Original:                 A SWOT                                     [ analysis, with its four elements in a 2×2 matrix.
Revised:  A SWOT ADVERTISEMENT Affordable therapy delivered digitally – Try BetterHelp Choose from BetterHelp’s vast network of therapists for your therapy needs. Take a quiz, get matched, and start getting support via secure phone or video sessions. Plans start at $60 per week + an additional 10\% off. Emotional problems Using social media can make you feel more connected to the world. But, comparing yourself to others can leave you feeling inadequate or left out. A recent study looked at the social media use of more than 1,700 people between the ages of 19 and 32. The researchers found that those with high social media use felt more socially isolated than those who spent less time on social media. A 2011 cross-sectional surveyTrusted Source of high school students in Connecticut found that internet use was problematic for about 4 percent of the participants. The researchers said that there might be an association between problematic internet use and depression, substance use, and aggressive behavior. They also noted that high school boys, who, according to the researchers, tend to be heavier users of the internet, may be less aware of these problems. A 2016 systematic reviewTrusted Source produced mixed findings on the relationship that social networks have with depression and anxiety. The evidence suggests that social network use correlates with mental illness and well-being. However, the researchers noted that whether it has a beneficial or detrimental effect depends on the quality of social factors in the social network environment. More research is necessary to make conclusions on cause and effect. If social media use makes you feel anxious or depressed, try cutting back to see if doing so makes a difference. Negative effects of technology on kids The findings of a 2014 studyTrusted Source suggest that even after factoring out junk food and exercise, technology appears to affect the health of children and teens. The researchers used a broad definition of screen time that included: television video games phones tech toys They conducted the simple correlational study using an anonymous online survey. The study authors concluded that parents and caregivers should help children learn to reduce overall screen time. According to the Mayo Clinic, unstructured playtime is better for a child’s developing brain than electronic media. At 2 years old, children can benefit from some screen time, but it shouldn’t replace other important learning opportunities, including playtime. Research has linked too much screen time or low-quality screen time to: behavioral problems less time for play and loss of social skills obesity sleep problems violence Like adults, children who spend a lot of time on digital devices can experience symptoms of eye strain. The AOA advises parents and caregivers to watch for signs of digital eye strain in children and to encourage frequent visual breaks. A 2018 study of adolescents ages 15 and 16 found an association between frequent use of digital media and the development of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study involved a longitudinal cohort of students who self-reported their use of 14 digital media activities, and it included a 24-month follow-up period. More research is necessary to confirm whether it’s a causal association. What are the recommendations for screen time by age? The American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) makes the following recommendations for screen time: Younger than 18 months Avoid screen time other than video chatting. 18 to 24 months Parents and caregivers can offer high-quality programs and watch them with their children. 2 to 5 years Limit to one hour per day of supervised high-quality programming. 6 years and above Place consistent limits on time and types of media. Media shouldn’t interfere with adequate sleep, exercise, or other behaviors that affect health. The APA also recommends that parents and caregivers designate media-free times, such as dinner time, as well as media-free zones within the home. Positive effects of technology Technology plays a role in virtually every part of our lives, whether we’re aware of it or not. These are just a few of the ways in which technology may positively affect our physical and mental health: health apps to track chronic illnesses and communicate vital information to doctors health apps that help you track diet, exercise, and mental health information online medical records that give you access to test results and allow you to fill prescriptions virtual doctor visits online education and ease of research enhanced communication with others, which can improve the feeling of connection Ways to make the most of technology With each new advance in technology, it gets a bit easier to go overboard. When we get too caught up in it, we can feel it in our minds and bodies. So, how much is too much? The answer is as individual as you are. Here are some signs that you might be leaning too heavily on technology: Your family or friends complain about your tech use. You’ve neglected relationships in favor of technology, which people sometimes refer to as phubbing. It has interfered with your work. You’re losing sleep or skipping physical activities due to technology use. It’s causing you stress or anxiety, or you’re noticing physical side effects, such as tension headaches, eye strain, muscle pain, or overuse injuries. You can’t seem to stop. If that sounds familiar, here are some ways to cut back on screen time: Clear your phone of unessential apps to keep you from constantly checking it for updates. Carve out a specific, limited amount of time to use your devices. Turn some television time into physical activity time. Keep electronic devices out of the bedroom. Charge them in another room. Turn clocks and other glowing devices toward the wall at bedtime. Make mealtime gadget-free time. Prioritize real-world relationships over online relationships. If you’re responsible for children: Limit their screen time, allowing it only at certain times of the day and restricting it during activities like meals and just before bedtime. Know what they’re doing. Review their programs, games, and apps, and encourage the engaging ones over those that are passive. Play games and explore technology together. Take advantage of parental controls. Make sure that children have regular, unstructured, tech-free playtime. Encourage face time over online friendships. Takeaway Technology is a part of our lives. It can have some negative effects, but it can also offer many positive benefits and play an important role in education, health, and general welfare. Knowing the possible negative effects can help you take steps to identify and minimize them so that you can still enjoy the positive aspects of technology. Last medically reviewed on May 23, 2019 13 sourcescollapsed HEALTH NEWS Step Away from the Smartphone: How to Do a Digital Detox Written by Kimberly Holland — Updated on June 16, 2017 Experts say there are some simple things you can do during your day to reduce your exposure to digital technology. You open an app on your smartphone to clear an alert. And look! A friend posted a picture from her vacation in Bora Bora. The next thing you know you’ve clicked through the entirety of her 43-photo album. You’ve also opened three browser windows to scope out the best time to travel to the Pacific island, how to get a deal on four-star resorts, and what bathing suit is best for your body type. The bathing suit site prompts you to see its latest look on Instagram, where you have three new messages and 15 new likes to see. An hour later, you remembered you were just trying to plan your meals for the week, and now you’re following Bora Bora natives and pinning a new straw hat for the beach to your “Dream Trip” board. This digital time drain is real. Having our phones, laptops, smart watches, and tablets constantly within reach has made us hyperconnected — and hyperdistracted. We feel attached to the people and lives on our phones, but disconnected from our real life storylines. Tom Kersting, PhD, is a licensed psychotherapist, and author of “Disconnected: How to Reconnect Our Digitally Distracted Kids.” “No matter where you look, it seems that everyone is disengaged from the moment and instead staring at a device,” he told Healthline. “This is causing family issues, work issues, etcetera, as we become more disconnected from each other. These are classic signs of addiction.” Think addiction is too strong a word for the constant need to check, and check again, everything from Instagram likes to work emails? Perhaps not. “Technology becomes a problem when it begins interfering with your daily life, leading to addiction,” Kimberly Hershenson, LMSW, a therapist practicing in New York, told Healthline. Hershenson treats individuals with social media and technology addiction. “Social media in particular is addictive given the validation factor. Getting ‘likes’ on pictures or ‘follows’ on newsfeeds affirms our existence similar to someone smiling at you in real life,” she said. “Quite simply, being acknowledged makes us feel good. Due to the constant availability of social media, this validation is available at our fingertips.” Read more: Digital detox to cleanse yourself of the internet » The push to disconnect It might be hard to remember a time without a smartphone, but keep in mind that the iPhone is only a decade old. The internet as we know it is 25 years old. Cell phones 15 years ago did little more than send SMS messages and make calls, and connecting to people 4,000 miles away with the click of a button was talk left for futuristic sci-fi movies. Our digital addiction is new in the course of human history, and as it goes with most mainstream phenomena, a counterculture has cropped up to try to stymie it. Restaurants have started banning phones from tables. One chicken restaurant incentivizes phone-free dining by offering families who put their phones in a “cell phone coop” free ice cream cones at the end of the meal. Some tech companies encourage their employees to take a Digital Sabbath, a day (or at least a portion of a day) where they completely unplug and reconnect with a nondigital reality. Even new technology is popping up to answer the need for less technology. The Light Phone is a credit card sized phone that can only make calls, stores nine numbers, and displays the time. The cost is $150 for the phone and $5 in monthly phone charges. You can forward calls from your smartphone to the new phone, and leave behind the constant pings of social media and apps as often (or as little) as you’d like. [ analysis, with its four elements in a 2×2 matrix.
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