The Official College of Psychologists of Madrid warns us about addictions derived from the use of technology.
Technology addiction is a type of contemporary behavioral addiction characterized by the pathological use of technological tools such as smartphones, televisions and computers.
The technological tools we use on a daily basis can be divided into online and offline tools, depending on whether or not they allow us to surf the Internet. This distinction is important because there are online and offline technology addicts, with different characteristics and different risks.
One of the most widespread forms of technology addiction is online addiction, also known as Internet addiction.
The term was first coined by American psychiatrist Ivan Goldberg in 1995, and is described in terms of the symptoms and changes in the addict's psyche.
How do we recognize technology addiction?
It is not so easy to recognize a healthy use of technology from actual pathology.
However, we can list some symptoms that should alert us:
Many hours a day spent watching TV or on the PC.
Problems with insomnia and nighttime TV and computer use, problems waking up in the morning.
No or very little physical activity.
Lack of pleasure in social relationships, difficulty attending events outside the home.
Anger and irritability when technology is not used.
Disinterest and apathy towards other types of activities.
Misuse of technology causes severe isolation, compromising social relationships and creating psychological problems. The person with technology addiction problems lives in a world increasingly removed from the real world, linked to the virtual world, whether it is television or the Internet.
