Signs Thats It's Time For A Digital Detox
It seems that our waking hours tend to be increasingly technology orientated. For many, they are increasingly tethered to one device or another. Many of us can often be found sifting through emails, Googling to research for work, school assignments or for personal interest, playing games, or mindlessly scrolling through social media.
The digital revolution has provided greater opportunity for us to connect with others and access more information than ever before. However, for a growing number of people, young and old, use of this technology is becoming difficult to control. It is not uncommon for people to report that they are finding themselves absorbed in online activities for far longer than intended.
You may wish to consider how much digital time you are engaging in. Is your work digitally orientated? Work may require email and Internet access. Do you do online banking? Pay insurance and do other errands online? Do you use social media and instant messaging? For most of us, ‘switching off’ completely would be simply impossible. With so much Internet use being ‘necessary’, how do you know when it’s time to make a focused effort to cut back?
The most important warning sign that something needs to change is when your internet, technology or gaming use starts to interfere with your relationships, work or daily life.
Below are 10 signs that usage may negatively impacting your life:
1. You often find yourself thinking about going online.
When you wake in the morning, you’re watching TV, or you’re at dinner with friends, you find your mind constantly switches to what you ‘could’ be doing online. Wondering: ‘What’s happening on Facebook?’ ‘Has that blog been updated yet?’ ‘What could I post next?’ Online activities start to take up all of your head space.
2. You find yourself spending more and more time online.
A few years ago, you might have sat online or on games for 30 minutes to 1 hour before you felt satisfied enough to do something else. You may have checked social media once a day or even weekly. Now, 3 hours seem to go by without you even noticing, and you still crave more. You might also notice impatience with Internet speed – anything even slightly slower than what you’re used to causes you incredible frustration.
3. You go online to lift your mood or escape your problems.
You probably have a range of ‘coping strategies’ for when you’re feeling low or going through a tough time. If you are constantly turning to the Internet as your primary source of comfort, this may be a sign that you’re becoming reliant on it.
4. You feel sad, annoyed or irritable when you’re not online.
Try resisting the urge to go online or game for short periods (a couple of hours) and see how you feel. If you find yourself struggling with the absence of digital distraction AND if going back online gets rid of that sensation, it might be a sign that your use is becoming a problem.
5. You’ve lost interest in activities and hobbies that you used to like.
What things did you used to do before you spent so much time on the Internet or gaming? How much time do you spend doing these things now? Has the Internet become your sole focus? If you were a bookworm who hasn’t read a book in a year, an avid gardener whose garden is looking more like a jungle, or a budding cook who now relies on microwave meals, this might mean that the Internet has slowly begun to take over.
6. You neglect your health and sleep because of your Internet or gaming use.
Unlike alcohol or other substance use, Internet and gaming use frequently involve extended sedentary sessions sitting down, often with poor posture. If you find yourself continuing to go online despite being sleep deprived, skipping meals, or suffering back, neck or other physical problems, this strongly suggests it’s time for you to cut back.
7. You’ve lost or put at risk your relationship, job or studies because of your Internet or gaming use.
Whether you’re getting complaints from your partner, you’ve received a warning from your employer, perhaps even been fired, or your school marks have dropped significantly, putting any of these important domains in your life at risk is a strong sign that it’s time to make some changes to your use.
8. You’ve covered up or lied about your Internet or gaming use.
You can’t bear the thought of disappointing those you care about so you find yourself ‘minimising’ or flat-out deceiving them about how much you’re actually online. For example, you might say you only stayed up till 1am gaming the previous night, when you know full well you only finally crawled to bed at 4am.
9. You continue going online or gaming despite it causing problems in your relationships.
Your husband and kids may be demanding more of your attention or your friends might be fed up that you always turn down their social invitations, yet you still find yourself choosing to go online time and time again. You might find yourself constantly making excuses for your behaviour, e.g. “I’ll be off soon!”, “Everyone should be allowed time to themselves”, or “I’ll say yes next time”.
10. You desperately want to cut back your use, or you’ve already tried (and failed).
If you’re already at the point where you’ve tried (or frequently thought about) cutting back, this can be a pretty clear sign that your use is becoming difficult for you to control.
Similar to any other addictive behaviour such as gambling and alcohol use, overuse of Internet and digital technology starts to become a serious issue when it interferes with other areas of your life.
How to Access a Psychologist at CQ Psych Services:
- Contact us directly by calling 07 49726929 or email admin@cqpsychservices.com.au
- Ask your GP or health professional to refer you to our clinic.
- Come in and see our friendly staff at Shop 1 & 2, 13 Tank Street, Gladstone QLD 4680.
- Visit our website and complete a ‘Contact Us’ form and one of our friendly staff will reply to your enquiry. Website: https://cqpsychservices.com.au/
Author: Suzie Humphrey