essay on has technology become a new addiction

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Has technology become a new addiction?

After recent advancement in technology, it has changed our perspective to see the world. It has made our life so easy and convenient that we don’t need to go anywhere to search for every information that is easily available on the internet. We don’t need bull carts or horses to travel from one place to another car have made our life so easy. We don’t need to post letters to communicate with each other.

We can easily connect through mobile phones in seconds with the medium of networks on call or video call. We don’t need to wait for newspapers to read  the latest news . Every kind of  latest technology news ,  latest politics news in India  or around the world, easily available on our smartphones we can see news and updates in seconds with the help of the internet. Despite all the advantages, it has become our addiction.

Since the rise of the web and cell phones, research shows an increment in the number of individuals battling with a dependence on innovation. It’s normal for both youth and grown-ups to want to continually be “connected” to online media and the web, yet this regularly prompts a dread of passing up a major opportunity and dread of being forgotten about in youngsters. Combined with the neurological changes in the mind while being on the web, innovation fixation can be added to the rundown of conduct addictions.

What is technology addiction?

Researchers have defined technology addiction as the personal inability to control, regulate or limit the behavior from increasing technology and connectivity use. Be that as it may, a few teenagers and youthful grown-ups cross from typical use into a domain wherein their innovation use is contrarily affecting school, work, family, and public activity. Innovation enslavement incorporates a dependence on computer games, interpersonal interaction, and riding the web, in addition to other things.

 Technology addiction to youth

It is hard to decide the number of teenagers and youthful grown-ups who experience the ill effects of innovation enslavement. Yet, a recent report found that 4.4% of European young people had what specialists named “obsessive web use,” and roughly 14% showed what they called “maladaptive web use.” 

Different investigations have discovered that around 10% of individuals’ web use meddles with their work, family, or public activity. To muddle things further, the engineers of innovation like computer games and web-based media are effectively attempting to make items that tap into our addictive propensities, speaking straightforwardly about making an “impulse circle.”

Bad effects of technology addiction on the brain of the young generation

On a neurological level, technology addiction works the same as a chemical addiction. That assumption followed by remuneration drives the mind to deliver dopamine and other feel-great synthetic substances. This prize may be winning a computer game level or getting “likes” on an image. Over the long haul, an individual starts to ache for this dopamine discharge and frequently requires expanding improvement to get a similar impact. 

While synthetic addictions frequently have a bad impact by hindering the re-take-up of these vibe great synthetic compounds, so they stay in mind longer and all the more capably, researchers are finding that the conflicting prizes regularly connected with conduct addictions like betting and computer games additionally increment the surge of dopamine.

Innovation can give understudies a misguided feeling of social security as they speak with inconspicuous people worldwide. The speed with which innovation moves makes everything a youngster may be searching for accessible practically no time, which energizes an unfortunate craving for moment delight. A sluggish web association or “unplugging” can advance touchiness and uneasiness for an adolescent in any case used to the consistent association through innovation. 

Rest problems can create as youngsters stay up practically the entire night to play with innovation. Subsequently, scholarly, athletic, and social execution can endure. Weight acquire and different difficulties of a terrible eating routine and stationary lifestyle, like cardiovascular sickness, may result. In-person friendly abilities may crumble. 

Indeed, even as solid adolescents are tested by expanding life obligations, hormonal changes, and the pressure of new friendly and scholarly universes like dating and applying to school, these life advances become significantly harder for those entirely ingested in innovation. 

Inside an innovation-dependent individual, the psyche becomes progressively incapable of recognizing the lived and the other real factors that produce moment incitement, joy, and award. Thusly, the outrageous utilization of innovation can disturb typical examples of mind-set and socialization in adolescents. Reliance upon online media, gaming, or different stages to capacity can turn into the new and unfortunate “typical.”

How to prevent technology addiction in the young generation?

Prevention is better than cure:, give a ton of strong highs, some of them detached:.

How young people use innovation truly matters. Are young generations playing computer games among other sporting exercises? Would they say they are as aroused up for supper with companions as they are tied in with “step up”? Or then again, would they say they are turning on the Xbox, so they don’t need to confront a daily existence that they’re despising? 

Offset action and efficiency with healthy stress management:

All in life requires energy. Regularly, youngsters feel like they have too little energy to spend on an excessive number of requests. If there are not guided by grown-ups to find sound approaches to recharge their energy stores, they may default by abusing simple fixes for diversion or stress alleviation that advance innovation dependence. 

Sustain supportive of social character advancement in reality:

 Grown-ups should be proactive, innovative, and energized as they assist kids with finding who they truly are! When youngsters discover something they are acceptable at and need to do, they will normally incline toward it. It is simpler to make an Internet façade, yet undeniably more remunerating for teenagers to develop genuine purposes and veritable characters inside their families, schools, and networks. 

Consider treatment when there’s an issue :

 Inpatient treatment for innovation compulsion begins by eliminating a teen from both the Internet and the environmental factors that permitted an innovation dependence on happening in any case. It is a type of serious treatment. Different medicines can incorporate approaches to help innovation addicts see the disconnected world as more pleasurable without eliminating the online component from their lives.

Technology can indeed satisfy many human needs, but its abuse comes with risk. Being addicted to technology is somehow or another similar addiction to alcohol and other drugs, with many of the same effects on the developing brain.

We must do all we can to prevent any sort of addiction from happening in our children’s lives. Technology can be a defensive factor if used properly. Healthy youngsters can play a role in student technology addiction prevention by showing youngsters the benefits of a healthy, balanced approach to technology use.

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Digital addiction: how technology keeps us hooked

Associate Professor in Computing and Informatics, Bournemouth University

Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Bournemouth University

Principal Academic in Psychology, Bournemouth University

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The World Health Organisation is to include “gaming disorder” , the inability to stop gaming, into the International Classification of Diseases. By doing so, the WHO is recognising the serious and growing problem of digital addiction. The problem has also been acknowledged by Google, which recently announced that it will begin focusing on “Digital Well-being” .

Although there is a growing recognition of the problem, users are still not aware of exactly how digital technology is designed to facilitate addiction. We’re part of a research team that focuses on digital addiction and here are some of the techniques and mechanisms that digital media use to keep you hooked.

Compulsive checking

Digital technologies, such as social networks, online shopping, and games, use a set of persuasive and motivational techniques to keep users returning. These include “scarcity” (a snap or status is only temporarily available, encouraging you to get online quickly); “social proof” (20,000 users retweeted an article so you should go online and read it); “personalisation” (your news feed is designed to filter and display news based on your interest); and “reciprocity” (invite more friends to get extra points, and once your friends are part of the network it becomes much more difficult for you or them to leave).

Technology is designed to utilise the basic human need to feel a sense of belonging and connection with others. So, a fear of missing out, commonly known as FoMO, is at the heart of many features of social media design.

Groups and forums in social media promote active participation. Notifications and “presence features” keep people notified of each others’ availability and activities in real-time so that some start to become compulsive checkers. This includes “two ticks” on instant messaging tools, such as Whatsapp. Users can see whether their message has been delivered and read. This creates pressure on each person to respond quickly to the other.

The concepts of reward and infotainment, material which is both entertaining and informative, are also crucial for “addictive” designs. In social networks, it is said that “no news is not good news”. So, their design strives always to provide content and prevent disappointment. The seconds of anticipation for the “pull to refresh” mechanism on smartphone apps, such as Twitter, is similar to pulling the lever of a slot machine and waiting for the win.

Most of the features mentioned above have roots in our non-tech world. Social networking sites have not created any new or fundamentally different styles of interaction between humans. Instead they have vastly amplified the speed and ease with which these interactions can occur, taking them to a higher speed, and scale.

Addiction and awareness

People using digital media do exhibit symptoms of behavioural addiction . These include salience, conflict, and mood modification when they check their online profiles regularly. Often people feel the need to engage with digital devices even if it is inappropriate or dangerous for them to do so. If disconnected or unable to interact as desired, they become preoccupied with missing opportunities to engage with their online social networks.

According to the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom, 15m UK internet users (around 34% of all internet users) have tried a “digital detox” . After being offline, 33% of participants reported feeling an increase in productivity, 27% felt a sense of liberation, and 25% enjoyed life more. But the report also highlighted that 16% of participants experienced the fear of missing out, 15% felt lost and 14% “cut-off”. These figures suggest that people want to spend less time online, but they may need help to do so.

At the moment, tools that enable people to be in control of their online experience, presence and online interaction remain very primitive. There seem to be unwritten expectations for users to adhere to social norms of cyberspace once they accept participation.

But unlike other mediums for addiction, such as alcohol, technology can play a role in making its usage more informed and conscious. It is possible to detect whether someone is using a phone or social network in an anxious, uncontrolled manner. Similar to online gambling, users should have available help if they wish. This could be a self-exclusion and lock-out scheme. Users can allow software to alert them when their usage pattern indicates risk.

The borderline between software which is legitimately immersive and software which can be seen as “exploitation-ware” remains an open question. Transparency of digital persuasion design and education about critical digital literacy could be potential solutions.

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• Signs of Addiction

Technology Addiction

Creating a healthy balance.

Extreme use of technology can disrupt normal patterns of mood and socialization in teens

Technology is everywhere, and it is not going away. Teenagers stare down at their iPhones, or keep their eyes glued to a tablet or laptop, instead of observing the world around them. It's not unusual to see two adolescents seated together on a bus, texting furiously on their mobiles rather than talking to one another. The fact that teens are so dependent on technology makes sense in our world, but it may also lead to negative consequences.

What is technology addiction?

Technology addiction can be defined as frequent and obsessive technology-related behavior increasingly practiced despite negative consequences to the user of the technology. An over-dependence on tech can significantly impact students' lives. While we need technology to survive in a modern social world, a severe overreliance on technology—or an addiction to certain facets of its use—can also be socially devastating. Tech dependence can lead to teen consequences that span from mild annoyance when away from technology to feelings of isolation, extreme anxiety, and depression.

What makes technology addictive?

Technology fulfills our natural human need for stimulation, interaction, and changes in environment with great efficiency. When teenagers experience stress, be it romantic rejection or a poor grade on an exam, technology can become a quick and easy way to fill basic needs, and as such, can become addictive.

Technology impacts the pleasure systems of the brain in ways similar to substances. It provides some of the same reward that alcohol and other drugs might: it can be a boredom buster, a social lubricant, and an escape from reality.

Video and computer games, smart phones and tablets, social media and the Internet provide a variety of access points that can promote dependence on technology and negative consequences for youth:

The Internet.  The Web can be addictive as a multifunctional tool that brings us exceptionally close to an enormous amount of information at unprecedented speeds. User-friendly by design, we now have access to the Internet on our computers, through apps on our tablets, phones and watches. "FOMO," or "Fear of Missing Out," is a commonly described phenomenon for teens and young adults, in which youth increasingly feel the need to stay connected to the Internet, so they aren't the last to know of a news story or social happening.

Related to FOMO, some Facebook users, for instance, report that they use the Internet-based social media platform as a chosen method to alleviate their anxiety or depression.1 With so much accessibility to its use, the Internet is just as hard to stay away from at any given point in a day as it is easy and rewarding to use.

Video and computer games.  One hallmark of human psychology is that we want to feel competent, autonomous, and related to other people. Challenging video games allow players to feel that they are good at something. Games offer a great variety of choice to players, promoting a sense of autonomy for teens who might feel otherwise out of control.

The same goals that drive people to pursue success in the real world are often present in video games. As one amasses virtual wealth or prestige by spending time on games and advancing through levels, virtual wealth can translate into some version of actual recognition—through monetary purchasing power within an online game or a positive reputation within an online community.

Gamers find themselves linked to others who share their hobby through YouTube channels or subreddits dedicated to discussion of their game of choice with other enthusiasts. Like the Internet itself, games make themselves increasingly accessible to teens via apps on smart phones, never leaving kids' palms or pockets.

While there is room for social connection in the gaming universe, this space also provides a potential escape from reality into a digital world where players get to assume new identities more appealing or more novel than those they hold in the real life.

Smart phones, tablets, and lifestyle technologies.  These highly-mobile, flexible machines have the power to constantly connect. Smart phones and tablets, and the emergence of other smart devices from the Apple Watch to the Amazon Echo, promote addiction by removing the time lapse from tasks and activities that previously required logging into a deskbound, or at least a backpack-bound, computer source.

Social media.  Social media presents individually-relevant information in the easiest ways—centralized, personalized portals, like a Facebook newsfeed, YouTube subscription, or Snapchat followership.

Whether it's a Skype conversation with our grandmother in Alaska or a Twitter reply to the President, social media feeds our need for human connection by allowing us to share feedback with those who are far from us in time, geography, or social status. As social animals, we need human contact for emotional and psychological health. The appeal of social media is that it helps us to fill social needs without the efforts or restraints of in-person contact.

What are the risks of teen technology use?

While technology is certainly not all bad, its overuse can pose certain key risks, especially to teens.

Technology can give students a false sense of relational security as they communicate with unseen individuals around the world. The speed with which technology moves makes everything a teen might be looking for available within seconds, which encourages an unhealthy desire for instant gratification. A slow internet connection or “unplugging” can promote irritability and anxiety for a teen otherwise used to constant connection through technology.

Sleep disorders can develop as teens stay up all night to play with technology, and as a result, academic, athletic, and social performance can suffer. Weight gain and other complications of a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, such as cardiovascular disease, may result. In-person social skills may deteriorate.

Even as healthy teens are challenged by increasing life responsibilities, hormonal changes, and the stress of new social and academic worlds like dating and applying to college, these life transitions become even harder for those wholly absorbed in technology.

Within a technology-addicted individual, the mind becomes increasingly unable to distinguish between the lived and the alternate realities that produce instant stimulation, pleasure, and reward. As such, the extreme use of technology can disrupt normal patterns of mood and socialization in teens. Dependency upon social media, gaming, or other platforms to function can become the new and unhealthy "normal."

Technology addiction and teen substance use.  Researchers have found evidence that people who overuse technology may develop similar brain chemistry and neural patterning to those who are addicted to substances. 2

Another concern is that those who are addicted to technology are actually more likely to also use substances than their peers with healthier relationships to tech, providing the insight that technology addiction may be a risk factor for alcohol and other drug addiction.

One preliminary study found that a group of teens who "hyper-texted" were 40% more likely to have used cigarettes and twice as likely to have used alcohol than students who were less frequent users of technology. This same research noted that those who spent more hours per school day than peers on social networking sites were at higher risk for depression and suicide. 3

It stands to reason then, that if we can prevent technology addiction, we may also be able to prevent other risky behavior and dangerous consequences to teens.

Technology and the brain.  Studies have shown that brain scans of young people with internet addiction disorder (IAD) are similar to those of people with substance addictions to alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis. 4

Damage to brain systems connecting emotional processing, attention, and decision-making are affected in both substance addicts and technology addicts. This discovery shows that being hooked on a tech behavior can, in some ways, be as physically damaging as an addiction to alcohol and other drug use.

When is technology a protective factor?

Of course, the advent of smarter, faster, more mobile technologies can be used positively with teens too. The following list reflects the many ways that technology, used in a healthy way, can encourage teens to explore their world and express themselves:

Learning.  In Ramsey Musallam's AP Chemistry class at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, California, cell phones are a natural extension of the way the teacher otherwise communicates with his students. As soon as kids walk into his classroom, Musallam sends out a text blast through Remind101, asking students a challenge question related to the day's lesson. 5

Some teachers use Facebook as a communication hub, creating a public page or smaller, closed groups for classes. Using technology like this, teachers can keep parents informed, distribute homework or permission slips, and share photos and videos from classroom activities and field trips.

Others in education and civic development have found that by piquing students' interest in social justice or commentary videos posted on YouTube, student engagement with world issues is enhanced.

Creativity and expression.  Technology can promote student creativity by prompting expression through user-friendly tools. Some studies have shown that blogging, or web journaling, enhances students' creative thinking. 6

Metacognition—the ability to be aware of, attend to, and use information about one's own cognitive processes—allows students to strengthen critical thinking across academic and artistic disciplines. Utilizing Internet-based technologies that ask students to reflect on and reiterate their learning processes provides a framework for the development of teen metacognition skills.

Now common technologies like tablets and smart phones are often much less bulky than notebooks and textbooks, allowing students to flex their imaginations, read fiction, write poetry, doodle, or take pictures through the ease of software applications found on highly-mobile devices.

Socialization.  When monitored properly by a parent or guardian, the use of social media can create safe and healthy friendship networks for teens with like interests online, through already established mutual friendships or within shared interest hubs, like a blogging community or Facebook group.

Preventing other teen risks.  Since the expansion of the Internet and mobile technologies, call-in hotlines have expanded to include Internet help sites and texting lines for teens run by knowledgeable and mature adults. These options provide a place teens can go for accurate information and timely support when they are not comfortable discussing their personal problems with an adult at home or school.

At her social advocacy organization, Nancy Lublin started receiving so many texts from students with questions about bullying that she set up a text-only crisis line.7 While online harassment is a concern, online support movements like the It Gets Better Project have sprung up to powerfully protect teens too.

Preventing Technology Addiction in Teens

Technology will only grow in its use in teens' worlds. Preventing teen addiction to technology means finding a balance within students' lives, so that teenagers do not misuse their technology as an escape from real world challenges, emotions, socialization, or identity. Adults can help children and teens have healthy relationships to technology when they:

Provide plenty of healthy highs, some of them offline.  How teenagers use technology really matters. Are teens playing video games among other recreational activities, and are they as excited about a dinner with friends as they are about "leveling up"? Or, are they turning on the Xbox so they don't have to face a life that they're not enjoying?

Balance activity and productivity with healthy stress management.  Everything in life requires energy, and often teens feel like they have too little energy to spend on too many demands. If they're are not guided by adults to discover healthy ways to replenish their stores of energy, they may default by overusing easy fixes for entertainment or stress relief that promote technology addiction.

Nurture pro-social identity development in the real world.  Adults must be proactive, creative, and excited as they help kids to discover who they really are! Once teenagers find something they are good at and want to do, they will naturally gravitate toward it. It is easier to create an Internet façade, but far more rewarding for teens to cultivate true purposes and genuine identities within their families, schools, and communities.

Consider treatment when there's a problem.  Inpatient treatment for technology addiction starts by removing a teenager from both the Internet and the surroundings that allowed a technology addiction to occur in the first place. It is a form of intensive therapy. Other treatments can include ways to help technology addicts see the offline world as more pleasurable, without fully removing the online element from their lives.

Creating a Healthy Balance

It is true that technology can fulfill many human needs, but its overuse comes with risk. Being addicted to technology is in some ways akin to an addiction to alcohol and other drugs, with many of the same effects on the developing brain.

We must do all we can to prevent any sort of addiction from occurring in our children's lives. Technology can be a protective factor if used properly, and healthy adults can play a role in student technology addiction prevention by showing young people the benefits to be gained from a healthy, balanced approach to technology use.

1. Conrad, Brent. "Why Is Facebook Addictive? Twenty-One Reasons For Facebook Addiction - TechAddiction." Video Game Addiction Treatment & Computer Addiction Help - TechAddiction. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.techaddiction.ca/why-is-facebook-addictive.html.

2. Goldstein, Rita Z., and Nora D. Volkow. (2011). "Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex in addiction: neuroimaging findings and clinical implications: Abstract: Nature Reviews Neuroscience." Nature Publishing Group: science journals, jobs, and information. Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v12/n11/abs/nrn3119.html.

3. NHS. "Extreme levels of texting 'unhealthy'." NHS Choices. 10 November 2010. N.p. Web. 2 8 Feb. 2017. http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/11November/Pages/Texting-and-teen-behaviour.aspx.

4. Lin, Fuchun, Zhou, Yan, Du, Yasong, Qin, Lindi, Zhao, Zhimin, Xu, Jianrong and Hao Lei. (2012). "Abnormal White Matter Integrity in Adolescents with Internet Addiction Disorder: A Tract-Based Spatial Statistics Study." Plos One. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0030253.

5. Barseghian, Tina. "How Teachers Make Cell Phones Work in the Classroom | MindShift." KQED Public Media for Northern CA.KQED, 10 May 2012. Web. 8 Feb. 2017. https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/05/10/how-teachers-make-cell-phones-work-in-the-classroom/.

6. Hargrove, R. "The Role of Technology in Developing Students Creative Thinking Abilities - IATED Digital Library." IATED Digital Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. http://library.iated.org/view/HARGROVE2009THE.

7. Lublin, Nancy. "Nancy Lublin: Texting that saves lives | Video on TED.com." TED: Ideas worth spreading. TED Conferences, LLC, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. http://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_lublin_texting_that_saves_lives.html.

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Special Report: Be Prepared to Address Technological Addictions in Psychiatric Practice

• Petros Levounis , M.D., M.A.

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In an ever-expanding high-tech environment, some individuals who are overly preoccupied with technology and online activity may need psychiatric help.

Though online technologies like interconnected computers and electronic messaging can trace their origins to the 1960s, the online world did not take off until the end of the 20th century with the advent of a public World Wide Web and the rise of the cellular phone. Since then, however, we have seen an explosion in online applications that have connected people across the globe in ways never imagined. Billions of text messages are sent across smartphones each day, keeping distant friends and family in touch, while consumers can find almost any product they need without leaving their house.

The benefits offered by online technologies have become more evident since the COVID-19 pandemic began, as offices, schools, and health care centers transitioned to virtual services to continue operating under socially restrictive guidelines. Though this “new normal” has been imperfect, the ability to work, learn, and socialize remotely has mitigated many of the adverse impacts of this pandemic.

But the seemingly endless bounty offered by online technology is not without risks. Just as happens with substances like alcohol or opioids, some people become so caught up in their virtual world that their real world—jobs, finances, relationships, physical health—begins to suffer. As smartphones and other modern devices become more and more integrated into all facets of life, understanding, identifying, and treating these technological addictions will become a significant aspect of psychiatric care.

Medical Illness vs. Societal Ill

When conceptualizing technology-related addictions, we limit our scope to the people who exhibit a true medical disorder. Most people can use technologies for extended periods without ill effect. Parents, teachers, and doctors may bemoan that today’s youth are spending too much time online, but in most cases the children do not develop clinical problems. And although there is a growing consensus that social media is decreasing our civility and increasing tribalization, negative online behaviors are not necessarily indicative of an underlying disorder. The question of how online technologies are influencing our wellness, happiness, and creativity is extremely relevant, but let us leave that discussion for another day and invite the sociologists, philosophers, and policymakers to join the conversation.

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From a psychiatric perspective, we are primarily concerned with those individuals who continue to be preoccupied with a technology despite experiencing internal preoccupation and external consequences. Just as with substance use disorders, people with a genuine technological addiction can develop tolerance and require greater time or intensity in their behavior to achieve the same effect. People with a technological addiction also think obsessively about their behavior when not online, and they experience withdrawal symptoms if they are shut out from their technology of choice.

Only one technological addiction has been semi-officially recognized by APA as of DSM-5 : internet gaming disorder is in Section III of our manual as a condition for further study. However, addiction specialists generally agree on seven major online behaviors of concern: internet gaming, online gambling, online shopping, cybersex, internet surfing, texting/emailing, and social media.

Technology’s Seven Discontents

Internet gaming disorder: Given its inclusion in the back pages of DSM-5 as well as in the most recent International Statistical Classification of Diseases (as gaming disorder), problematic gaming can be seen as the prototype disorder that can help professionals develop diagnostic criteria and treatment plans for other technological addictions. This disorder rose to prominence during the heyday of massive multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft, with stories of gamers losing themselves in their online world at the expense of real-world connections. Today, problematic gaming can occur on both high-performance computers and basic smartphones, as game developers have become more adept at keeping players in a psychological “flow state.” A game’s challenge rises concurrently with a player’s skill and experience, such that the player becomes neither bored nor anxious, encouraging (or rather forcing) longer play.

Internet gambling disorder: While gambling disorder is recognized in DSM-5 , the internet has broadened the opportunities for problematic gambling immensely. In addition to virtual recreations of casinos and racetracks, online gambling can be found in a range of fantasy sports leagues and brokerage firms that let people engage in wild and speculative trading of stocks and other investments like cryptocurrencies. Some online sites have even prospered by offering casino-like games without any tangible payoff; this has led some experts to reconceptualize addictive gambling not as a rewards-based disorder, but an irresistible attraction to the thrill of risking something of value.

Online shopping disorder: This category includes traditional purchase shopping as well as auction shopping, which adds some of the thrill of gambling. As with gambling, problematic shopping was around in the brick-and-mortar days, but the online experience has exacerbated the risks by shrinking the path to purchase. This four-step model posits that consumers go through a period of awareness ( there’s a new product out ), consideration ( that might be good for me ), conversion ( I’m going to the store this weekend to buy it ), and evaluation ( I like it and will tell my friends ) with each purchase. With endless advertising, boundless product reviews, and time-limited flash sales, the internet has made this cycle near instantaneous. As with addictive substances (think tobacco, intravenous heroin, or alprazolam), the quicker the onset of action, the greater the addictiveness of the drug or the behavior.

Cybersex: Though internet pornography springs to mind when thinking about cybersex, this disorder also includes more active and social behaviors like adult webcams, sex chats, and even unhealthy online dating. The current frontier in this field is teledildonics, a form of virtual sex in which webcam viewers can remotely control sexual stimulation devices used by the host. As with shopping or gambling, sex addiction is not new, but online technologies have let people explore sexuality with far more accessibility, affordability, and anonymity than ever before, which may be of particular concern with younger individuals.

Internet surfing and infobesity: While people have joked that no one has yet found the end of the internet, the vast amount of online information can lead to a pair of related problems. The first is the classic journey of surfing from one webpage to the next via hyperlinks or search engines, as a user’s momentary interests distract from a prespecified task. Soon, people find they wasted hours of potential productivity going down online rabbit holes. On the other hand, people who stay focused on a task while online can find themselves experiencing information overload, or “infobesity.” In this proposed disorder, users find so much information on their topic of interest that they don’t know how to sort through it all and proceed, leading to a state of productive paralysis.

Texting/email addiction: Communication is an important component of human behavior, and it’s undeniable that texts and emails have become a preferred tool for keeping in touch with friends, family, and coworkers. In some instances, though, the time devoted to online chatting and the content of communication become unhealthy, with sexting and cyberbullying being two prominent examples.

Social media addiction: It may be appropriate to end the list with social media since this topic may have the fuzziest delineation between healthy and unhealthy use. Many people believe if social media apps like Facebook or Twitter disappeared altogether, the world would be much improved. As previously noted, however, debates on the repercussions of the social media era are somewhat beyond the scope of everyday clinical psychiatry. The relevant issue is whether patients are experiencing significant symptoms and consequences due to their social media use. As social media is still a rapidly evolving space, identifying addictive use is difficult, but one strong warning sign could be extended passive use of social media, where one is more voyeur than active participant. Another red flag may be related to FOMO, or the “fear of missing out” on the latest news developments or the fabulous lives of others, as a person’s driving factor in social media use.

Diagnostic Dilemmas: All for One or One for All?

In examining the above list, one can see that these (proposed) disorders have not arisen from the depths of the World Wide Web; most of these online behaviors have addictive reflections in the real world. Our professional great grandparents Emil Kraepelin and Eugene Bleuler, for example, described compulsive shopping disorder more than a century ago, while accounts of compulsive gambling or sex addiction are older still. Even some problematic elements of social media use, such as obsessive following of photos and videos from influencers, resemble the problems seen a generation ago among youth who obsessed over fashion magazines. Given these connections, some might wonder whether we need to establish a class of technological addictions; perhaps it is better to incorporate these problems into existing frameworks of behavioral addictions—for instance, making internet gambling disorder a subtype or specifier of gambling disorder.

But while the base behaviors are similar, conducting these behaviors through a digital intermediary can alter many fundamental aspects of the disorder. In gambling disorder, for instance, individuals are diagnosed who meet a minimum set of criteria over the previous 12-month span, reflecting that gambling episodes are often sporadic and not always financially ruinous. With online gambling, the same at-risk individual now has 24/7 access to casinos, and the symptoms for diagnosis of a disorder might emerge in a couple of months or even weeks. Likewise, many people engage in cybersex specifically to experience “online dissociation,” which makes the psychology of the disorder quite different from that of those who have real-world sexual dysfunction.

Another option floated by some professionals is to develop broad diagnostic criteria based on platforms, such as internet addiction or smartphone addiction. There is certainly a rationale for this. Consider online gaming: While the ability to maintain gamers in a “flow state” contributes to addictive gaming, developers also increasingly entice gamers with elements derived from gambling (loot boxes that offer prizes of varying rarity) and shopping (releasing a game for free but incorporating microtransactions to unlock bonuses or cosmetic upgrades) arenas. Likewise, many online gambling sites have taken to gamifying their experience (for instance, by enabling players to level up their casino avatar the more they play) or adding sexual elements to separate themselves from physical casinos.

However, individuals have different motivations and gratifications when conducting each of these online activities. While gambling can be seen as a thrill of risking something of value, shopping is done for the thrill of acquiring something of value. In addition, data suggest that certain demographics may be at elevated risk of different addictions. Online gaming addiction occurs more frequently in men, while social media addiction is more likely to afflict women; texting addiction is seen more often in young adults, while shopping addiction is more common in older adults. Understanding these differences will help professionals develop more robust screening tools and treatment strategies.

How Do I know If My Patient Is Addicted to Technology?

For classic substances of misuse, we can reasonably look at well-validated scales, screening instruments, and diagnostic criteria to identify people who might be experiencing an addiction. But when it comes to digital devices, we mostly are at a loss. One factor we can be confident about is that time spent online is not a reliable indicator of a problem. Being routinely engaged with social media is a requirement for many corporate jobs, while competitive gaming and/or online streaming of games has become a popular pastime and money maker. How can psychiatrists distinguish a healthy, though time-consuming, habit from an unhealthy psychiatric condition?

As noted above, the seven proposed technological addictions are largely unique entities with distinct risk factors and motivations, but at times they share some thematic elements such as thrill seeking, escapism, and financial ramifications. Therefore, the work carried out to define online gaming disorder can provide a framework for diagnosing other technological addictions. Under the current DSM-5 entry, online gaming disorder is likely present if someone meets five of the following nine symptom criteria over a 12-month period:

Being preoccupied with video games.

Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when video games are inaccessible.

Requiring more and more playing time to gain the same level of satisfaction.

Being unable to cut down on game playing despite efforts to do so.

Giving up other activities to play more frequently.

Deceiving family members about how much time is spent gaming.

Using video games to alleviate negative moods.

Jeopardizing jobs or relationships due to gaming.

Continuing to play video games despite knowledge of adverse consequences.

When considering whether patients might have a technological addiction, consider whether their online activities may be related to another psychiatric diagnosis. As Robert Glick, M.D., director of the Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research at Columbia University from 1997 to 2007 taught us, “the chief complaint is often nothing more than a dysfunctional solution to a yet unidentified problem.” The problematic engagement with technology may be a coping mechanism, maladaptive behavior, or a self-medication for an underlying psychiatric condition. Since online gaming disorder became recognized, many families have jumped on it to explain problems in their children, when emergent depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia is the true diagnosis. Having an external culprit like video games or social media is a less stigmatizing—and thus more easily accepted—problem than a psychiatric illness for many.

Treatment Options and Goals: How to Manage a Modern Necessity

Just as the diagnostic criteria for the seven proposed technological addictions remain a work in progress, the guidance on how to treat patients with such a disorder remains so as well. The best advice currently is to rely on what works well across the broad addiction sphere: providing patients an integrated treatment that incorporates addiction psychotherapy, pharmacological treatment of other psychiatric disorders, and possibly mutual-help (otherwise known as 12-step) facilitation.

Counseling Guidance

Be empathic and curious.

Educate about problematic use and addiction.

Refer, if necessary.

Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIAAA.NIH.gov .

The first approach should be professional assessment and counseling, which many general psychiatrists should be prepared to take on themselves. As with substance use disorders and other behavioral addictions, educating and counseling patients about their technological addiction is based on empathy, curiosity, and nonjudgmental support. That a proposed disorder is not yet codified in text does not disqualify someone from having a legitimate psychiatric concern.

After initial assessment and counseling, motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy that includes mindfulness techniques may be an effective strategy in the management of many technological addictions. Furthermore, peer support groups are now available for all the technological addictions listed.

Some psychiatrists may wonder whether patients with a technological addiction should be discouraged from using technology-based treatment such as internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy or online 12-step programs, since this may potentially keep their problem front and center. To that, one could argue that our field uses opioids to treat opioid use disorder and nicotine patches for smoking cessation, so we have successfully gone down this road before. The rise of online peer support and recovery groups has been extremely helpful in addiction treatment (even more so during the pandemic), as individuals now can connect with others in a comforting and, if desired, truly anonymous manner.

When it comes to medications, things get tricky, as no medications are approved for any behavioral addiction, technology based or otherwise. The optimal use of medications for most patients is in the management of common psychiatric comorbidities like depression or anxiety, which have been shown to worsen the problematic behavior. If you think a patient might need some medication assistance, there are a few options to consider, but caution is warranted as the evidence is very limited. Patients with internet gambling or internet shopping disorder, who have an impulsivity-driven technological addiction, might respond to naltrexone, which has moderate evidence of efficacy in non-internet gambling disorder. Patients with a compulsive technological addiction like cybersex may benefit from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are first-line medications for obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders; SSRIs also decrease libido as a side effect, which may be an additional benefit for treating cybersex addiction. Finally, methylphenidate might help manage problematic internet surfing, based on some limited evidence in studies among people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Though data on the prevalence of technological addictions are sparse, most people use computers, tablets, and smartphones regularly with great benefits and no serious adverse consequences. Research on the phenomenology and nosology of these illnesses will help us further elucidate the distinction between problematic and nonproblematic use of technology, especially in children and young adults. Another area of new research will involve emerging technologies. By the time clinicians get a firmer grasp of today’s ailments, the technology of tomorrow—such as virtual reality and smart devices powered by artificial intelligence—will be commonplace enough to bring about a host of new problems. Finally, we will need to be ready to guide our patients, our colleagues, and the general public on how to best handle technology with an eye on maximizing its enormous potential for fulfillment, gratification, and happiness while minimizing its significant risks for dissatisfaction, misery, and despair. ■

Disclosure statement:

The author receives revenue from APA Publishing but has no other financial conflicts to disclose.

Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., is a professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and associate dean at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and chief of service at University Hospital in Newark, N.J. He is co-editor with James Sherer, M.D., of Technological Addictions from APA Publishing. APA members may purchase the book at a discount at here .

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Essay about technology addiction

Previously in my dissertation I have discussed the prevalence of technology addiction and have pointed out reasons why it may exist as a phenomenon. I have also examined the reasons why and how a person may become addicted to technology. In this section of my dissertation, I discuss addiction on its own merits and why people may be drawn to addiction when there is no chemical stimulation.

Many people are aware of chemical dependency, and it is often referred to as an addiction. People become addicted to chemicals that release endorphins in the brain. This may through legal methods such a with prescription drugs, with nicotine, caffeine and alcohol, and may also be through illegal methods such as with illegal drug use. These are more widely understood because they involve a chemical addiction. What is harder to understand is addiction when there is no chemical stimulation.

Things such as gambling and technology addiction are still addictions. Some lump sex addiction in with these too however, there is a form of chemical addiction that may be present during sex.

There are forms of addiction such as gambling and technology addiction that are still addictions even though there is no chemical stimulation. There are even recorded cases of people having addictions to TV shows such as Star Trek, where they physically encounter uncomfortable and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.

The reasons behind addictions that lack chemical input may be associated with feelings of helplessness. People are able to switch from non-chemical based addictions to chemical-based addictions and back again without any problems, and in almost all cases it is due to a feeling of helplessness within the individual.

These types of person may, rightly or wrongly, be labeled as people with an addictive personality. Yet, in almost all cases, their addictions are based on misdirected feelings of helplessness. A person that usually feels helpless may react to it in a healthy way even if that reaction is to ignore the problem. People with addictions are often determined to do something about their feelings of helplessness, but in their mind, they resort to addiction because they think it makes them feel better.

This also explains why people with addiction may suddenly give up for no reason, such as the many people that returned from the Vietnam war back to America after being very addicted to heroin in Vietnam. They were able to return home and re-take control of their lives, which is why they could quit heroin very easily. People that re-take control of their lives are often able to break from addiction, but sadly there are many addictions that make a person’s life worse, which makes it all the harder for them to regain control of their lives.

People with technology addictions may be reacting to feelings of helplessness, but instead of dealing with these feelings in the correct way, they instead immerse themselves in their technology. It is a distraction from their real life and so provides temporary relief from their feelings of helplessness. This means that some people that have a technology addiction may be cured with therapy. This therapy may help them overcome their feelings of helplessness, or may help them deal with their feelings of helplessness without resorting to technological stimulation.

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Could You Be Addicted to Technology?

Signs and symptoms that a problem exists..

Posted February 12, 2018 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

Maybe I’m overusing technology…

Maybe you are. How exactly would you know? The digital police aren’t going to flag you when you’ve met your technology threshold.

On the other hand, constant use has become normalized. The toddler tinkering with a tablet, the teen locked away in their room tied to their computer, and to the adult buried in their phone at a social engagement are just a few examples of ordinary use.

In our present day, the increase in popularity and integration of technology in our daily lives prompts one to ponder the potential of developing an addiction to technology. At what point are we at risk for crossing the fine line from general use to problematic use?

Addiction has historically been associated with substance dependence, however, since the 1980s the concern of potentially excessive and problematic behaviors such as gambling grew in recognition, and caused experts to contemplate reclassification.

Scholars have suggested addictions specific as Facebook addiction, nevertheless, for this article please consider Griffith’s assertion of technology addiction, a behavioral addiction in which problems arise from excessive human-machine interaction. Hence the general use of the TV for binge-watching your favorite series, the use of your computer for writing reports and checking emails, and the use of your cellphone for scrolling social applications (e.g., Instagram , Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn could all pave the path to a potential problem.

Although absent from the present diagnostic guidelines such as the International Classification of Diseases ( ICD ) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM ), scholars have recognized that while fine, there may be a line between general technology use and unhealthy use related to physical, social, and psychological problems.

Examples of problems associated with excessive technology use

• Sedentary lifestyle 1 : The more time spent on a screen is associated with less time for physical fitness. Similarly, remaining in a fixed posture could cause musculoskeletal symptoms.
• Vision 1 : The lengthy use of devices could cause visual symptoms (e.g., discomfort, eyestrain, blurred vision, headache)
• Injuries 1 : Devices are often used while carrying out other tasks (i.e, walking, driving) and may cause the user to be more susceptible to accidents.
• Infections 1,2 : Simply put, devices may have more germs than a toilet seat.
• Social development 1 : More time spent on online engagement over face-to-face interaction may hinder social skill development or cause social withdrawal.
• Sleep deprivation 1,3 : Devices may cut into one’s sleep cycle . Further, depending on the use, an individual may be wired, alert, and unable to rest.
• Psychological concerns 1,4-10 : Excessive use of technology has been associated with several mental health concerns such as poor psychological well-being, poor self‐ confidence anxiety , depression , lower emotional stability , and lower life satisfaction.

Researchers have created assessments to gauge the different domains within technology addiction. Such efforts include, but are not limited to, the Compulsive Internet Use Scale , the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale , the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale , and the Multidimensional Facebook Intensity Scale .

Further, scholars remain focused on exploring the potentially problematic use of technology. Some have asserted that technology addiction is not an independent concern, but a flag for a potential underlying psychological problem 1 . Regardless of the semantics surrounding addiction, research has consistently shown that there may be problematic associations with excessive technology use.

Based on the present literature, here are some prompts to ponder if you are concerned about your technology use:

• Have you noticed an increase in how often you use your device?
• Have you felt guilty about how often you use your device?
• Do you experience an urge to use your device?
• When you are using your device, do you experience lift in your mood?
• When you are using your device, do you experience a thrill?
• When unable to use your device do you experience discomfort?
• Have you noticed times in which it seems as though time was lost while you were in the zone using your device?
• Do you use your device to brighten your mood?
• Have you tried to reduce the amount of time that you use your device?
• If so, were you successful in reducing your amount?
• Have your loved ones complained about your use?
• If yes, have you continued your usage rate regardless of their complaints?

Please keep in mind that these questions are to help you flag a potential concern. It does not substitute for a psychometrically-sound assessment or guidance from a trained mental health professional. Nevertheless, if you respond affirmatively to several of these questions, and particularly if you exhibit some of the concerns noted above, it may be helpful to consider help for your underlying concerns.

World Health Organization. (2014).Public Health Implications of Excessive Use of the Internet, Computers, Smartphones and Similar Electronic Devices Meeting report. Retrieved from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/184264/1/9789241509367_eng.pdf…

Matthews, S. E. (2012). Why your cellphone has more germs than a toilet. Retrieved from https://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2012/08/30/13569391-why-your-cellph…

Aswathy, D., Manoj Kumar, S., P, T., & P, M. (2017). Technology addiction among treatment seekers for psychological problems: implication for screening in mental health setting. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine , 39 (1),21-27 doi:10.4103/0253-7176.198939

Satici, S. A. (2018). Facebook addiction and subjective well-being: A study of the mediating role of shyness and loneliness. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction , 1-15. doi:10.1007/s11469-017-9862-8

Leung, L. (2007). Leisure Boredom, Sensation Seeking, Self-Esteem, Addiction Symptoms, and Patterns of Mobile Phone Use. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1.

Brailovskaia, J., & Margraf, J. (2017). Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) among German students—A longitudinal approach. Plos ONE, 12(12), 1-15. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0189719

Kruger, D. J., & Djerf, J. M. (2017). Bad vibrations? Cell phone dependency predicts phantom communication experiences. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 360-364. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2017.01.017

Blachnio, A., Przepiorka, A., Senol-Durak, E., Durak, M., & Sherstyuk, L. (2017). The role of personality traits in Facebook and Internet addictions: A study on Polish, Turkish, and Ukrainian samples. Computers in Human Behavior , doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.037

Wartberg, L., Petersen, K., Kammerl, R., Rosenkranz, M., & Thomasius, R. (2014). Psychometric Validation of a German Version of the Compulsive Internet Use Scale. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 17 (2), 99-103. doi:10.1089/cyber.2012.0689

Błachnio, A., Przepiorka, A., & Pantic, I. (2016). Association between facebook addiction, self-esteem and life satisfaction: A cross-sectional study. Computers in Human Behavior, 55 , 701-705. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.10.026

Shainna Ali, Ph.D. , is a practitioner, educator, and advocate who is passionate about highlighting the essentiality of mental health in fostering happiness and fulfillment.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Drug Addiction — Technology Addiction among Youth and Its Impact

Technology Addiction Among Youth and Its Impact

• Categories: Drug Addiction

About this sample

Words: 1677 |

Published: Jul 17, 2018

Words: 1677 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Table of contents

Technology addiction essay outline, technology addiction essay example, introduction.

• Overview of the positive and negative impacts of tech-gadgets and services
• Mention of the impact on youth's technical skills and real-life practical skills

Negative Impacts on Youth

• The shift towards an imaginary world
• Decreased outdoor activities and social interaction

Psychological Effects

• Addiction to social media and its consequences
• Internet gaming and shopping leading to depressive symptoms

Mental Health Impact

• Relationship between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorders
• Damage to brain systems and physical consequences of technology addiction

Causes of Technology Addiction

Preventing and addressing technology addiction.

• Balancing technology use with stress management
• Encouraging real-world socialization and identity development
• Treatment options for technology addiction, including inpatient treatment

Works Cited

• Walsh, S. (2012). The Impact of Technology on Youth in the Digital Age. In K. Hermann-Wilmarth & L. Ryan (Eds.), Teaching the iGeneration: Five Easy Ways to Introduce Essential Skills With Web 2.0 Tools (pp. 1-14). National Council of Teachers of English.
• Erickson, E. (2012). The Negative Impacts of Technology on Youth. Journal of Adolescent Research, 27(2), 155-169.
• Cabral, J. (2011). The Psychological Effects of Social Media Addiction on Youth. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, 1(4), 31-39.
• Cotton, S. (2001). Internet Addiction and Its Association with Depressive Symptoms among College Students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 28(4), 225-229.
• Young, K. S. (1998). Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237-244.
• Griffiths, M. D. (2000). Internet Addiction—Time to be Taken Seriously? Addiction Research, 8(5), 413-418.
• Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210-230.
• Block, J. J. (2008). Issues for DSM-V: Internet Addiction. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(3), 306-307.
• Weinstein, A., & Lejoyeux, M. (2010). Internet Addiction or Excessive Internet Use. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 36(5), 277-283.
• Cheng, C., Li, A. Y., & Wu, Y. S. (2018). Internet Addiction Prevalence and Quality of (Real) Life: A Meta-Analysis of 31 Nations across Seven World Regions. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 21(9), 540-550.

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Essay on Technology Addiction

Students are often asked to write an essay on Technology Addiction in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Technology Addiction

Understanding technology addiction.

Technology addiction is the excessive use of technology like smartphones and computers. It’s similar to a compulsive disorder, causing people to spend hours on technology.

Effects of Technology Addiction

This addiction can lead to harmful effects. It can cause poor academic performance, health issues like eye strain, and a decrease in social activities.

Preventing Technology Addiction

To prevent this, set time limits for using technology. Engage in outdoor activities and hobbies. Always remember, balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle.

250 Words Essay on Technology Addiction

Technology addiction, also known as digital addiction, refers to the compulsive use of digital devices, platforms, and services. With the advent of the digital age, it has emerged as a significant concern, particularly among the younger generation.

The Pervasiveness of Technology

Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. From smartphones to laptops, we use technology for various tasks, such as communication, entertainment, and work. However, this constant engagement can lead to excessive dependence, resulting in technology addiction. It’s a phenomenon that transcends geographical and socio-economic boundaries, affecting individuals worldwide.

Implications of Technology Addiction

The implications of technology addiction are multifaceted. On a personal level, it can lead to physical health issues like eye strain and sedentary lifestyle diseases. Psychologically, it can result in anxiety, depression, and social isolation. In an academic context, excessive technology use can hamper students’ focus, leading to decreased academic performance.

Addressing Technology Addiction

Addressing technology addiction involves recognizing the issue and taking proactive steps. Strategies can include setting strict boundaries for technology use, engaging in digital detoxes, and seeking professional help if necessary. Educational institutions can play a vital role by incorporating digital literacy and responsible technology use into their curriculum.

In conclusion, while technology has undoubtedly brought numerous benefits, its addictive potential cannot be overlooked. As digital citizens, it is incumbent upon us to use technology responsibly and promote a balanced digital lifestyle. With collective efforts, we can mitigate the adverse effects of technology addiction and harness its positive potential.

500 Words Essay on Technology Addiction

Introduction.

Technology addiction, a rapidly growing public health concern, is a behavioral disorder marked by an excessive or compulsive use of technology, leading to negative impacts on mental, physical, and social well-being. While the digital revolution has brought countless benefits, it has also fostered an environment where dependence on technology is becoming alarmingly commonplace.

The Nature of Technology Addiction

Technology addiction, often referred to as digital addiction, is not a formally recognized disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, it shares similarities with recognized addictions, such as gambling disorder. It involves a pattern of behavior that includes at least three of the following: a preoccupation with technology, withdrawal symptoms when technology is inaccessible, the need for increased use, unsuccessful attempts to control use, loss of interest in other activities, continued use despite negative consequences, and lying about usage.

The Impact of Technology Addiction

The impact of technology addiction is multifaceted, affecting various aspects of an individual’s life. Psychologically, it can lead to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Physically, it can cause sleep disorders, eye strain, and sedentary lifestyle-related health issues. Socially, it can lead to isolation, relationship problems, and decreased productivity in academic or professional settings.

The Role of the Digital Age

The digital age has played a significant role in the rise of technology addiction. The ubiquity of smartphones, the popularity of social media, and the advent of immersive gaming have created an environment conducive to overuse. These platforms are designed to be engaging and rewarding, often employing strategies similar to those used in gambling, such as unpredictable rewards, to keep users hooked.

Addressing technology addiction requires a multi-pronged approach. Awareness and education about the risks and signs of technology addiction are crucial. Individuals should be taught digital literacy and self-regulation skills. Tech companies also have a responsibility to design products that promote healthy usage patterns. On a societal level, policies and regulations can be implemented to mitigate the risks associated with technology use.

In conclusion, technology addiction is a complex issue that requires concerted efforts from individuals, tech companies, and society at large. While technology has undoubtedly transformed our lives for the better, it’s essential to strike a balance between leveraging its benefits and avoiding its potential pitfalls. As we continue to advance into the digital age, it’s crucial to remember that technology should serve as a tool to enhance our lives, not to control them.

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Essay on Technology Addiction in English for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Essay on Technology Addiction in English : Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” Unfortunately the fear of this great soul has become a reality in today’s times. The use of technology has become a priority for majority of people. They have become addicted to it. Their relationships, work and health have taken a back seat.

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Long and Short Essay on Technology Addiction in English

Here are long and short essay on Technology Addiction to help you with the topic in your exam.

These Technology Addiction essay are written in simple English to make it easily memorable and presentable when needed.

After going through these essays you will understand what technology addiction is, what its harmful consequences are, its impacts on health and relationships, types of technology addictions and how to overcome them, etc.

Technology addiction, also known as digital addiction, internet addiction, or internet use disorder, describes when someone becomes excessively attached to technology. This can involve activities like playing games, using social media, shopping online, watching videos, or anything related to technology

Hurry up, read all the essays given below and choose the best one for you:

Short Essay on Technology Addiction 200 Words

Technology addiction is an umbrella term for different kinds of addictions including internet addiction, mobile addiction, social media addiction, TV addiction, computer addiction, gaming addiction and web series addiction to name a few. This is the newest kind of addiction that has gripped people around the world.

Just like drug and alcohol addiction, technology addiction also changes the brain activity. It provides momentary pleasure and releases stress temporarily. However, the impact it has on the human brain in the long run is irreparable. Continuous use of mobile, internet, television or any other technology creates new neuropath ways in our brain. These neuropath ways replace the healthier ones and also bar the development of healthy neuropath ways.

Technology addiction stimulates all the senses and it is thus hard to get over. It gives addicts a high just like drugs. Addicts return to technology again and again to experience this feeling. They feel sad and depressed when they are away from technology. This is the reason why they remain hooked to it for most part of the day. They start ignoring their work and other important tasks. They also start neglecting their loved ones. Associate happiness with their addiction. They only feel happy when they indulge in their addiction and display aggressive behaviour when advised to leave it.

Technology addiction impacts a person’s health, ruins his relationships and hampers work. One must make effort to overcome it in order to lead a healthier life.

Essay on Harmful Consequences of Technology Addiction in English –300 Words

Technology addiction is often taken lightly but research reveals that it is as bad as drug addiction. Many of the harmful effects caused by this new age addiction are as adverse as drug addiction. It impacts a person’s personal, professional and social life. Here is a brief look at its harmful consequences.

Impact of Technology on Health

Technology addiction of any kind has a negative impact on a person’s health. People addicted to technology such as mobile, computer, internet and the likes have a high risk of incurring many health issues. Dry and itchy eyes, backache, frequent headache and excessive weight gain are among the common health problems faced by technology addicts. Many of them go on to develop serious illnesses such as heart problem, hypertension and depression.

Impact of Technology on Work/ Studies

Technology addiction has a huge impact on a person’s brain. A person addicted to technology is unable to focus on work. He feels dizzy and lethargic most of the time and this hinders his work. He is unable to think creatively and rationally. Besides, he is so addicted to technology that he is unable to leave it. He often neglects his work and misses deadlines and meetings. This hampers his professional growth.

Students addicted to technology also face similar issues. Their academic performance dips as they are hooked to technology for most part of the day. Besides, they are least interested in sports and extra-curricular activities that are essential for their all round development.

Impact of Technology on Relationships

Technology addicts prefer technology over everything. Even as they sit with their family and friends, they are often engrossed in their mobile phones. They are either updating their social media accounts or playing video games or chatting with friends online. Therefore they do not like interacting with people in real life. They avoid going out with friends and ignore their loved ones. This creates problems in relationships.

Technology addiction is ruining the life of people. Technology must be put to good use. One must limit its usage to avoid getting addicted to it. If we don’t stand against technology addiction, the day isn’t far when it will prove lethal to our existence.

Essay on Technology Addiction 400 words in English: A Curse for the Society

Technology addiction is a curse for the modern society. Several people these days turn to technology to kill boredom or to distract themselves from their routine problems. Many among them start using it excessively and soon become addicted to it. It is important to identify the warning signs of technology addiction and get over it to take control of your life.

Signs of Technology Addiction

People addicted to technology often feel guilty for using technology excessively and ignoring their work and loved ones because of their addiction. Even as they want to work and spend time with their family members and friends, they aren’t able to do so as they feel drawn towards internet, mobile, video games and other technology-driven things. They are unable to leave these things.

Many of them lie and defend their act and express anger when someone guides them otherwise. Technology addicts experience a feeling of euphoria while using technology. They lose sense of time. Therefore they are unable to maintain a good schedule. They become socially isolated and experience problems such as anxiety and depression. Avoid actual tasks such as office work, homework assignments and household chores. They do not pay heed to their health and it often begins to deteriorate.

Ways to Overcome Technology Addiction

In order to overcome technology addiction it is important to distract your mind and channelize your energy in the right direction. It is thus a good idea to join a course that adds value to your profession. You may also try something that interests you such as pottery, dance, painting or some sports. Indulging in something you love will keep your spirits high and take your mind off technology.

It is also important to build a social circle as you try to get over technology addiction. Real life interactions are much more refreshing and fulfilling compared to meeting and chatting with people online. Getting back with your old friends and making new friends in school, office or in your neighbourhood is a good way to cut ties with the technology addiction. Seeking support from family members will also help in this direction.

You can take professional help to get rid of technology addiction if nothing else seems to work.

Technology addiction is hampering people’s overall growth and development. It is a curse to the society. There should be special sessions in schools and colleges to guide students to stay away from this addiction. Those addicted to it must be counselled to overcome it.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction 500 words in English

It is rightly said, “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master”. This is to say that technology can be a wonderful thing if you put it to good use. However, it can be dangerous if you allow it to overpower you. Addiction of technology is destroying the life of numerous people around the world.

Technology Addiction Promotes Drug Abuse

Addiction of any kind be it mobile addiction, internet addiction, social media addiction or gaming addiction is as bad as drug abuse. Drug addicts become vulnerable and delusional. All they want in life is a dose of their favourite drug. It gives them a high and releases all their tensions temporarily. They crave for this momentary pleasure and get addicted to drugs.

Technology renders the same soothing effect and quite similar to drugs its impact is also temporary. Technology serves as an escape from our daily problems. It relaxes our mind for some time and releases stress. However, it is as damaging for our mind, body and soul as drug addiction.

Researchers have observed a connection between these addictions. It has been seen that those addicted to technology are more likely to develop drug addiction. Most people turn to technology to release stress and they are able to achieve the desired result initially.

However, as they grow addicted to it they begin to feel stressed and depressed. In order to cope up with the situation, technology addicts look for something that can render a stronger affect and help them achieve that euphoric state. They often turn towards alcohol and drugs and become addicted to them.

Technology Addiction: Damaging Young Minds

While technology addiction is seen among people of all age groups, it is more common among the youngsters living in different parts of the world. The young generation is full of energy and new ideas. Their energy and ideas must be channelized in the right direction in order to help them grow better and achieve more in life.

However, this does not happen in most of the cases. Children and youngsters gain access to different kinds of technological devices these days and spend most of their time and energy on them. Many of them have grown addicted to technology and this is damaging their mind. All they think about is getting back to the internet, computer, social media or whichever technology they are hooked to. They lose interest in other activities.

Sometimes they are unable to focus on work as they feel a constant urge to get back to the technology they are addicted to. They feel guilty about using technology excessively and giving priority to it over their relationships and work. However, they still can’t get over it. This causes a lot of stress. Many of them face anxiety issues and even get into depression.

Technology addicts are unable to think rationally. They lose sense of time, become defensive when asked to restrict the use of technology and even start lying about its use. Their performance dips and they often develop behavioural issues.

Technology addiction should be taken seriously. People must keep a check on the use of technology. If they see any signs of technology addiction, they must take measures to overcome the same.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction in English: Types of Technology Addiction – 600 words

Drug and alcohol addiction have affected the lives of millions of people around the world. However, these are not the only kinds of addictions that grip people in today’s times. The advancement in technology and its growing use have given rise to a new type of addiction termed as technology addiction. There are different types of technology addictions. Here is a look at these:

Mobile Addiction

Mobile addiction is one of the most common types of technology addictions in today’s times. Our mobile phones are a powerhouse of entertainment. They have so much to offer. Engrossing games, informative content, interesting videos, easy means to content with our loved ones and make new friends and what not – a mobile phone with a high speed internet connection has so much to offer. It is hard not to get hooked to it.

Numerous mobile users are addicted to their phones. They do not care if they are sitting in a social gathering, at the dinner table or in an important business meeting. However they are always on their mobile. They find it more interesting than anything happening around them.

Computer Addiction

Computer addicts are always seen on their computer systems. They are involved in useless activities on their computer. They keep wasting their time and ignore all the important tasks at hand. Therefore they mostly confine themselves to their chair and incur various physical ailments as a result. They also become socially isolated as they skip outdoor activities and social events. This hampers their mental as well as physical growth.

Internet Addiction

Internet has so much to offer to us. We need to see to it that it impacts our life in a positive manner and makes it better. Limited and correct use of internet can enhance our life. It can be used to learn something new that adds value to our personal and professional life. However, if we get addicted to the internet, we are on our way to ruin our life.

Gaming Addiction

Gaming is a great way to de-stress and rejuvenate. However, most of the video games are highly addictive. They are designed to keep a person hooked for hours. Gamers crave to make new high scores and crack the next level. They get addicted to different games.

All they think about is beating their friends and build better score. They spend several hours of the day playing video games. The time that can be used to do something productive is wasted in gaming. Gaming addiction also messes with the mind and leads to aggressive and anxious behaviour.

Social Media Addiction

Social media has become a craze among people of different age groups. It helps them connect with their near and dear ones living in different parts of the world. Healthy use of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram is good. However, it becomes a problem when people become obsessed with it.

Many people around the world have become social media addicts. They update their social media status frequently, upload pictures of everything they encounter, check for new notifications every few seconds and keep thinking about different ways to enhance their social media profile. They disconnect with people in the real world and prefer connecting with them over social media platforms.

Technology addiction is growing with the increasing use of new technology devices. This is affecting proper growth and development of people. They are glued to technology and as a result are ignoring various important aspects of their life. It needs to be understood that technology has been designed to enhance our life and not to degrade it. We must use it wisely and not grow addicted to it.

Essay on Technology Addiction FAQs

What is a short paragraph about technology addiction.

Technology addiction refers to the excessive use of digital devices like smartphones and computers, leading to negative impacts on one's life, including physical and mental health problems.

What is technology addiction?

Technology addiction is when people become overly reliant on gadgets and the internet, often to the detriment of their well-being and daily responsibilities.

What are the effects of technology addiction among youth?

Technology addiction in youth can result in social isolation, poor academic performance, disrupted sleep patterns, and diminished physical activity, affecting their overall development.

What is the concept of technology addiction?

The concept of technology addiction revolves around the idea that excessive screen time and online engagement can lead to addictive behaviors, similar to substance abuse.

What is the introduction of addiction?

Addiction, in general, is a condition where someone becomes dependent on a substance or behavior, often to the point where it has harmful consequences in their life. Technology addiction specifically involves dependency on digital devices and online activities.

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Essay on Technology Addiction

Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” Unfortunately the fear of this great soul has become a reality in today’s times. The use of technology has become a priority for majority of people. They have become addicted to it. Their relationships, work and health have taken a back seat.

Long and Short Essay on Technology Addiction in English

Here are long and short essay on Technology Addiction to help you with the topic in your exam.

These Technology Addiction essay are written in simple English to make it easily memorable and presentable when needed.

After going through these essays you will understand what technology addiction is, what its harmful consequences are, its impacts on health and relationships, types of technology addictions and how to overcome them, etc.

Hurry up, read all the essays given below and choose the best one for you:

Short Essay on Technology Addiction – Essay 1 (200 Words)

Technology addiction is an umbrella term for different kinds of addictions including internet addiction, mobile addiction, social media addiction, TV addiction, computer addiction, gaming addiction and web series addiction to name a few. This is the newest kind of addiction that has gripped people around the world.

Just like drug and alcohol addiction, technology addiction also changes the brain activity. It provides momentary pleasure and releases stress temporarily. However, the impact it has on the human brain in the long run is irreparable. Continuous use of mobile, internet, television or any other technology creates new neuropath ways in our brain. These neuropath ways replace the healthier ones and also bar the development of healthy neuropath ways.

Technology addiction stimulates all the senses and it is thus hard to get over. It gives addicts a high just like drugs. Addicts return to technology again and again to experience this feeling. They feel sad and depressed when they are away from technology. This is the reason why they remain hooked to it for most part of the day. They start ignoring their work and other important tasks. They also start neglecting their loved ones. They associate happiness with their addiction. They only feel happy when they indulge in their addiction and display aggressive behaviour when advised to leave it.

Technology addiction impacts a person’s health, ruins his relationships and hampers work. One must make effort to overcome it in order to lead a healthier life.

Essay on Harmful Consequences of Technology Addiction – Essay 2 (300 Words)

Introduction

Technology addiction is often taken lightly but research reveals that it is as bad as drug addiction. Many of the harmful effects caused by this new age addiction are as adverse as drug addiction. It impacts a person’s personal, professional and social life. Here is a brief look at its harmful consequences.

Impact of Technology on Health

Technology addiction of any kind has a negative impact on a person’s health. People addicted to technology such as mobile, computer, internet and the likes have a high risk of incurring many health issues. Dry and itchy eyes, backache, frequent headache and excessive weight gain are among the common health problems faced by technology addicts. Many of them go on to develop serious illnesses such as heart problem, hypertension and depression.

Impact of Technology on Work/ Studies

Technology addiction has a huge impact on a person’s brain. A person addicted to technology is unable to focus on work. He feels dizzy and lethargic most of the time and this hinders his work. He is unable to think creatively and rationally. Besides, he is so addicted to technology that he is unable to leave it. He often neglects his work and misses deadlines and meetings. This hampers his professional growth.

Students addicted to technology also face similar issues. Their academic performance dips as they are hooked to technology for most part of the day. Besides, they are least interested in sports and extra-curricular activities that are essential for their all round development.

Impact of Technology on Relationships

Technology addicts prefer technology over everything. Even as they sit with their family and friends, they are often engrossed in their mobile phones. They are either updating their social media accounts or playing video games or chatting with friends online. They do not like interacting with people in real life. They avoid going out with friends and ignore their loved ones. This creates problems in relationships.

Technology addiction is ruining the life of people. Technology must be put to good use. One must limit its usage to avoid getting addicted to it. If we don’t stand against technology addiction, the day isn’t far when it will prove lethal to our existence.

Essay on Technology Addiction: A Curse for the Society – Essay 3 (400 Words)

Technology addiction is a curse for the modern society. Several people these days turn to technology to kill boredom or to distract themselves from their routine problems. Many among them start using it excessively and soon become addicted to it. It is important to identify the warning signs of technology addiction and get over it to take control of your life.

Signs of Technology Addiction

People addicted to technology often feel guilty for using technology excessively and ignoring their work and loved ones because of their addiction. Even as they want to work and spend time with their family members and friends, they aren’t able to do so as they feel drawn towards internet, mobile, video games and other technology-driven things. They are unable to leave these things.

Many of them lie and defend their act and express anger when someone guides them otherwise. Technology addicts experience a feeling of euphoria while using technology. They lose sense of time. They are unable to maintain a good schedule. They become socially isolated and experience problems such as anxiety and depression. They avoid actual tasks such as office work, homework assignments and household chores. They do not pay heed to their health and it often begins to deteriorate.

Ways to Overcome Technology Addiction

In order to overcome technology addiction it is important to distract your mind and channelize your energy in the right direction. It is thus a good idea to join a course that adds value to your profession. You may also try something that interests you such as pottery, dance, painting or some sports. Indulging in something you love will keep your spirits high and take your mind off technology.

It is also important to build a social circle as you try to get over technology addiction. Real life interactions are much more refreshing and fulfilling compared to meeting and chatting with people online. Getting back with your old friends and making new friends in school, office or in your neighbourhood is a good way to cut ties with the technology addiction. Seeking support from family members will also help in this direction.

You can take professional help to get rid of technology addiction if nothing else seems to work.

Technology addiction is hampering people’s overall growth and development. It is a curse to the society. There should be special sessions in schools and colleges to guide students to stay away from this addiction. Those addicted to it must be counselled to overcome it.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction – Essay 4 (500 Words)

It is rightly said, “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master”. This is to say that technology can be a wonderful thing if you put it to good use. However, it can be dangerous if you allow it to overpower you. Technology addiction is destroying the life of numerous people around the world.

Technology Addiction Promotes Drug Abuse

Technology addiction of any kind be it mobile addiction, internet addiction, social media addiction or gaming addiction is as bad as drug abuse. Drug addicts become vulnerable and delusional. All they want in life is a dose of their favourite drug. It gives them a high and releases all their tensions temporarily. They crave for this momentary pleasure and get addicted to drugs.

Technology renders the same soothing effect and quite similar to drugs its impact is also temporary. Technology serves as an escape from our daily problems. It relaxes our mind for some time and releases stress. However, it is as damaging for our mind, body and soul as drug addiction.

Researchers have observed a connection between these addictions. It has been seen that those addicted to technology are more likely to develop drug addiction. Most people turn to technology to release stress and they are able to achieve the desired result initially.

However, as they grow addicted to it they begin to feel stressed and depressed. In order to cope up with the situation, technology addicts look for something that can render a stronger affect and help them achieve that euphoric state. They often turn towards alcohol and drugs and become addicted to them.

Technology Addiction: Damaging Young Minds

While technology addiction is seen among people of all age groups, it is more common among the youngsters living in different parts of the world. The young generation is full of energy and new ideas. Their energy and ideas must be channelized in the right direction in order to help them grow better and achieve more in life.

However, this does not happen in most of the cases. Children and youngsters gain access to different kinds of technological devices these days and spend most of their time and energy on them. Many of them have grown addicted to technology and this is damaging their mind. All they think about is getting back to the internet, computer, social media or whichever technology they are hooked to. They lose interest in other activities.

They are unable to focus on work as they feel a constant urge to get back to the technology they are addicted to. They feel guilty about using technology excessively and giving priority to it over their relationships and work. However, they still can’t get over it. This causes a lot of stress. Many of them face anxiety issues and even get into depression.

Technology addicts are unable to think rationally. They lose sense of time, become defensive when asked to restrict the use of technology and even start lying about its use. Their performance dips and they often develop behavioural issues.

Technology addiction should be taken seriously. People must keep a check on the use of technology. If they see any signs of technology addiction, they must take measures to overcome the same.

Long Essay on Technology Addiction: Types of Technology Addiction – Essay 6 (600 Words)

Drug and alcohol addiction have affected the lives of millions of people around the world. However, these are not the only kinds of addictions that grip people in today’s times. The advancement in technology and its growing use have given rise to a new type of addiction termed as technology addiction. There are different types of technology addictions. Here is a look at these:

• Mobile Addiction

Mobile addiction is one of the most common types of technology addictions in today’s times. Our mobile phones are a powerhouse of entertainment. They have so much to offer. Engrossing games, informative content, interesting videos, easy means to content with our loved ones and make new friends and what not – a mobile phone with a high speed internet connection has so much to offer. It is hard not to get hooked to it.

Numerous mobile users are addicted to their phones. They do not care if they are sitting in a social gathering, at the dinner table or in an important business meeting. They are always on their mobile. They find it more interesting than anything happening around them.

• Computer Addiction

Computer addicts are always seen on their computer systems. They are involved in useless activities on their computer. They keep wasting their time and ignore all the important tasks at hand. They mostly confine themselves to their chair and incur various physical ailments as a result. They also become socially isolated as they skip outdoor activities and social events. This hampers their mental as well as physical growth.

• Internet Addiction

Internet has so much to offer to us. We need to see to it that it impacts our life in a positive manner and makes it better. Limited and correct use of internet can enhance our life. It can be used to learn something new that adds value to our personal and professional life. However, if we get addicted to the internet, we are on our way to ruin our life.

• Gaming Addiction

Gaming is a great way to de-stress and rejuvenate. However, most of the video games are highly addictive. They are designed to keep a person hooked for hours. Gamers crave to make new high scores and crack the next level. They get addicted to different games.

All they think about is beating their friends and build better score. They spend several hours of the day playing video games. The time that can be used to do something productive is wasted in gaming. Gaming addiction also messes with the mind and leads to aggressive and anxious behaviour.

• Social Media Addiction

Social media has become a craze among people of different age groups. It helps them connect with their near and dear ones living in different parts of the world. Healthy use of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram is good. However, it becomes a problem when people become obsessed with it.

Many people around the world have become social media addicts. They update their social media status frequently, upload pictures of everything they encounter, check for new notifications every few seconds and keep thinking about different ways to enhance their social media profile. They disconnect with people in the real world and prefer connecting with them over social media platforms.

Technology addiction is growing with the increasing use of new technology devices. This is affecting proper growth and development of people. They are glued to technology and as a result are ignoring various important aspects of their life. It needs to be understood that technology has been designed to enhance our life and not to degrade it. We must use it wisely and not grow addicted to it.

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Technology and addiction: What drugs can teach us about digital media

Ido hartogsohn.

1 Program in Science, Technology and Society, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

2 Film and Media Studies Department, Amsterdam University, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Comparisons between digital media and narcotic drugs have become increasingly common in the vigorous discussion on smartphone addiction and technology addiction. Commentators have used evocative terms such as “digital heroin,” “electronic cocaine,” and “virtual drugs” when discussing users’ growing dependence on their devices. This article looks at the spreading discourse comparing digital media with drugs from a set of interdisciplinary perspectives including media studies, political economy, critical theory, science and technology studies, and addiction studies. It engages several key questions: To what extent can heavy smartphone use be considered an addiction, and how is it similar or different from drug addiction? How do the analogies between media and drugs fit within prevalent imaginaries of information technologies, and within the greater cultural themes and preoccupations of late capitalism? And finally, what can drugs teach us about the possible escape routes from our society's current predicament?

If technology is a drug – and it does feel like a drug – then what, precisely, are the side effects? (Charlie Brooker, creator of Black Mirror TV series)

Over the past decade smartphone use has become an issue of increasing social concern. Countless media articles have been dedicated to the subject of this growing social malady ( Carr, 2017 ; Lewis, 2017 ; Twenge, 2017b ). Several observers have produced grim accounts lamenting the habit-inducing nature of today's digital gadgets, while others turned their efforts to writing practical manuals on “how to build habit-forming products” ( Alter, 2017 ; Clement & Miles, 2017 ; Eyal, 2014 ; Kardaras, 2017 ; Twenge, 2017a ). Meanwhile, thousands of scientific papers have been published in an attempt to clarify this new form of dependence, often openly referred to as an addiction: What are its symptoms? How should it be diagnosed? And which are its most deleterious effects? 1

The literature on the addictive nature of smartphone technology makes several key claims. First, it claims to identify a neurochemical similarity between the brain mechanisms involved in so-called smartphone addictions and those involved in other types of addiction such as gambling or sex. Popular and scholarly accounts implicate the brain's reward system in smartphone dependency. Repeatedly checking one's phone for incoming messages and “likes,” or constantly refreshing one's newsfeed leads to the cerebral release of “feelgood neurotransmitter” dopamine, laying the grounds for the development of addiction. Second, the constant and unpredictable nature of digital stimulations makes digital appliances exceedingly addictive ( Alter, 2017 ; Carr, 2010 ; Lucking, 2015 ; Veissière & Stendel, 2018 ). The superior conditioning power of variable, unpredictable rewards over consistent forms of reward has been observed in B. F. Skinner's classic mid-twentieth-century behavioral psychology research on conditioning ( Skinner, 1953 , 1990 ). Thus, addiction to smartphones is compounded by the fact that the nature of rewards (e.g., the number and content of notifications received) are variable and unknown ( Veissière & Stendel, 2018 ). Third, such recurring media-induced behaviors, repeated dozens or hundreds of times a day, are claimed to cause alterations to brain function including abnormal cue reactivity signatures similar to those of other addictive disorders, among other findings of aberrant neural action in diverse parts of the brain, which correlate with heavy smartphone use ( Hadar et al., 2015 ; Horvath et al., 2020 ; Schmitgen et al., 2020 ). Finally, screen addiction is correlated by researchers with rising levels of depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, and other psychopathological conditions ( Demirci et al., 2015 ; Elhai et al., 2016 , 2017 ; Hadar et al., 2017 ; Roberts et al., 2015 ; Twenge, 2017a ).

With such disturbing claims and incriminating evidence, it is hardly surprising that an increasingly alarmist discussion has developed around the topic of smartphone use ( Becker, 2016 ; Gonzalez, 2018 ). One recurring feature of this conversation is a repeated analogy between smartphone addiction and drug addiction. In recent years, smartphones and digital media have repeatedly been referred to as “electronic heroin” ( Phillips, 2017 ; Williams, 2014 ), “electronic cocaine” ( Harsh, 2017 ), “digital cocaine” ( Huddleston, 2016 ), “virtual drug” ( Kardaras, 2017 ), “digital pharmakeia,”( Kardaras, 2017 ), and a host of other pharmacologically derived names ( Harsh, 2017 ; Huddleston, 2016 ; Kardaras, 2017 ; Phillips, 2017 ; Williams, 2014 ).

At this point, it is important to note that the use of the term addiction to refer to smartphone dependencies raises several inherent problems. First, the concept of addiction can be questioned and interrogated. What and who, one might inquire, is an addict? Who defines an addict? What makes a substance addictive? And could certain socially accepted behaviors be considered addiction? These valid questions have been discussed elsewhere, and are beyond the scope of this article (for discussions of addiction as a concept, see Alexander & Schweighofer, 1988 ; Goodman, 1990 ; Sussman & Sussman, 2011 ).

This article draws on the diagnostic criteria presented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM- 5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ) section on addictive disorders and substance use. Addiction in this model is defined as taking a substance for a longer period or larger quantities than intended, unsuccessful attempts to decrease use, and significant time spent using. The DSM framework also describes recurrent use that obstructs obligations at work, school or home; recurrent use in situations in which it is physically hazardous; and continual use despite knowledge of a psychological problem induced or exacerbated by the addiction ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ).

Another critical question targets the object of addiction that could be framed as either the smartphone itself, specific apps used on the smartphone, or the attention mobilized through the device. In effect, one might speak of three aspects involved in addictive smartphone use: a gadget addiction, an app addiction, and an attention addiction, which do not preclude one another, but rather reflect and reinforce each other at differing ratios. Smartphones therefore serve as rather ambiguously delimited objects of addiction. On this view, uncritically embracing hyperbolic expressions that compare media with drugs is likely inaccurate and naïve. Digital media are in many ways distinct from pharmacological substances.

And yet, the growing use of pharmacologically inspired metaphors to describe contemporary digital life does merit our attention. This article investigates the applicability of the term addiction to cases of heavy and compulsive smartphone use, as well as the use of drug analogies to discuss smartphone effects. We approach the subject by engaging with diverse types of literature and theories that are not commonly brought in conjunction, including media theory, addiction studies, science and technology studies, neuroscience, and psychedelic therapy. A comprehensive investigation of the comparisons and links drawn between media and drugs can only be achieved by mutually considering existing knowledge on both. The current paper thus aligns itself with past attempts to explore the interactions of—rather than similarities between—media and drugs ( MacDougall, 2012a ).

This article explores a series of questions inherent to the smartphone-drug discussion. 2 First, to what extent can heavy smartphone use be considered an addiction, and in what ways is it similar or different from drug addiction? Second, how does the smartphone addiction analogy fit within prevalent imaginaries of information and communication technologies? Third, how does the addiction analogy fit within the larger cultural themes and preoccupations of late capitalism including enhanced forms of individualism, atomism, consumerism, and commodification arising within the context of increased reliance on information and communication technologies, and digital forms of labor and consumption? ( Kumar, 2009 ). Finally, based on social science perspectives on addiction and on insights gleaned from the field of psychedelic therapy, our paper explores possible escape routes from this current societal predicament.

The digital addiction metaphor

Over the past years, popular and scholarly discourse around the topic of “smartphone addiction” (more generally referred to as “tech addiction”) has boomed. Over 10,000 scientific papers using the phrase “smartphone addiction” have been published since 2017. 3 This growing interest has so far not been translated into any medically recognized diagnosis. While the DSM-5, the latest edition of the psychiatric community's authoritative diagnostic manual, includes a new potential diagnosis dedicated to “Internet gaming disorder,” the editors were reluctant to add an “Internet addiction” diagnosis ( Petry & O’Brien, 2013 ; Pies, 2009 ). This decision runs counter to a growing number of voices who argue the existence of underlying biopsychosocial processes common to both behavioral addictions and Substance Use Disorders (SUD; Karim & Chaudhri, 2012 ; Leeman & Potenza, 2013 ; Orford, 2001 ). Behavioral addictions are defined as nonsubstance-related behaviors, that include short-term rewards causing persistent behaviors despite knowledge of adverse consequences ( Grant et al., 2010 ). Commonly discussed behavioral addictions include addiction to gambling, shopping, exercise, food, and porn. A growing number of studies find that behavioral addictions involve the same neurotransmitter pathways as SUDs (for comprehensive reviews of such articles, see Karim & Chaudhri, 2012 ; Leeman & Potenza, 2013 ). Additionally, nonsubstance addictions share the same types of behavioral patterns with SUDs, including “craving, impaired control over behavior, tolerance, withdrawal and high rates of relapse” ( Karim & Chaudhri, 2012 , p. 14). Both nonsubstance addictions and SUDs share the same genetic prognosticators ( Leeman & Potenza, 2013 ), and are helped by the same types of therapy and medication ( Karim & Chaudhri, 2012 ).

Indeed, any brief examination of the DSM-5's diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders indicates strong similarities between the markers of substance abuse as currently defined by the DSM, and behaviors common to heavy smartphone users. DSM-5 defines substance addiction as a condition recognizable by the prevalence of two or more characteristics including: “craving or strong desire to use the substance,” “the substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended,” “persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control use of substance,” “recurrent use of the substance resulting in a failure to fulfill major obligations at work, school or home,” “recurrent use of the substance in situations in which it is physically hazardous” ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ; quotes are based on the DSM's template descriptions of SUDs including alcohol, cannabis, phencyclidine, inhalants, and others; see pp. 490–491, 509–510, 520, 533–534). Such characteristics correspond closely with smartphone-user reports of strong urges to use smartphones and difficulties cutting down on use ( Alter, 2017 ; Mod, 2018 ), that users often find themselves spending longer periods than intended on their devices, that heavy use correlates with lower school and work performance ( Hawi & Samaha, 2016 ). Finally, the reference to physically hazardous situations caused by addictions might correspond to reports of 56% of parents admitting to texting while driving according to a survey on parent–teen dynamics around smartphone use ( Common Sense Media, 2016 ). Indeed, most surveys show over half the American population consider themselves addicted to their phones ( Common Sense Media, 2016 ; Roberts et al., 2014 ; Sellgren, 2016 ; Wheelwright, 2021 ).

These rates of smartphone addiction raise further concerns, as evidenced in a growing number of studies establishing links between heavy smartphone use and a host of mental-health conditions including depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, as well as reduced quality of sleep and impulse control ( Demirci et al., 2015 ; see, for instance, Elhai et al., 2017 ; Hormes et al., 2014 ; Przybylski & Weinstein, 2013 ; Ward et al., 2017 ). Despite the growing prevalence of the concept “smartphone addiction,” some observers have argued that discussions about smartphone addiction tend towards alarmism, hysteria, and even moral panic. Much of the new research on tech-addiction, it is argued, suffers from lack of systematization and is fraught with weak statistical correlations. Tech-addiction science, critics say, is much like nutritional science: due to its highly complex and multi-variant dependent nature, it can offer little certainty ( Becker, 2016 ; Gonzalez, 2018 ).

Others have argued that the very term “addiction” is misleading ( MacDougal, 2012b ). “Talking about addiction subverts our best thinking because it suggests that if there are problems, there is only one solution,” argues MIT professor Sherry Turkle (2011 ). “To combat addiction, you have to discard the addicting substance. But we are not going to ‘get rid’ of the Internet … The idea of addiction, with its one solution that we know we won't take, makes us feel hopeless” (pp. 293–294). Rather than using the term “addiction” with its substance abuse connotations, Turkle prefers to think of media consumption in terms of diet. It is impossible to completely stop consuming media in the same way that it would be impossible to stop consuming food, and yet one might work towards a healthier, more nutritional diet.

Turkle's argument might be challenged on several counts. First, addiction is not necessarily limited to avoidable substances. Rather, the definition might include routine activities that cannot easily be eliminated such as shopping, work, sex, and physical exercise. Most prominently, food addiction is itself a recognized pathology (see, for instance, Ifland et al., 2009 ). Addiction to an essential, unavoidable activity or object is thus arguably still an addiction. Furthermore, Turkle's assertion that the addiction concept leaves only one option—that of complete renunciation—might also be disputed by the literature on addiction, which finds many different shades of addiction in the realms of compulsive behaviors ( Alexander, 2010 ).

A second pertinent objection to the notion of tech-addiction is raised in an article by Veissière and Stendel (2018 ), which links smartphone addiction with archaic evolutionary mechanisms such as the need to monitor and be monitored by others. Smartphone use, the authors argue, is motivated by the natural need to connect and is therefore social rather than anti-social. On these authors’ views, there is nothing inherently addictive about smartphones. Rather, smartphones provide a “potentially unhealthy platform for another healthy impulse” (p. 2).

This is an important observation. Indeed, it sometimes appears impossible to distinguish between the crave for tech and the crave for connection. Our main objection here is, first, that human relationships too can become addictive, so that the social nature of smartphone use does not negate its addictive potential. Second, the facilitation of immediate, 24/7 communication channels changes the addictive potential of social relationships. Third, a variety of carefully arranged addiction-enhancing mechanisms (e.g., scrolling, bottomless newsfeeds and notifications) are part of the smartphone complex and further enhance its addictive potential.

While the human need to engage in sociality is itself mostly healthy, heavy smartphone use, by contrast, has been linked with growing psychological dispositions towards insecurity and an insatiable craving for attention and validation ( Twenge, 2017a ). To summarize, while the smartphone services a natural human need for sociality, it also magnifies that need and creates new and intense manufactured needs . If we compare sociality to coca leaves—a natural stimulant safely integrated into the life texture of countless cultures—then smartphone sociality can be likened to cocaine—a more concentrated synthesized version with a remarkably higher potential for addiction. Similarly, while consuming food is a necessary and natural part of human existence, current research suggests that processed food containing refined sweeteners, carbohydrates, fat, and salt can be considered addictive substances ( Ifland et al., 2009 ).

Jaron Lanier points to the financial incentive system behind social media as the most likely culprit for addiction. In Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now , Lanier (2018 ) argues that users are falling under the “stealthy control” (p. 2) of nefarious corporations and their clients. Lanier's first argument, “you are losing your free will,” discusses the collapse of the boundary between healthy socialization and unhealthy dependency on social media. Sean Parker, the first president of Facebook, is cited, arguing that

we need to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while, because someone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever. … It's a social-validation feedback loop … exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you’re exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology. (cited in Lanier, 2018 , p. 8)

According to Lanier, these purposefully addictive installments merge with our social lives to create “zombie” users that are gradually devoid of free will, as users get driven from one manipulative cue to the next.

Describing our tech dependencies in terms of addiction might feel uncomfortable, but rather than denying the addictive potential of smartphones wholesale, a more productive approach might lend an ear to the cultural resonances and theoretical implications of such a perspective. If we think of addiction in broader terms, as a spectrum of excessive appetites lurking in the background of human existence ( Orford, 2001 ), we might find that rather than rejecting the doctor's diagnosis, embracing it can lead to new and productive theoretical avenues.

Pharmakomediatic imaginaries

In Turkle’s (2011 ) argument, one of the defining characteristics of smartphone addiction is that unlike drug abusers, gamblers, or porn addicts (who are theoretically able to cede their habit), it is, in most cases, not practical for digital media users to relinquish it and return to a pristine pre-digital state. Renouncing smartphone use is rendered virtually impossible by a mixture of social and professional obligations in a digital world where workers are expected to regularly check their inboxes and social communication is largely conducted through social media. Classic models of recovery and rehabilitation call for complete abnegation of one's habit in the spirit of 12-step programs. For smartphone abusers, this is not a sensible option. While recreational drug use is an “opt-in” technology, smartphone use is an “opt-out” technology because it is inescapable and ubiquitous.

Smartphones act as flexible and versatile substitutes for countless other nearly-defunct devices likes cameras, music players, maps, calendars and watches. Users are thus repeatedly impelled to return to their device, and upon their return, they habitually lose themselves in its plethoric abundance of stimulations and possibilities. As a centripetal hub of psychosocial activity, the smartphone functions as a hyper-networked extension of the human mind, to which one habitually and instinctually turns ( McLuhan, 2003 ). Tellingly, addiction to smartphones often manifests as an inadvertent, evasive, yet ineluctable psychosomatic habit of periodically reaching for one's phone, even without any obvious reason.

Our culture's growing fascination with the notion of tech-addiction indicates a seismic shift in our understanding of technology. It is at this point that we wish to propose that our postindustrial culture's reception and adaptation of digital technologies has, since the mid-20th century, been informed by two major types of media-related imaginaries: the narcotic imaginary of media which regards it as insidious and addictive, and the cyberdelic imaginary of media which regards it as liberating and empowering (for discussions of imaginaries and their role in sociotechnical development, see B. Anderson, 1983/2006 ; Jasanoff & Kim, 2015 ). By turning to narcotic metaphors (“electronic cocaine,” “digital heroin”) early 21st century culture has, in fact, gone full circle and returned to earlier views concerning the psychoactive nature of information technology.

McLuhan’s (1964) “Notes on Burroughs” essay provides an early example for a position which views electronic technology as inherently narcotic. “When the full consequences of each new technology are manifested in new psychic and social forms, then the anti-Utopias appear,” writes McLuhan (1964, p. 517) . Drawing on Burroughs’ accounts of apomorphine addiction in Naked Lunch (1959/2013), McLuhan’s, (1964 , 518) ninth note suggests that one possible escape route from technology's arresting power is to regard “our entire gadgetry as Junk […] applying the same formula that works for junk ‘ apomorphine ,’ extended to all technology.”

McLuhan's argument is that our human bodies and minds are incapable of keeping up or handling the new intensities of electronic technologies. The only alternative therefore is a media detox (here McLuhan quotes Burroughs): “Shut the whole thing right off —Silence—When you answer the machine you provide it with more recordings to be played back to your ‘enemies’ […] Don't answer the machine—Shut it off” ( Burroughs, 1959/2013 , quoted in McLuhan, 1964 , p. 518).

McLuhan's sober assessment of the narcotic nature of electronic gadgetry was forsaken in the next 40 years, as digital media increasingly came to be understood not as a narcotic, but rather as a mind-expanding psychedelic. Fred Turner’s (2006 ) From Counterculture to Cyberculture documents the shift that occurred from the late 1960s to the late 1990s as computers, once regarded as centralized agents of nefarious control and manipulation, increasingly came to be seen as forces of decentralization, personal empowerment, and even liberation. Ironically, it was McLuhan again who challenged the new governing metaphor when he argued, as early as 1968, “the computer is the LSD of the business world” ( McLuhan et al., 1968 , p. 83). By 1972, Stewart Brand, countercultural entrepreneur and co-organizer of famed 1960s Acid Tests , was calling attention to the mind-expanding potential of digital computers. In a prominent Rolling Stone story, Brand (1972 ) called computers the best news “since psychedelics.” A culture celebrating the psychedelic potential of cyber technologies emerged under the banner “cyberdelia,” and would reach a growing popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, often through such outlets as the psychedelically minded cyberculture magazine Mondo 2000 ( Dery, 1996 ). As this culture grew, the conflation of digital virtual realities and psychopharmacological ones became increasingly common. By the 1990s, even ex-1960s LSD-evangelist Timothy Leary was arguing that “the PC is the LSD of the 1990s,” and was calling upon the public to “turn on, boot up, jack in” (a paraphrase of his earlier 1960s slogan “turn on, tune in, drop out”; Leary, 2014 ). 4

The early 2000s collapse of the Internet sector NASDAQ index (dot com bubble) ( Wheale & Amin, 2003 ) and the growing domination of the web by a small number of multinational corporations dealt a fatal blow to the utopian cyberdelic vision. Searching for new sources of revenue, Internet companies were forced to rethink their business models. They turned their eyes towards massive online surveillance schemes that sought to maximize user engagement and effectively manipulate user attention and actions ( Zuboff, 2019 ). It took several more years, the invention of social media, and the emergence of Internet-connected touchscreen-enabled phones, to revive the narcotic imaginary in full.

Interestingly, the revived idea of electronic media as narcotics fits within the greater sociocultural themes of late capitalism. Historian David Courtwright (2019 ) calls ours “the age of addiction.” Like many others, Courtwright argues that addiction is a key component of consumerist capitalism, where consumers are encouraged to set their desires loose, and where dependence on regular consumption of products is the lifeline of so many economic sectors from fashion and lifestyle products to electronic gadgetry.

Unlike Max Weber's characterization of capitalism as based on an ascetic protestant work ethic sanctifying the accumulation of wealth ( Weber, 2001 ), contemporary theories of capitalism speak of a late capitalism in which attention is shifted from production to lavish consumption ( Baudrillard, 2016 ). As commented by cultural and financial theorist Ole Bjerg (2008 ), “Consumption and enjoyment are no longer vices but rather virtues, and we are constantly bombarded by demands for us to buy, consume and enjoy” (p. 6). Drug addiction, Bjerg claims, is actually “a radical way of fulfilling the imperatives of enjoyment constantly thrown at us by the contemporary ideology of consumption” (p. 1).

According to Burroughs (1959/2013 ), everyone is a junky of some sort in the capitalist system, which is permeated with the “algebra of need”: a consumer system where junk functions as “the mold of monopoly and possession” (p. 200). As Burroughs explains, opiate addicts exist at the bottom of “the pyramid of junk, one level eating the level below right up to the top or tops since there are many junk pyramids feeding on peoples of the world and all built on the basic principles of monopoly” (p. 200).

Alongside such literary and cultural theory perspectives about capitalism and addiction, social scientists have also explored the linkage between capitalism and addiction. Chief among these is psychologist and addiction expert Bruce Alexander. In his Globalization of Addiction , Alexander (2010 ) follows historical data and argues that addiction is strongly driven by dislocation—a sustained absence of psychosocial integration. Alexander defines psychosocial integration as a sense of meaning and identity, derived from stable social relationships and roles. While it is possible to endure the absence of psychosocial integration for some time, Alexander argues that “severe, prolonged dislocation eventually leads to unbearable despair, shame, emotional anguish, boredom and bewilderment” (p. 59). Historical data, Alexander argues, demonstrate that addiction can disappear almost completely from a society for extended periods but become endemic in times of crisis. One example is the case of the Indigenous communities of the Americas, who—dislocated from their land, language, and culture—became susceptible to alcoholism and other forms of addiction.

Psychosocial dislocation can happen to any individual in any society, but it is much more frequent in societies experiencing crisis. Importantly, argues Alexander (2010 ), free-market society is the first society in history in which dislocation is endemic even in times of ostensible prosperity. By subjecting its citizens to increasing pressures of individualism, competition and rapid change, free market society undermines traditional sources of psychosocial integration.

Balancing the medium and the setting

To what degree then, is smartphone addiction an outcome of the technological medium and to what degree is it dependent on social construction? Here Alexander presents us with a diametrically opposed perspective to that of Marshall McLuhan. McLuhan's famous aphorism “the medium is the message” points to the inherent addictive properties of smartphone technology. Certain technologies present a higher potential for addiction in the same way that some types of drugs and foods (e.g., foods rich in sugar or fat) are more addictive than others ( Volkow & Wise, 2005 ). This view is challenged by Alexander et al.'s (1980) description of addiction as a product of sociocultural conditioning, best exemplified by his famous Rat Park experiment, which serves to demonstrate that it is not only the medium but also the context that determines the message.

Alexander et al.'s (1980) classic Rat Park experiment overturned the findings of 1960s research that demonstrated the addictive properties of drugs by observing the behavior of laboratory animals that were left in small cages where they could self-administer morphine. Alexander argued that life in small, solitary conditions made drugs increasingly attractive. He therefore built an alternative experimental design where lab animals had regular access to social contact, mating opportunities, exercise toys, as well as dark and secluded nesting spots (“Rat Park”). Extraordinarily, in his design, rats did not develop addictions or experience drug overdoses. The study, which was later replicated using cocaine and methamphetamine ( Chauvet et al., 2012 ; Stairs et al., 2006 ; Whitaker et al., 2013 ), stands as a prime example for the crucial role of contextual factors in addiction. Brought outside of the lab, and into the field of drug sociology, it might give us hints on the prevalence of addiction in urban slums, ghettos and prisons, where humans are subjected to poor conditions of dislocation, arguably not unlike those experienced by animals in standard lab experiments.

Evidence of this type provides much needed nuance on McLuhan's insistence that the medium is the message. A simplistic view of drugs might consider them to be exemplary illustrations of the medium (i.e., the substance) being the message. Individuals under the influence of drugs arguably become a corporeal manifestation of a corresponding drug state. Their words and actions might be construed as only secondary products of a psychopharmacological medium that has interfaced with their brains to evoke specific thoughts and emotions (e.g., self-confidence with cocaine, concentration with Ritalin, affection with MDMA). Nevertheless, the Rat Park example, and other studies on the essential importance of context in psychopharmacology, point to the fact that drug effects are rarely as certain as one assumes.

One location where the idea regarding the crucial role of context in shaping drug effects has been developed to the fullest is in the field of psychedelic drug research. A key insight that recurs throughout the literature on psychedelics is that the effects of drugs are crucially dependent on what researchers call “set and setting”: psychological, social, and cultural variables such as intention, expectation, social, or physical environment. The same drug and dose might elicit a wide range of reactions, all depending on context ( Carhart-Harris et al., 2018 ; Hartogsohn, 2017 ). The concept of set and setting closely relates to the concept of harm reduction—the use of diverse strategies (offering medical/psychological support, providing safehouses, etc.) to reduce the harms of drug use (and other risky behaviors) rather than attempting to fully eradicate the behavior itself ( Collins et al., 2012 ; Lenton & Single, 1998 ).

We propose that introducing drug-related concepts such as set and setting and harm reduction, into our discussions of media, and media-related ideas (the medium is the message) into our thinking about drugs gives rise to fruitful perspectives on both subjects. Most fundamentally, it forces us to confront the chasm between those approaches which stress the formative power of new technologies (such as drugs) to change the ratio of our senses, and those that point to the context-dependent nature of technology's effects.

On the one hand, the material reality of digital technology—its features of constant availability, facile reproduction and multiple networked uses—seems to point to a very real addictive potential inherent to the technology, leading us back to McLuhan’s (1964 ) warning that “the power of the image to beget image, and of technology to reproduce itself via human intervention, is utterly in excess of our power to control the psychic and social consequences” (p. 518). Alexander's Rat Park, on the other hand, might lead us to study the ways in which smartphone addiction is not a function of medium but of environmental conditions.

Smartphones also point us back to the tensions between narcotic versus psychedelic imaginations of digital technologies, and their relevance for shaping new forms of engagement with technology. In recent years, literature in the field of Science, Technology and Society (STS) has extended Benedict Anderson’s (1983/2006 ) concept of imagined communities, later developed into the concept of social imaginaries ( Taylor, 2004 ), to include “sociotechnical imaginaries,” defined as “collectively held, institutionally stabilized, and publicly performed visions of desirable futures, animated by shared understandings of forms of social life and social order attainable through, and supportive of, advances in science and technology” ( Jasanoff & Kim, 2015 , p. 4). According to STS scholar Sheila Jasanoff , such shared imaginaries of the desirable (or undesirable) meaning of technology serve to shape its development and acceptance into society.

Both the cyberdelic and narcotic-media imaginaries could be seen as a part of the sociocultural context that participated in the coproduction of digital technology and novel social norms (for an account of coproduction as an analytic concept, see Jasanoff, 2004 ). The cyberdelic imaginary of digital technology might be thought of as a product of a period characterized by lofty ideals of mind-expansion, individual empowerment, and virtual communities based on idealistic models of gift economy, inspired by former hippies such as Stewart Brand and Howard Rheingold ( Turner, 2006 ). The narcotic-media imaginary, on the other hand, fits well in a time when the web is controlled by a few powerful global corporations, and an attention economy designed to hook media consumers into binge watching and endless scrolling ( Hari, 2016 ). 5

Transcending digital narcoticism

So what, finally, is the take-away from this discussion? Recent years have seen the emergence of new genres of technology-related writing that include both the confessions of media addicts as well as recovery guides aimed to inspire and empower media addicts to change their lives ( Mod, 2018 ; Pellicane & Chapman, 2017 ; Price, 2018 ; Zahariades, 2016 ). A variety of digital detox and digital rehab programs have sprouted, which aim to help addicts regain control of their digital habits ( Colin, 2013 ; Koo et al., 2011 ; Madrigal, 2013 ). Additionally, a series of smartphone apps with such names as “Phoneaddict Free” and “Addiction Meter” have become available, intended to help users control and curb their use of digital media. Tellingly, even the resistance to digital media is often incorporated within the medium: digital applications meant to curb digital use; social media rants against social media; erudite papers excoriating digital culture and published on digital platforms. Historian of drug economy David Courtwright (2002 ) notes that drug rehabilitation is an integral part of the drug economy. Digital media detox culture, it seems, is no exception.

In this sense, we argue, the inability of users to escape the virtual parameters of their digitalized existence reflects a broader issue discussed by many critics of late capitalism: the impressive ability of capitalism to assimilate and absorb all types of criticisms, to the point it appears to be an all-encompassing system without any viable alternative in sight. As Fredric Jameson (1996 ) famously wrote: “It seems to be easier for us today to imagine the thoroughgoing deterioration of the earth and of nature than the breakdown of late capitalism” (p. xii). From Che Guevara images to punk music and no logo books—capitalism will turn anything into additional commodities to be sold, so it seems as if the capitalist framework cannot be escaped.

The rat park analogy is again instructive in this regard. As digital realities become the dominant and paramount environment for learning, socializing, work, and entertainment in the 21st century, users increasingly and naturally turn to their smartphones for help with their addictions. Digital technologies thus become not just the drug supplied in the rat park, but the rat park itself—the setting in which rehabilitation is attempted—symbolizing the inability of escaping the digital framework. Attempting to escape the throes of dislocation through digital remedies, users thus risk a return to the very source of that dislocation, potentially reinforcing and exacerbating its consequences.

Let us be clear: digital technology is not a drug in the common sense of the word, and the dependencies it creates should be distinguished from those created by narcotic drugs. Yet, despite these differences, certain striking similarities do stand out, and might offer valuable perspectives for a society in search of answers and solutions to its growing social-digital malaise.

Research on psychoactive drugs has shown their effects to be deeply dependent on cultural context ( Hartogsohn, 2017 ). Technology may be similar in this regard. When using polemic terms such as “digital heroin” and “electronic cocaine” it is perhaps worthy to note that both coca leaves (containing the active agent cocaine) and opium (containing the active agent morphine) have been used by traditional societies for centuries in socially accepted ways, producing little in terms of addictions and abuse, and sometimes assisting the performance of positive social roles ( Schultes et al., 1992 ; Weil, 1986 ). Today, ritual uses of certain psychedelics, such as those of peyote and ayahuasca religions, are invoked by scholars as examples for socially constructive ways of approaching psychoactive substances while minimizing risk and maximizing the potential for personal and social benefits ( Blainey, 2015 ; Labate et al., 2017 ).

A balance needs to be struck between McLuhan's insight of the medium being the message, and the insight that the effects of technology are highly context dependent, drawn from drug theory, and STS literature. On the one hand, digital media might indeed be inherently biased towards addiction. Many users, for instance, develop a dependent relationship with their email inbox, a technology developed in the early 1970s, without any intention of fostering addiction ( Turel & Serenko, 2010 ). This seems to imply that digital technology, through its affordances of ubiquity and immediacy naturally tends toward addiction. On the other hand, such affordances are modulated and enhanced by economic incentives as well as by a culture of connectivity that values productivity and constant availability.

The lessons of set and setting in drug use suggest that the effects of digital media might be more flexible than we habitually assume. Digital existence does not necessarily lead to narcotic pathologies. However, to enable a new modus operandi in our relationship with media, earlier more fruitful imaginaries of technology need to be reclaimed. To transcend the narcotic imaginary that dominates the current discourse about technology, we must reimagine technology and reinstate its mind-expanding potential. To this end, we might turn to a variety of sources and alternative visions of technology that are not based on commodified, repetitive, habit-forming activities, but on communal, creative, and empowering uses. Some prominent examples include online user communities, the blogosphere, the free software movement, collaborative production projects such as Wikipedia and decentralized user-owned social networks ( Newport, 2019 ). Other sources of inspiration might include speculative writing and fiction ranging the gamut from Feminist Sci-Fi to Afrofuturism. 1 (For scholarly analyses of feminist sci-fi and its political potential for imagining other futures see the work of Donna Haraway. In particular her recent Staying with the Trouble: Haraway, 2016 ) (For an analysis of afrofuturism and its visions of alternative social models see Barber et al., 2017 ) (For a comprehensive collection of essays which explore the social and political implications of speculative literature see O’Sullivan et al., 2017 )

A more conscious, mindful, and constructive relationship with technology can be cultivated on both the individual level and the collective level. Mindless habits of digital consumption can be challenged by developing a more mindful approach to technology: by changing one's mindset in the use of technology, and by recalibrating the parameters of our everyday digital existence (e.g., turning off one's notification updates, or placing one's phone outside the room). Though they might sound banal, user experiences and research data show such measures can be surprisingly effective ( Alter, 2017 , Chapters 10–12; Ward et al., 2017 ; Yoon et al., 2014 ).

Importantly, individual solutions will have limited value and efficacy if they continue to run counter to the collective cultural setting. And herein lies the rub. Can media be reimagined? Does a different type of digital media with distinct non-narcotic effects exist? The answer is: they might , but such relationships with media cannot be based on the perverse incentives and dispositions of surveillance capitalism with its emphasis on repetitive mindless consumption. The capitalist model of technology, based on maximal engagement and compulsive behavior aimed to generate capital gains for a thin layer of global corporations cannot but lead to mindless, disempowering, narcotic models of technology use. More poignantly still, technology's narcotic spell will continue to wreak havoc on human minds, as long as boredom, anxiety, and isolation continue to exist as the default mental states of the individuals in the free market society ( Weareplanc, 2014 ).

The cyberdelic, mind-expanding imaginary of the network has been prevalent since its early days, but it has repeatedly been thwarted and subverted to serve the causes of libertarianism and neoliberalism ( Barbrook & Cameron, 1996 ). Assuming we will remain bound to the capitalist framework in the foreseeable future, we are left with the fundamental question: Can we somehow combine the contrasting visions of Leary and Burroughs, and “turn on” while at the same time “shut off”? Can a mind-expanding vision of technology exist within capitalism and its purposely addictive gadgetry? And how might it be cultivated in an age where the dominion of capital seems to unprecedentedly expand itself across all walks of life?

The challenge is daunting and will become increasingly acute in the foreseeable future. Yet not all is lost—the shape of media to come is yet to be decided, and in an era when awareness of digital pathologies as well as of a crisis in the neoliberal order is growing, a new type of conversation can emerge alongside with new horizons for action. Digital media is not necessarily narcotic, nor is it necessarily psychedelic. It can be both, depending on set and on setting of use. It is, perhaps, time to revisit the cyberdelic imaginary of digital media, not in its naïve and antiquated form which simplemindedly perceived technologies as tools for liberation, but by invoking the concept of set and setting and its lessons for a more beneficial integration of digital technologies in society and everyday life.

Ido Hartogsohn , PhD, is an assistant professor at the Graduate Program in Science, Technology and Society Studies at Bar Ilan University. His research focuses on sociocultural contexts shaping responses to psychedelics and other psychoactive drugs, as well as on the ethical, cultural and philosophical dimensions of new media technologies. His book American Trip: Set, Setting and the Psychedelic Experience in the 20th Century (2020) was published by MIT Press.

Amir Vudka , PhD, is a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam. Dr. Vudka teaches and researches film and new media, particularly media aesthetics, cultural analysis, genre cinema, film philosophy and media archaeology. His published works focus on popular film culture, philosophy and theology of technology, media pathologies, and spectral media. Additionally, he is a film curator at various institutions and cultural venues in the Netherlands and the artistic director of the Sounds of Silence festival for silent film and contemporary music.

1. An August 15, 2021, Google Scholar search of the term “smartphone addiction” yields 10,400 results since 2017.

2. The smartphone, it is important to note, should be considered here as a symptomatic, ephemeral, and perhaps secondary, yet more easily delineated, stand-in for a more general phenomenon that permeates digital existence and digital networks in their various forms, transcending the incidental, contemporary form of the smartphone itself.

3. An August 15, 2021, Google Scholar search of the term “smartphone addiction” yields 10,400 results since 2017.

4. Of course history is rarely as clear-cut as its descriptions and this historical account of cyberdelic movement should be qualified by the existence of other less hopeful varieties which existed on the fringes of the cyberdelic imagination, linking it to other more sinister cyberpunk visions. The writings of Phillip K. Dick and William Gibson come to mind.

5. As stated earlier, history is never as neat as the models used to describe it, and this model, too, only serves to offer general contours of the broad cultural trends. The cyberdelic imaginary continues to exist, even as the narcotic imagination currently reigns supreme.

6. For scholarly analyses of feminist sci-fi and its political potential for imagining other futures, see the work of Donna Haraway. In particular her recent Staying with the Trouble ( Haraway, 2016 ). For an analysis of Afrofuturism and its visions of alternative social models, see R. Anderson and Jones (2017 ). For a comprehensive collection of essays which explore the social and political implications of speculative literature, see O’Sullivan et al. (2017 ).

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

ORCID iD: Ido Hartogsohn https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7906-3682

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For centuries, people have been clamoring to glimpse solar eclipses. From astronomers with custom-built photographic equipment to groups huddled together with special glasses, this spectacle has captivated the human imagination.

Creating a Permanent Record

In 1860, Warren de la Rue captured what many sources describe as the first photograph of a total solar eclipse . He took it in Rivabellosa, Spain, with an instrument known as the Kew Photoheliograph . This combination of a telescope and camera was specifically built to photograph the sun.

Forty years later, Nevil Maskelyne, a magician and an astronomy enthusiast, filmed a total solar eclipse in North Carolina. The footage was lost, however, and only released in 2019 after it was rediscovered in the Royal Astronomical Society’s archives.

Telescopic Vision

For scientists and astronomers, eclipses provide an opportunity not only to view the moon’s umbra and gaze at the sun’s corona, but also to make observations that further their studies. Many observatories, or friendly neighbors with a telescope, also make their instruments available to the public during eclipses.

Fredrik Hjalmar Johansen, Fridtjof Nansen and Sigurd Scott Hansen observing a solar eclipse while on a polar expedition in 1894 .

Women from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and their professor tested out equipment ahead of their eclipse trip (to “catch old Sol in the act,” as the original New York Times article phrased it) to New London, Conn., in 1922.

A group from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania traveled to Yerbaniz, Mexico, in 1923, with telescopes and a 65-foot camera to observe the sun’s corona .

Dr. J.J. Nassau, director of the Warner and Swasey Observatory at Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, prepared to head to Douglas Hill, Maine, to study an eclipse in 1932. An entire freight car was required to transport the institution’s equipment.

Visitors viewed a solar eclipse at an observatory in Berlin in the mid-1930s.

A family set up two telescopes in Bar Harbor, Maine, in 1963. The two children placed stones on the base to help steady them.

An astronomer examined equipment for an eclipse in a desert in Mauritania in June 1973. We credit the hot climate for his choice in outfit.

Indirect Light

If you see people on Monday sprinting to your local park clutching pieces of paper, or with a cardboard box of their head, they are probably planning to reflect or project images of the solar eclipse onto a surface.

Cynthia Goulakos demonstrated a safe way to view a solar eclipse , with two pieces of cardboard to create a reflection of the shadowed sun, in Lowell, Mass., in 1970.

Another popular option is to create a pinhole camera. This woman did so in Central Park in 1963 by using a paper cup with a small hole in the bottom and a twin-lens reflex camera.

Amateur astronomers viewed a partial eclipse, projected from a telescope onto a screen, from atop the Empire State Building in 1967 .

Back in Central Park, in 1970, Irving Schwartz and his wife reflected an eclipse onto a piece of paper by holding binoculars on the edge of a garbage basket.

Children in Denver in 1979 used cardboard viewing boxes and pieces of paper with small pinholes to view projections of a partial eclipse.

A crowd gathered around a basin of water dyed with dark ink, waiting for the reflection of a solar eclipse to appear, in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1995.

Staring at the Sun (or, How Not to Burn Your Retinas)

Eclipse-gazers have used different methods to protect their eyes throughout the years, some safer than others .

In 1927, women gathered at a window in a building in London to watch a total eclipse through smoked glass. This was popularized in France in the 1700s , but fell out of favor when physicians began writing papers on children whose vision was damaged.

Another trend was to use a strip of exposed photographic film, as seen below in Sydney, Australia, in 1948 and in Turkana, Kenya, in 1963. This method, which was even suggested by The Times in 1979 , has since been declared unsafe.

Solar eclipse glasses are a popular and safe way to view the event ( if you use models compliant with international safety standards ). Over the years there have been various styles, including these large hand-held options found in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 1979.

Parents and children watched a partial eclipse through their eclipse glasses in Tokyo in 1981.

Slimmer, more colorful options were used in Nabusimake, Colombia, in 1998.

In France in 1999.

And in Iran and England in 1999.

And the best way to see the eclipse? With family and friends at a watch party, like this one in Isalo National Park in Madagascar in 2001.