Is technology causing anxiety? In today’s fast-paced, digitally-driven world, it’s impossible to escape the presence of technology. The digital age has brought countless conveniences and opportunities, from smartphones and social media to email and constant connectivity. However, it has also ushered in many new challenges. Technostress encapsulates the anxiety and stress caused by our ever-increasing reliance on technology.
Our reliance on smartphones may be reaching concerning levels, bordering on addiction. Consider the unease that washes over you when you suddenly realise you’ve forgotten or misplaced your phone. It’s an uncomfortable sensation, isn’t it?
Recent studies have highlighted the extent of this issue, revealing that some individuals undergo substantial stress and anxiety when separated from their phones. In some cases, this separation anxiety can manifest symptoms akin to withdrawal, reminiscent of those typically associated with addiction.
But how does this happen? Here are six ways technology may be causing anxiety:
1. Comparison is the theft of joy
We humans tend to compare ourselves to others, it’s just something we do. When we look at social media, like Facebook or Instagram, it’s easy to see numbers that measure how popular or liked someone is, such as the number of friends, likes, or followers. These numbers can make us feel bad about ourselves if we don’t have as many as someone else.
But here’s the catch: what people show on social media is often just the best parts of their lives. It’s like a highlight reel, leaving out the regular, everyday stuff and the not-so-great moments. When we see these perfect pictures and posts, it can make us think that everyone else has a more exciting and perfect life than we do. In reality, everyone has their good and not-so-good moments, just like us. This constant comparison can bring us down and make us feel bad about ourselves.
2. Loss of focus
The persistent beeping, vibrating, and flashing of notifications have turned our lives into a constant stream of interruptions. These interruptions prompt us to drop whatever we’re doing to check our smartphones.
A study in the UK revealed that the average smartphone user unlocks their phone around 85 times each day! Spending approximately five hours a day using it. This frequent distraction prevents us from focusing our attention effectively and hinders our ability to remember things. Consequently, we may feel like our attention span is shrinking. This, in itself, can be distressing.
Research further supports these observations, showing links between high smartphone and internet use and diminished cognitive skills like attention, memory, and learning. In essence, our constant digital distractions are taking a toll on our cognitive abilities.
3. Worklife balance
In the not-so-distant past, there was a clear distinction between our work life and our personal life. You left the office, and your work responsibilities were left behind until the next day. This boundary created a sense of balance and allowed for well-defined periods of relaxation and personal time.
However, with the advent of technology, particularly the integration of work-related emails and communications on our phones, this line has blurred, creating a vast grey area that challenges the traditional work-life divide.
Today, many of us carry our work emails and communication tools wherever we go, thanks to the convenience of smartphones. While this may seem like a win for productivity and connectivity, it has profound implications for our ability to disconnect and truly relax. This is just one of the ways technology may be causing anxiety.
4. Technology allows us to avoid others
Sure, nobody likes big crowds or waiting in long lines. But when we always avoid being around people, we miss out on lots of different experiences. Here’s why that can be a problem:
First, if we don’t spend much time with others, we don’t learn what usually happens when we’re with them. So, we start thinking that bad things will happen, and this makes us worry a lot. Second, when we avoid people all the time, we start feeling less sure of ourselves. We might think we’re not good at social stuff and even feel a bit awkward. This can stop us from trying new things in the future.
But here’s the thing: It’s not just about not liking people or being shy. It’s often about avoiding those uncomfortable feelings that come with being around others, like feeling awkward, anxious, bored, or self-conscious.
Sometimes, we do things like “ghosting” because we want to avoid these bad feelings. But when we do that, we’re giving all those negative feelings to the other person, which isn’t fair or nice. It’s like making them feel bad because we don’t want to.
5. Fear of missing out (FOMO)
The Fear Of Missing Out, often referred to as FOMO, is a type of social anxiety. It happens when we’re afraid that we might be missing something important, whether it’s an event, a job opportunity, a chance to connect with others, or just something cool that we’d like to be part of. So, we try to stay connected all the time, just in case.
Ask your friends and family if they’ve ever thought about quitting social media. Chances are, they have thought about it, but most likely decided not to because of the FOMO. It’s kind of ironic because the more we stay connected, the more likely we are to feel the FOMO.
This happens because when we’re on social media like Facebook, we often see posts from our friends and acquaintances about exciting and interesting things they’re doing, which makes us worry that we’re missing out on all the fun.
6. How we handle uncertainty is changing
Uncertainty lies at the heart of anxiety. When we’re unsure about what’s going to happen, or how things might turn out, we often experience anxiety. We ask ourselves questions like, “What’s going to happen next?” and “What if things go wrong?”
In some ways, technology has made it easier to reduce uncertainty. Smartphones, for instance, offer us control over our environment and information. We can immerse ourselves in the digital world for extended periods. We rely on apps like Google Maps for guidance, read reviews to make decisions about spending money, and even use the internet to prepare for job interviews. However, this convenience has a downside: it reduces our ability to navigate an uncertain world.
You would think that reducing uncertainty would make us less anxious, but the opposite often occurs. Technology’s role in minimising our experience of uncertainty means we’re less prepared to handle it when it arises.
Meanwhile, the world at large has become more uncertain, especially in significant life areas like careers and relationships. Traditional job security is fading in the gig economy, leaving people anxious about their employment prospects. In the realm of relationships, online dating services offer access to countless potential partners, fueling worries about whether we’ve found “the one” or if there might be a better match just a swipe away.
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