DIGITAL ADDICTION

Are you addicted to the Digital devices?  If you do not know the answer to this question try to answer the following questions:

1. Are you sleeping with the mobile phone or iPAD next to your pillow?
2. Are you checking the phone in the night whenever you wake up?  
3. Are you checking your emails and messages first thing in the morning?  
4. Are you checking your facebook page once in every 15 or 20 minutes?
5. After posting a picture in facebook are you anxious to see how many likes have come?

If your answer to any of the above questions is Yes then you are addicted to Digital Devices.  Is there a specific age at which you can get addicted to facebook?  My research shows that there is no age group for digital addiction.

 

I saw a family of four - husband, wife, daughter and son in the Airport recently and we were waiting for the flight.  During the two hours of waiting time all the four were busy with their respective digital device and there was absolutely no conversation between them.  If at all they wanted to converse, I think they would have sent a message to each other on WhatsApp.  I find almost everyone glued on to the digital device whether it is on the road or in the mall or in the coffee shop - wherever and everywhere.  There are people who even carry the digital device to the toilet and use it there.  I saw a man use his digital device in the swimming pool recently.

The convenience of digital device is unquestionable.  You can converse with family and friends who are in a far off location.  You can have a video chat and send pictures and exchange notes.  It is really very convenient when your near and dear are at far off places.  You feel that you are with your near and dear if you are connected through facebook, WhatsApp or Skype.

While children are addicted to playing games on the digital devices adults are addicted to social media sites like facebook, twitter, etc.  Earlier the games were available in tapes or cassettes or memory cards and could be played only on specific device like Gameboy or Playstation.  With the games now being available online and with the convergence with the social media the addiction to gaming is actually growing by leaps and bounds.  Gaming has reached its own levels over the years and now there are virtual communities and virutal identity which makes it easier for the gamer to adopt different personas.  Gaming was initially seen as a good exercise for the brain as it helped in developing quick reflex.  Now it has gone into completely different proportions and is actually causing more problems to the brain than improving only the reflex. 

The availability of wifi connection wherever we go and the luxury of the 3G or 4G connection makes it even more easier for the access to whatever we need and whenever we need.  The worst thing is each of us have more than two or three different devices with us.  We have a mobile phone, laptop and a tablet.  More and more people are found to be using the digital device even while driving on the road.  This is the most dangerous part of the whole addiction.  My younger son Akshay told me couple of days back that I am addicted to Facebook.  After pondering over that comment I slowly realised that yes I am addicted to Facebook.  

When I was a child I use to see people who were extremely confident and comfortable dealing with human beings and were extremely uncomfortable with digital and electrical devices.  I have seen people get very nervous on the phone and unable to speak clearly but were extremely confident and comfortable in personal interaction - face to face.  Now after a few decades I find the reverse situation wherein people are very comfortable with digital devices and fumble when they are face to face.

The Digital Devices were invented for our convenience and use.  We should know how to take advantage of these devices.  We should not surrender ourselves and become slaves of these devices.

T.P.Anand

Dubai, U.A.E.

30th July 2014