Vivek Koul
In today’s digital age, technology has become an inseparable part of our lives. While digital advancements have brought numerous benefits, they have also led to a growing problem – digital addiction. The overuse of smartphones, social media, gaming, and other online activities has created a quagmire that traps individuals in a cycle of compulsive digital consumption. Digital addiction especially in the younger generation and in very small children has become a growing menace affecting the health of those addicted and affecting the family relations. Small children and the youth are so addicted that they are lost in using mobiles and are engrossed with the mobile phoning that their attention seems to be attracted towards the mobile phones unmindful of their surrounding environment and even calling them physically does get no response from those who are engrossed with the excessive use of mobiles. As they say excesses of everything is bad and this applies to the world of mobile phones and their use and so we should make judicious and minimum use of mobile phones limiting its use to necessary calls which are must to be done and attended to.
Mobile or digital addiction is a growing problem of the modern society and steps need to be taken to minimize the use of digital innovations of mobile phones. Unfortunately our youth and very small children have, compulsive become digital addicts as they are making excessive use of mobile phones unmindful of its harmful effects upon their health and its dangerous impact upon the society. Digital addiction has become a big menace for the society as alarming number of the people are falling prey to mobile addiction especially the very small and tender children and this trend needs to be curbed so that society lives a contented and fuller life and the mobile excessive used is put to rest and control. At the outset it is pertinent to know the meaning of digital addiction so that we are able to tackle and control it for the interest of the society and its excessive users. Digital addiction or technology addiction connotes excessive use of digital devices and online activities having a harmful and negative impact in various aspects of life including relationships, work, and overall wellbeing.
In other words digital addiction referrers to an impulsive control disorder that consists the obsessive use of digital devices, digital technologies and digital platforms, mobile phones, digital gadgets, and social network platforms. Technology is an inseparable part and parcel of present day life and it is near impossible to live without the use of digital devices including mobile phones. It is key to efficient functioning in many aspects of our lives and vital for social connection for many among us. However excessive, compulsive or out of control use of various types of technologies is a matter of serious and growing concern. Excessive and compulsive use of the internet or online activities may result in negative consequences in various aspects of our life. Technology addiction can potentially involve various forms of online activity including social media, gaming, gambling, problematic use of online pornography, and other things which negatively impact our society. Digital addiction is the uncontrollable and compulsive utilization of digital devices and tools.
The excessive use of digital tools including mobile phones results in harmful outcomes in various facets of a person’s disrupting his relationships, work, study and overall well being. Types of digital addiction are addiction to internet, social media, gaming,smart phones,online shopping, streaming, cybersex, information overload, email, and online gaming. Digital addiction is a worldwide phenomenon and it affects the people in the globe and India is no exception to it as in our country especially young people are becoming addicts with the passing of each day. Digital addiction including mobile addiction has become a psychological disease and there is urgent need to freedom from digital including mobile overuse and concerted steps need to be taken to curb the alarming and growing trend of digital addiction which is invading our society and making our life totally dependent on internet and online activities including mobile’s excessive use particularly among the small children and it has evolved into a big problem and needs our immediate attention. The excessive use of digital devices including internet, digital, social media and mobile phones is a big problem and concern particularly when small kids are prone to mobile phones.
The uncontrollable and overuse, excessive use of digital devices, internet, online gaming and mobile addiction is not confined to the small children only, but young and elder people are also habitual of digital addiction including mobile phone overuse. Particularly worrying is the addiction of children in mobiles and online gaming. The digital including mobile addiction is a serious problem encountered in the human society worldwide. There is urgent and great need to discourage the excessive, overuse and also the use of mobiles among children. Parents ,family elders, school teachers, relatives and the society at large can play a great role in making children not to use mobiles and instead of mobiles,some reasoning and vocabulary games should be encourage among children and the tender ones should be veneered from mobile use. The digital including mobile addiction has many health and psychological disorders associated with it and it affects the physical and mental health of small children.
Therefore it is the responsibility and duty of the parents to wean away their children from mobile addiction and attract their attention to some other productive activities. It is the daily experience that small children are addicted to mobile phones and they make excessive use of this digital device which badly affects the mental as well as physical wellbeing of the small children and also affect their studies. Even adults, youth and elder people should not make excessive use of digital devices and mobile phones as it results in waste of the precious time of those addicted to digital devices and mobile phones besides affecting their health. Therefore there is utmost need to make a very judicious use of mobile phones and online games. The doctors and psychologists suggest that children should not be allowed to make use of mobiles at least up the age of five years and to the children beyond the age of five years, there is need to view and screen the content before allowing them to use mobiles.
Numerous children and young people are derailing their lives into the trap of pornography and other sexual acts, which are harmful or detrimental to their wellbeing. This demonstrates that the character of children and youth can be lured or corrupted into drinking the Kool Aid of gamers, influencers, and anything else that directly enables digital and mobile addiction. It is a very real challenge, but it is our responsibility to help discourage children, and even young people, from mobile and digital addiction. Parents, relatives, teachers, society and electronic and print media can play a role in helping wean children, and even youth, from the addiction of online activity and mobiles, but parents and teachers have the most significant impact, even when peers might have some influence beyond parental guidance. The treatment of digital addiction may require individual therapy, support groups, a digital detox program, family therapy, or in some instances medication, to promote a healthier relationship with technology and overall wellbeing. In conclusion, society should be proactive and take the opportunity to remove the small-child and young inquiries from the excessive use of all digital tools, including mobile phones, before the adverse effects of such online activities and addictions take their toll on children, youth and the moral fabric of society. Digital technology is a double-edged sword – while it offers convenience and connectivity, excessive use can lead to a harmful addiction. Recognizing the problem and taking proactive steps to reduce screen time can help individuals regain control over their lives. Striking a balance between digital and real-world experiences is the key to a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Digital Addiction: The Silent Epidemic of Modern Age
