily problems. It relaxes our mind for some time and releases stress. However, it is as damaging for our mind, body and soul as drug addiction.

Researchers have observed a connection between these addictions. It has been seen that those addicted to technology are more likely to develop drug addiction. Most people turn to technology to release stress and they are able to achieve the desired result initially.

However, as they grow addicted to it they begin to feel stressed and depressed. In order to cope up with the situation, technology addicts look for something that can render a stronger affect and help them achieve that euphoric state. They often turn towards alcohol and drugs and become addicted to them.

Technology Addiction: Damaging Young Minds

While technology addiction is seen among people of all age groups, it is more common among the youngsters living in different parts of the world. The young generation is full of energy and new ideas. Their energy and ideas must be channelized in the right direction in order to help them grow better and achieve more in life.

However, this does not happen in most of the cases. Children and youngsters gain access to different kinds of technological devices these days and spend most of their time and energy on them. Many of them have grown addicted to technology and this is damaging their mind. All they think about is getting back to the internet, computer, social media or whichever technology they are hooked to. They lose interest in other activities.

They are unable to focus on work as they feel a constant urge to get back to the technology they are addicted to. They feel guilty about using technology excessively and giving priority to it over their relationships and work. However, they still can’t get over it. This causes a lot of stress. Many of them face anxiety issues and even get into depression.

Technology addicts are unable to think rationally. They lose sense of time, become defensive when asked to restrict the use of technology and even start lying about its use. Their performance dips and they often develop behavioural issues.

Technology addiction should be taken seriously. People must keep a check on the use of technology. If they see any signs of technology addiction, they must take measures to overcome the same.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction: Types of Technology Addiction – Essay 6 (600 Words)

Drug and alcohol addiction have affected the lives of millions of people around the world. However, these are not the only kinds of addictions that grip people in today’s times. The advancement in technology and its growing use have given rise to a new type of addiction termed as technology addiction. There are different types of technology addictions. Here is a look at these:

• Mobile Addiction

Mobile addiction is one of the most common types of technology addictions in today’s times. Our mobile phones are a powerhouse of entertainment. They have so much to offer. Engrossing games, informative content, interesting videos, easy means to content with our loved ones and make new friends and what not – a mobile phone with a high speed internet connection has so much to offer. It is hard not to get hooked to it.

Numerous mobile users are addicted to their phones. They do not care if they are sitting in a social gathering, at the dinner table or in an important business meeting. They are always on their mobile. They find it more interesting than anything happening around them.

• Computer Addiction

Computer addicts are always seen on their computer systems. They are involved in useless activities on their computer. They keep wasting their time and ignore all the important tasks at hand. They mostly confine themselves to their chair and incur various physical ailments as a result. They also become socially isolated as they skip outdoor activities and social events. This hampers their mental as well as physical growth.

• Internet Addiction

Internet has so much to offer to us. We need to see to it that it impacts our life in a positive manner and makes it better. Limited and correct use of internet can enhance our life. It can be used to learn something new that adds value to our personal and professional life. However, if we get addicted to the internet, we are on our way to ruin our life.

• Gaming Addiction

Gaming is a great way to de-stress and rejuvenate. However, most of the video games are highly addictive. They are designed to keep a person hooked for hours. Gamers crave to make new high scores and crack the next level. They get addicted to different games.

All they think about is beating their friends and build better score. They spend several hours of the day playing video games. The time that can be used to do something productive is wasted in gaming. Gaming addiction also messes with the mind and leads to aggressive and anxious behaviour.

• Social Media Addiction

Social media has become a craze among people of different age groups. It helps them connect with their near and dear ones living in different parts of the world. Healthy use of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram is good. However, it becomes a problem when people become obsessed with it.

Many people around the world have become social media addicts. They update their social media status frequently, upload pictures of everything they encounter, check for new notifications every few seconds and keep thinking about different ways to enhance their social media profile. They disconnect with people in the real world and prefer connecting with them over social media platforms.

Technology addiction is growing with the increasing use of new technology devices. This is affecting proper growth and development of people. They are glued to technology and as a result are ignoring various important aspects of their life. It needs to be understood that technology has been designed to enhance our life and not to degrade it. We must use it wisely and not grow addicted to it.

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Essay About Technology Addiction

In today’s fast world, there’s no wonder that a whole spectrum of anti-social young people have been able to overcome the barriers they face in every endeavor. This is the reason why the need for an essay on technology addiction is needed at this critical age in human history. Essay on technology addiction can be of great importance.

Technology addiction is the usage of computers, laptops and other devices that are considered as gadgets. This technology is used to make it possible for individuals to do different tasks while being connected with the Internet. The fact that this technology is easily available and free of cost makes it easy for them to use it. People tend to forget the fact that technology is not only useful but it can also be addictive.

It becomes easier for such activities to affect one’s mind, emotions and physical conditions. These activities cause many unwanted effects on a person. Such effects can range from a person’s performance at work to the health and mental condition of the individual.

It is important for the individual to make good use of such devices. However, many people are not aware of the fact that the Internet is just one of the various resources of technology. It is important for an individual to make use of all such resources in a positive way. Some other sources of technology include videos, music, social networking websites and games.

Individuals who are addicted to any of these resources may experience withdrawal symptoms. They may feel weak, tired, depressed or nervous. The withdrawal symptoms are sometimes felt after a long time. People who are addicted to video games may lose interest in their favorite games or find it very hard to stay motivated to play.

Technology addiction has also affected the educational system. The main reason behind this is the fact that a lot of individuals are using their computer in class. They use them to look for answers, answer questions or perform tasks. Many times, they also spend most of their time chatting with other classmates. These activities may even become an integral part of their academic curriculum.

The use of technology in the school system is becoming an increasing trend. Teachers and other school administrators are giving emphasis on teaching students by means of computers and laptops. They try to create a computer-based environment. This makes it possible for students to access the Internet and even collaborate online in order to solve the problems posed by the teacher.

Such behavior hinders the growth of the students. They may also get bored easily. A lot of students are affected by boredom due to lack of the same amount of stimulating activities that they used to have in the past. They also lose interest in learning new information that can give them the edge over their peers.

The good news is that technology addiction is not a very serious condition. However, the problem still exists. If you are suffering from such a condition, then you should take steps to solve it. There are several solutions available that can help you overcome your addiction.

The first thing to do is to make use of technology in a constructive manner. It is important to read a variety of books and articles to understand the subject matter well. You can also make use of online forums where you can learn from other individuals. who are experiencing the same problems as yours? These individuals will be able to provide you with valuable insights about your problem and also give you suggestions on how to fix it.

The second thing to do is to use the Internet for more constructive purposes. Instead of using it to the disadvantage of the environment, you can use it in a positive way to achieve your goals.

Lastly, make use of the Internet as often as possible. You can also try and improve your essay by reading blogs and articles written by others who are experiencing similar issues. This will ensure that you don’t miss any important details.

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April 2, 2024

Eclipse Psychology: When the Sun and Moon Align, So Do We

How a total solar eclipse creates connection, unity and caring among the people watching

By Katie Weeman

Students observing a partial solar eclipse on June 21, 2020, in Lhokseumawe, Aceh Province, Indonesia.

NurPhoto/Getty Images

This article is part of a special report on the total solar eclipse that will be visible from parts of the U.S., Mexico and Canada on April 8, 2024.

It was 11:45 A.M. on August 21, 2017. I was in a grassy field in Glendo, Wyo., where I was surrounded by strangers turned friends, more than I could count—and far more people than had ever flocked to this town, population 210 or so. Golden sunlight blanketed thousands of cars parked in haphazard rows all over the rolling hills. The shadows were quickly growing longer, the air was still, and all of our faces pointed to the sky. As the moon progressively covered the sun, the light melted away, the sky blackened, and the temperature dropped. At the moment of totality, when the moon completely covered the sun , some people around me suddenly gasped. Some cheered; some cried; others laughed in disbelief.

Exactly 53 minutes later, in a downtown park in Greenville, S.C., the person who edited this story and the many individuals around him reacted in exactly the same ways.

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When a total solar eclipse descends—as one will across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada on April 8—everyone and everything in the path of totality are engulfed by deep shadow. Unlike the New Year’s Eve countdown that lurches across the globe one blocky time zone after another, the shadow of totality is a dark spot on Earth that measures about 100 miles wide and cruises steadily along a path, covering several thousand miles in four to five hours. The human experiences along that path are not isolated events any more than individual dominoes are isolated pillars in a formation. Once that first domino is tipped, we are all linked into something bigger—and unstoppable. We all experience the momentum and the awe together.

When this phenomenon progresses from Mexico through Texas, the Great Lakes and Canada on April 8, many observers will describe the event as life-changing, well beyond expectations. “You feel a sense of wrongness in those moments before totality , when your surroundings change so rapidly,” says Kate Russo, an author, psychologist and eclipse chaser. “Our initial response is to ask ourselves, ‘Is this an opportunity or a threat?’ When the light changes and the temperature drops, that triggers primal fear. When we have that threat response, our whole body is tuned in to taking in as much information as possible.”

Russo, who has witnessed 13 total eclipses and counting, has interviewed eclipse viewers from around the world. She continues to notice the same emotions felt by all. They begin with that sense of wrongness and primal fear as totality approaches. When totality starts, we feel powerful awe and connection to the world around us. A sense of euphoria develops as we continue watching, and when it’s over, we have a strong desire to seek out the next eclipse.

“The awe we feel during a total eclipse makes us think outside our sense of self. It makes you more attuned to things outside of you,” says Sean Goldy, a postdoctoral fellow at the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University.

Goldy and his team analyzed Twitter data from nearly 2.9 million people during the 2017 total solar eclipse. They found that people within the path of totality were more likely to use not only language that expressed awe but also language that conveyed being unified and affiliated with others. That meant using more “we” words (“us” instead of “me”) and more humble words (“maybe” instead of “always”).

“During an eclipse, people have a broader, more collective focus,” Goldy says. “We also found that the more people expressed awe, the more likely they were to use those ‘we’ words, indicating that people who experience this emotion feel more connected with others.”

This connectivity ties into a sociological concept known as “collective effervescence,” Russo and Goldy say. When groups of humans come together over a shared experience, the energy is greater than the sum of its parts. If you’ve ever been to a large concert or sporting event, you’ve felt the electricity generated by a hive of humans. It magnifies our emotions.

I felt exactly that unified feeling in the open field in Glendo, as if thousands of us were breathing as one. But that’s not the only way people can experience a total eclipse.

During the 2008 total eclipse in Mongolia “I was up on a peak,” Russo recounts. “I was with only my husband and a close friend. We had left the rest of our 25-person tour group at the bottom of the hill. From that vantage point, when the shadow came sweeping in, there was not one man-made thing I could see: no power lines, no buildings or structures. Nothing tethered me to time: It could have been thousands of years ago or long into the future. In that moment, it was as if time didn’t exist.”

Giving us the ability to unhitch ourselves from time—to stop dwelling on time is a unique superpower of a total eclipse. In Russo’s work as a clinical psychologist, she notices patterns in our modern-day mentality. “People with anxiety tend to spend a lot of time in the future. And people with depression spend a lot of time in the past,” she says. An eclipse, time and time again, has the ability to snap us back into the present, at least for a few minutes. “And when you’re less anxious and worried, it opens you up to be more attuned to other people, feel more connected, care for others and be more compassionate,” Goldy says.

Russo, who founded Being in the Shadow , an organization that provides information about total solar eclipses and organizes eclipse events around the world, has experienced this firsthand. Venue managers regularly tell her that eclipse crowds are among the most polite and humble: they follow the rules; they pick up their garbage—they care.

Eclipses remind us that we are part of something bigger, that we are connected with something vast. In the hours before and after totality you have to wear protective glasses to look at the sun, to prevent damage to your eyes. But during the brief time when the moon blocks the last of the sun’s rays, you can finally lower your glasses and look directly at the eclipse. It’s like making eye contact with the universe.

“In my practice, usually if someone says, ‘I feel insignificant,’ that’s a negative thing. But the meaning shifts during an eclipse,” Russo says. To feel insignificant in the moon’s shadow instead means that your sense of self shrinks, that your ego shrinks, she says.

The scale of our “big picture” often changes after witnessing the awe of totality, too. “When you zoom out—really zoom out—it blows away our differences,” Goldy says. When you sit in the shadow of a celestial rock blocking the light of a star 400 times its size that burns at 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit on its surface, suddenly that argument with your partner, that bill sitting on your counter or even the differences among people’s beliefs, origins or politics feel insignificant. When we shift our perspective, connection becomes boundless.

You don’t need to wait for the next eclipse to feel this way. As we travel through life, we lose our relationship with everyday awe. Remember what that feels like? It’s the way a dog looks at a treat or the way my toddler points to the “blue sky!” outside his car window in the middle of rush hour traffic. To find awe, we have to surrender our full attention to the beauty around us. During an eclipse, that comes easily. In everyday life, we may need to be more intentional.

“Totality kick-starts our ability to experience wonder,” Russo says. And with that kick start, maybe we can all use our wonderment faculties more—whether that means pausing for a moment during a morning walk, a hug or a random sunset on a Tuesday. In the continental U.S., we won’t experience another total eclipse until 2044. Let’s not wait until then to seek awe and connection.