Never
have people been so connected to the rest of the world. Information is disseminated
globally in minutes rather than weeks. People can have meaningful relationships
with individuals on opposite ends of the planet. Any question a persona has can
be answered correctly by google in a few seconds. But all of this
inter-connectivity has not come with out a price. With the rise in connectivity
has come a rise in depression. With the ease of finding information has come a
massive information overload that adds stress to people’s lives, rather than making
them easier. For nonprofits who are
looking to use technology to connect with community members and help people it
is essential they understand the implications of information overload and how
it is affecting society.
Social
Media & Depression
Social
media use has seen some unintended consequences when it comes to user’s mental
health. In a 2017 report released by
Facebook, the social media giant admitted that there is growing body of
evidence that links social media usage to depression, both in youth and adults (Morris, 2017) . The report outlines a correlation with a rise
in social technology and reports of depression and social isolation. Users
report feeling worse about themselves after just 10 minutes of scrolling though
friend’s newsfeed. Facebook isn’t the only problem. Instagram is also shown to
decrease people’s happiness. None of this should come to much surprise. After
all, how many bad photos do you ever see on Facebook or Instagram? They are
platforms for showcasing the best parts of a person’s life. And for many, it is
a very slippery slope to compare their own life with highlight reels of their
friends lives.
Information
Overload & Anxiety
According
to Gilmore, there are so many options available for organizing one’s life that
people may feel the need to track how they keep track of things. Thinking about my own use of technology, it
is not uncommon for me to have concurrent conversations going via phone text, Facebook
messenger, email and snap chat. Two
screen phenomena is also adding to the stress of information overload. People can watch TV while scrolling through
Facebook or checking their emails. This can lead to anxiety when people are forced to unplug from their digital security blanket (Nomophobia - why you can't live without your Smartphone, 2015) . It’s an interesting paradox – too much
information and technology is making us miserable, but we are too afraid to
just pull the plug on it.
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| Image Source: http://www.isvmag.com/2014/07/power-facebook-mental-health/ |
Having
worked in public health for the past decade I can spot a public health epidemic
when I see one. And the growing dependency on technology – a borderline
addiction – is going to be our next great health epidemic, alongside obesity
and tobacco use. But like nutrition and addictive substances, technology is a
complex issue. It isn’t going away and it does provide value in many ways, such
as telemedicine and online support groups and an affordable way to disseminate information.
Nonprofits can play an important role in
reversing the tide of mental health problems brought on by technology by encouraging
healthy behaviors including resources for parents and teens can help change thesocial norms around social media.
References
Gilmore, J. N. (2017). From ticks and tocks to budges
and nudges: the smartwatch and the haptics of informatic culture. Television
& News Media , 189-202.
Morris, D. Z. (2017, December 16). Facebook admists
social media can harm your mental health. Retrieved from Fortune.com:
http://fortune.com/2017/12/16/facebook-admits-social-media-can-harm-your-mental-health/
Nomophobia - why you can't live without your
Smartphone. (2015, August 25).
Retrieved from Norton UK :
https://uk.norton.com/norton-blog/2015/08/nomophobia_why_you.html
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