Do you think in general that since the internet has become part of everyday life for lot of people, it has has had a negative affect on people's mental health?
Could some of the mental health problems be related to internet addiction?
Mental health and the internet... - Anxiety and Depre...
Mental health and the internet...
55 Replies
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YES!!!!!!!....... look at these kids....teenagers..... who have their face constantly buried in their phone screen. Being someone more grandiose than they really are in everyday real world life, living fantasy lives on screen....where does real life and the cyberspace end and begin for these kids. Seeing baby's in strollers with mommy's iphone....and knowing what to do already. A whole society of kids who don't know what it means to just play outside with sticks and dirt clods....built tree forts,....a whole generation of socially inept kids who live their whole life behind a screen, they know nothing of social graces because they often are anonymous and do and say what they want and then fly off into the abyss of the internet leaving other kids bullied and damaged or worse behind them. ....yes it's Scary, and parents are no different...they are oblivious to how kids talk to them these days, no boundaries, respect, or consequences for their actions, just an apathetic parental response from a parent who also has their face buried in their iphone ..what hope do these kids today have?...
watch a series called 'The Black Mirror'...that will give you pause for thought...
in reply to fauxartist
Well put!
You got it right and I wonder how these kids will turn out!
I will look into the black mirror thanks.
fauxartist in reply to
the last season is the best....it's a series about how the internet and other electronic input will or could possibly effect our lives, and not always in a good way...it's a trip. The first season was a bit weird...but this last season was spot on.
in reply to fauxartist
Ok, I'll see if it on Amazon instant.
Thank you.
fauxartist in reply to
what's your take on this subject.....I am a nerd and love my gadgets...but I purposely don't do 'iphone'....I have a life outside of cyberspace even though I'm a geek and love my surfing....I also have always been a security freak online....yes...big brother is watching....and yes everywhere you go online your being data mined without your permission....no your not paranoid...it's just like the 'wild west' was right now in cyberspace...and anything can happen as we all have read in the news..even elections can be rigged via micro managing data....there are no stop gaps in what companies will do to get your dollar. I think the movie 'Minority Report' where everywhere you go your data is picked up from your embedded personal identity microchip by the billboards with a tailor made advertisement towards your interests is not too far off the mark...
in reply to fauxartist
I think it has had a negative impact on a lot of people, take Facebook for instance, people post every single thing that happens in their lives on it, it's as if they live thier lives inside it. Some people are constantly checking it in case they miss something, they don't meet up with people anymore because they can chat with each other online. It has ruined community and social interaction outside of the home.
I'm wondering if some people who think they are depressed are actually just addicted to the internet and when they are away from it they think they can't function correctly.
I agree about the big brother thing, I try not to give to much about myself away on the net. I also have a life away from it but I do enjoy using it.
fauxartist in reply to
it's 'click bait' and 'likes'....that are the addiction....and it's a real problem. I do use a VPN and other filters, nothing is completely safe...but it makes me feel a bit better because for this forum here, I like some sense of privacy....
in reply to fauxartist
Yes click bait me likes, the attention from likes is a drug to some people.
This is the only place I use now, im not sure if it's safer or not but it doesn't seem to be centred around getting people's attention.
fauxartist in reply to
I agree...I don't do FB either....attention junkies are tiresome, I like the honesty here, the compassion shown....
in reply to fauxartist
Same here. It's a pleasant place.
in reply to fauxartist
The only thing I don't like about this place is that damned notification bell at the top of the page grrrrrr! I have to press it several times to get it to work properly 😂
fauxartist in reply to
I had a problem yesterday or so where none of the notifications showed up....I just think they do maintenance while keeping the site up and running and what ever is effected by that is temporary.
What is a VPN- sounds like you work in the hi tech industry?
It's nothing fancy or anything you have to buy, all browsers, Opera, Firefox have them available for free as an : extention or add-on. It keeps your computers address not visible to others when you go to web sites...who ever is on the other end can't trace your country, or home address where your router is, etc.....just a privacy thing.
Virtual private network:
A virtual private network extends a private network across a public network, and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. Applications running across a VPN may therefore benefit from the functionality, security, and management of the private network.
I got my updated certifications in computer repair, and security, and network, but got my comp.repair tech cert back before internet and laptops, only desktop PC's were out at the time. Now it's just a hobby.
Wow- so you know your way around hi tech! What is a VPN and how can I access it? I mean let's say it's firefox - where would one see something like that? I do not know about the hi tech world at all save for a few e mails and this, and I am old!
Spot on. If u ever notice ur having a random conversation on the phone ir in person. Then a few days later at most there it appears on ur facebook, instagram or google newsfeed as an advertisement. Coincidence, i think not. Big brother is always watching. This gives me gooseies!! Lol
I have very basic cable so I do not know if I can reach this.
I have basic cable too....nothing else available out in the country....but we make do.
Thanks! Where can one get access to 'The Black Mirror'? I hear about some kids in schools who are really stressed- while some stress is "normal" a lot is not. Lonliness is rampant, and look at all of those kids who are addicted to opioids and the ones who kill randomly at schools and other places? It's not just kids though- it's the parents as you said and other people also. Where has the communication gone???? Parents even want teachers to show the kids social skills! I thought that was a parents' job!!!!
I agree....I think the anonymity which makes you unaccountable for your actions if your a jerk, and the absence of one on one interaction has made a whole society of kids basically disconnected emotionally. The parents on their cell phones too have disconnected in the real world often as well. We make it a point to take the little ones out in the garden and always have since they could walk....it's given them a connection to the world a lot of kids in the city sadly don't have.
oh yeah....I think 'Black Mirror' is on Netflix
Yeah of course! People are so into their phones nobody cared about anyone anymore. No matter which country you go to everybody's on their cellphones no one even notice you! Its like zombie apocalypse!!
in reply to
True.
fauxartist in reply to
that's funny...'iphone zombie apocalyse'....yeah...a sea of walking mindless screen tapping drones.....
in reply to fauxartist
XD
No wonder we have so much corruption and violence, and one in five people have some sort of mental or emotional distress.
gogogirl in reply to
People who drive while talking on a phone are narcissists as far as I am concerned. They do not care if they endanger others - even the police!
yeah...big cause of accidents...and a huge fine if caught...
Here, get this- people can 'text while driving ( small fine though) but talking on the cell phone is still okay?!!!! Probably because the pols do it.
Yes! I deactivated Facebook a couple of years ago. It was a massive trigger for me...
in reply to
How did using it make you feel and did you change when you left it?
in reply to
Made me feel awful for so many reasons, looking at others having what looked like a fabulous time and I was suffering so badly, some people would post nasty things and I would wonder if it was about me, I felt it was bullyish. People wouldn’t say things to others but they’d write a post and not say who it was about, so it makes everyone feel uncomfortable or a meme ...at first I found it difficult as it’s very habit forming to check it out. After a few weeks I got used to not being on there and truly I felt so much better. It was just too significant in my life , I had over 100 ‘friends’ on there , really mostly acquaintances , I met along the way ....and that’s another story
I don’t miss it now and in fact for me it’s good not to be involved in it...I realise that’s my take on it and for some it could be the best thing since sliced bread....😊
fauxartist in reply to
I think that a lot of what people post on those sites is BS about how great and wonderful their lives are and every living moment is precious and an amazing experience and puppy's and kittens abound.... right.....they are on the best drugs ever and I want them if they are legal because....reality check here....Nobody is that happy and content all the time. And yes...people become easy targets for those sick bully's who are mouth breathing cowards who have no life and get their anger out on those that are vulnerable and innocent. So no thanks....I'm good right here....
in reply to fauxartist
😊 xx
01harley in reply to
I never had it or wanted it. To much information. Some things are better left unsaid or known.
agreed....
I read just a few days ago that smart phone use has contributed to the rise in depression ( by over 48%) especially in younger people.
hmmmm.....that is interesting....If anything.....you would think that the kids who can't connect face to face and use the phone as their only means of communication would fair better....but the alienation of the general youth is very interesting and makes perfect sense to me....human contact, facial and body language, all of that is very important.
Yes. I recently deleted all popular social media. It just made me more anxious.
in reply to abc1517
Do you feel better for it?
Yes totally because we are constantly comparing ourselves to people on social media!
It is not just the internet but constantly being surrounded by electronic devises that is the issue.
People are addicted to soap operas that are so depressing, they get so involved in the programs that they believe the characters and the situations covered are real and that definitely has a negative effect on people. I don't watch soaps anymore because they are just one major issue after another and it just wears you down.
Social Media definitely has a major effect on everyone. "I must be a bad person because I don't have millions of followers or likes". I'd rather have I very very good friend that is there when I need them than millions of followers that I know nothing about.
My ex used to think it was a competition "I have more friends that you. I have more followers that you. I got more likes on my last comment than you." Give it a rest I don't all those ticks. I mean how many of those ticks were actually from people who really read what I had written in the first place.
Internet being available 24/7 is definitely affecting everyone. The pings/beeps/buzzes from mobile devices at anytime during the day or night has an affect on everyone. How many people know that having a mobile phone next to their bed distrupts their sleep pattern and we need to an uninterupted nights sleep to allow our bodies and minds to recharge properly.
Best thing I ever did was banning electronics from my bedroom and setting up a timetable where I turn off the TV, if it is on, at least an hour before I go to bed.
I don't come on here as much as I did because I have found things to do which don't involve computers and I feel so much better for it as I have gotten out of my house and made so many new friends in person. It is so much better to talk to people over a coffee or a meal than through a computer.
My advise to everyone is try banning all electronics (tvs, mobile, even digital clocks if you can) from the bedroom for at least 6 months and see if it makes a difference to your sleep patterns. Also switch off computers and TVs an hour before you plan to go to sleep. Made a big difference to my life. Some days I don't even see the news because the TV hasn't been on that day.
I was an IT computer programmer and I am in the midst of changing careers because I don't want to spend days in front of a computer anymore.
I deleted all of my social media a few weeks ago because of the toxic posts and horrible things being said when something pops up. I personally think that the internet brings people down and lower their self esteem, especially when they talk about what's "beautiful" or what is "healthy". Social media outlets like Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. force people to be who they are not because of the pressure being enforced on those who are not confident in themselves. I think I made the decision to delete my social media accounts when I saw a girl post something about another girl, and it was the most horrible thing you could say to a girl, so I decided to delete it because starting an argument is not what I wanted to do. If I start a conversation on cyber-bullying, there is no telling when I will be listened to or if I will be shut down before the conversation even starts.
I am a teenager, but I find more joy in books and writing than in the wonders of social media. I may just be an outlier in my society, but I also encourage others to unplug and pick up a book. Depression is highest among teenagers nowadays because of social media outlets being an everyday thing. I just hope we can fix this problem in the future.
You are absolutely right in everything you say, FB etc is poisoning the mind, better off without it.
Books are great, I love reading.
You are very sensible 🙂
It can and often does but it doesn't have to. Like alcohol or fire or knives, it has to be used with care or it will hurt you.
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