Our modern world is increasingly moving into virtual reality. Everyone has a smartphone with which a person is not separated around the clock, we study online, order groceries online, see friends via Skype. This mode is fundamentally different from what the human body is used to, and from the conditions to which we have adapted for thousands of years. In this regard, the question arises about the impact of information technology on the psyche. Our brain and nervous system, in general, developed and evolved in different conditions and prepared for completely different tasks. Therefore, it is obvious that with such an immersion in the world of technology, some changes and new formations must arise in order to adapt to such a lifestyle.
We live in the information age. Every day and every hour the amount of information is only growing. As you know, the morning does not start with coffee. Most of us start with Facebook or Instagram. As soon as a person opens his eyes in the morning, he wipes them with one hand, and with the other he is already trying to find the phone. Such a kind of symbiosis of a smartphone and a person is obtained. Most people start their morning by browsing the news or Facebook feed, and end it lying in bed with their phone, again reading the latest news – thanks to the advances in modern technology. There is nothing wrong with being up to date, but more often than not, we delve into unimportant and superfluous details regarding disasters, accidents or natural disasters, carefully studying the damage caused and the number of dead and wounded. Such a way of life cannot but influence our consciousness. And one of the consequences of the constant absorption of negative information is psychological problems, in particular, anxiety.
Despite the fact that we have incredible opportunities, access to all sources of knowledge, and everyone can now go to a virtual library or take online courses, most of us do not use this. What are people doing on the Internet? They scroll through the photos of their friends, read the news, watch funny pictures and videos. None of this will make them better, more professional and smarter. If we talk about the news that we can get on the Internet, then they are mostly negative. Media headlines look very flashy and sensational, and the texts are full of frightening details. It so happened that the information field in which we are constantly present transmits mainly only fear and negativity. Quite a lot of people suffer from a new addiction – information. And this is very easy to verify. All you have to do is go to the news site and browse through them for a few minutes. It is likely that within a fairly short time you will return there again in search of a new portion. Why are you doing this? This can be triggered by unfounded anxiety. After a quick look at the news, it may reappear. You return to the information space in order to reinforce it, to understand what is happening, to translate the elusive anxiety into a clear and simple fear. After all, then you will know what to fear and what to do next.
Influence of modern information technologies
No one disputes the unconditional benefits of scientific and technological progress . It brings, for the most part, the benefit and advancement for human civilization. With its help, we get to know the world, subdue previously unthinkable forces, master space, treat terrible diseases and move faster. But one should also not forget about the side effect, namely the influence of modern information technologies on the human psyche. Huge volumes of open information win their place in our lives, bringing with them new problems. The vast majority of people always have a phone with them, often with Internet access. That is, we can contact anyone at any time. It would seem that now we are definitely not alone. But this is just an illusion, in fact we have become even more alone. We think we can contact anyone, but we don’t. Our feeling of loneliness only grows from the increase in the number of hypothetical communicators. Technique gives us an illusory feeling of saturation, gradually replacing reality and steadily leads to internal conflicts, activating and intensifying anxiety.
With the development of technological progress, the aforementioned problem will only intensify, which can have unpleasant consequences. Of course, if we do not change our way of life. It should be remembered that this problem is connected only with the way of life of a person, with how he decides to manage his own time. Only man is always to blame, technology and, moreover, scientific progress are not some evil forces that are only eager to enslave humanity. Therefore, the trend towards the demonization of technology, which is becoming increasingly popular, especially among the poorly educated segments of the population, does not have any serious foundation.
The negative impact of information technology on a person
The negative impact of information technology on a person is not limited to the impact of negative news clippings or a change in the format of communication. We also suffer from the fact that we are trying to buy as many innovative devices, useless new models of phones and computers. Our reality is that we are trying to make our lives more expanded through new purchases of modern gadgets that the information technology industry offers us. We overflow with these things, quickly saturate and just as quickly empty . Everything begins to be perceived in negative tones, it is more difficult to surprise people with something and evoke vivid emotions, the feeling of a holiday is erased. We get tired of each other, because we live denser than ever before. Everyone wants to live in the capital, gradually moving from small villages to big cities.
The beauty of small towns and villages is that almost no one is in a hurry to go anywhere. You can safely walk down the street without fear of being knocked down by a swift flow of people. You can even walk to work, because there is no need to dive into the underground metro and shake for an hour and a half in one direction. Many of those people who live in megacities and always run somewhere are very unhappy inside. They are simply infected with the anxiety that is transmitted from the blue screen of the news and further from person to person. It is not in vain that the downshifting movement is gaining more and more popularity, when people move from big cities to villages, quit jobs they do not like and simply enjoy life in harmony with nature. Happiness does not need much, because it is inside us, and not in a computer, phone or TV.
Information technology and communication with other people
The influence of information technology extends significantly to communication with other people. With the advent of instant messengers, the need to even talk to another person has disappeared, you just need to send him a message. In addition, everything is moving towards the primitivization of even text communication. This is especially noticeable among teenagers and young men. In most cases, they communicate through pictures, memes, and stickers. This is enough to understand each other and allows you not to strain your brain too much and not build complex sentences.
Videoconferencing technology makes work and learning easier. Now you can easily work from home and always be directly in touch at the right time. Online courses and webinars have already become almost a classic of learning. There is nothing wrong with this, these are all logical and convenient changes, but this does not mean that they do not require careful study from the point of view of science.
Due to significant intimacy with other people throughout the day, we become infected from each other with fears, anxiety and irritability . After all, from the very morning everyone goes tightly clinging and trampling their feet in public transport, just returning home in the evening. People get tired of other people.
The situation is aggravated by our change of lifestyle, which is not natural. We now decide when to go to bed. Thanks to electricity, it is now possible to lie down far after sunset. Our body works in such a way that it must fall asleep after dark, and artificial lighting, especially the blue spectrum of the screens of our devices, disrupts the synthesis of melatonin. It is a hormone that regulates the circadian rhythm.
Of course, with the modern lifestyle, it is difficult to go to bed immediately after sunset, especially in winter when it gets dark early. And a good solution would be to fall asleep at least not on the day when you need to get up.
Due to the constant use of phones and computers in the evening, the brain does not understand what is happening. As if it had just been night, and then suddenly the sun rises again – something like this he reacts to the smartphone screen in the evening. The normal circadian rhythm is disrupted, leading to sleep disorders. As a result, the brain becomes tired and unable to critically perceive the information that you absorb in large portions. This, in turn, leads to an increase in the level of anxiety and anxiety, because we do not understand what is actually worth fearing from what we read, and what does not pose any threat.
Information technology and lifestyle
Modern information technologies and lifestyle have a huge impact on our psyche. Often, even without realizing it, we do everything in order to harm our health. Of course, with the development of technology, the life and behavior of people cannot remain unchanged. But it is important to remember that biological development is much slower than scientific and technological. Therefore, you need to build your life so that one does not interfere with the other.
It is known that the brain reacts in the same way to a real situation and fictional events that actually did not happen. Therefore, when you receive negative information from various sources on the Internet, you expose your brain to unnecessary stress, because it reacts as if it happened directly to you. It is not difficult to guess how you will feel in the evening after such a pseudo-productive day.
It is very important how you start your day, what you hear in the morning. This is all very important for your mental stability throughout the day. Therefore, do everything in your power to start the morning with something pleasant!