Could a Tech Cleanse Reduce Anxiety?
By Alek S.
Today, we are surrounded by technology wherever we look. Whether we’re on the computer at work, watching television afterward, or spending endless hours on our personal computers and smartphones connecting with friends on social media.
This amazing access to technology and communication is astonishingly convenient… and yet the rate at which people suffer from depression and anxiety has continued to climb to never before seen highs, and some professionals believe that this is directly linked to our hyper-connected culture.
The truth is that our attachment with technology is a bit of a double-edged sword. For all of the great things that technology has given us, in this day and age, we cannot forget the fact that we are natural creatures, and that all the ways in which technology overwhelms has had a detrimental effect on our psychology, especially when we have constant alerts drawing us back into the pressures of those connections. For this reason, it is sometimes important, especially for those who suffer from a lot of anxiety, to periodically take a tech cleanse to recharge their own personal batteries, before jumping back into technology, once again. Here are all of the reasons that a tech cleanse might be good to help with your anxiety…
Multiple addictions are linked with anxiety
First of all, it’s important to understand that there are multiple types of conditions that can feed into anxiety. This is especially true when
it comes to addictions (alcoholism and anxiety can especially be codependent on each other). However, even though it is not a physical addiction, the addiction to smartphone usage has been classified as a type of diagnosable addiction, and has been shown to increase the risks of developing something like generalized anxiety disorder, according to a study published in Computers in Human Behavior.
Social media contributes to anxiety
Social media, for all the ways that we have been connected by it, also is able to contribute to social anxiety. An example of this was shown in a study conducted in the UK that provided evidence that increased social media usage was strongly correlated with higher rates of loneliness, and general anxiety about socializing with people. Cutting the cord to technology for a little bit helps put things into perspective, and allows you to remind yourself that you don’t have to answer to a social media app every moment of your life.
You have more time for yourself
Usually, when people make a list of the things that they want to accomplish in their life in the near future, it involves actually going places, making things, or moving towards specific accomplishments. How often do you find yourself getting off of your phone after a session on social media and discovering that you’ve blown a significant amount of time that you had planned to use for something else? Breaking up with technology for a little bit, or disabling all the apps on your phone besides the one that actually makes it a phone, can help you get back on track to spending time that is actually fulfilling and making you better.
Gives you a moment to breathe
When people are attached to their technology for every waking moment of every day, it begins to feel like you are in a constant rush, as time keeps slipping by you. Part of this is the amount of time that social media and technology requires to really get into, and the other part is simply the information overload, which can make it feel like the world is flying by you at a rate that is unprecedented.
For treating anxiety, therapists often recommend having time where you aren’t doing anything (including looking at your phone), except breathing. Taking this time helps put you in a good head space, and is a good coping mechanism for dealing with the tension that anxiety can put on your life. A tech cleanse can help you remember this important step, and is able to put everything back in perspective, for a time.
Majenica
"Time spent with cats is never wasted." ~ Sigmund Freud
