Technology has become an important component of our everyday life. So important that we find it very hard to be without technology even for a few hours. From social media to mobile phones to emails; most of us make a habit of checking email and our social media first thing in the morning. With so much affinity to technology, we seldom pause to notice what technology does to us and what the side effects are.

Truth is, there are quite a few side effects that we choose to ignore and these side effects are especially detrimental to mental health. Here are a few effects that technology can have on your mental health.

 

1.Increased Anxiety

Imagine a scenario when you are constantly checking what social media is telling you. Notification after notification, email after email and one technology update after another. This is a definite way to trigger more and more anxiety for yourself because you worry about missing out on something important. Ensure controlled usage and some rules for yourself to make sure technology does not add to your anxiety.

 

2.Sleep Disorder

It is said that the light that is emitted from gadgets interferes with sleep. However, most of us go to sleep with our phones by our side and wake up to our laptops open to check email. New age technology often disrupts sleep because of the number of distractions it offers. Make sure you have a cut off time for your gadgets to ensure that it does not disrupt your sleep.

 

3.Increased Stress

Technology and social media especially gives you this illusion that you are supposed to respond to people immediately. Today, even work related updates are given through instant messaging and we feel the pressure to respond to all of this immediately. This increases stress and makes us feel like we are constantly under pressure.

 

4.Risk Of Depression

More and more people are isolating themselves from the real world because technology seems like an excellent alternative. For instance, online interactions have increased so much more compared to real life interaction. However, we cannot forget that isolating ourselves and becoming more and more tech dependent only increases the risk of depression.

 

Technology can be an excellent way to connect with people, get work done and revolutionize the world but don’t forget to keep it within control lest it affects your mental health.