Reacting to “emails” and messages on multiple platforms, posting and reacting to photos, videos and comments on various social networks represent a stimulus that precedes a situation of digital addiction, warns a study published on Tuesday.
“While the quantitative findings do not present a dramatic picture, they support a scenario of serious concern about a variety of technological incentives that increase the alienation of physical life in favor of digital life,” warns the study, which will be presented on Tuesday. in Lisbon.
The study, which aimed to identify addictive behavior associated with the use of the Internet and social networks, is part of the research project “Scroll, Logo Existo”, funded by the Science and Technology Foundation in partnership with the Institute of Addictive Behaviors and Social Networks. The Dependances, which surveyed 1,704 nationals over the age of 16 to examine screen use and addictive behaviors, with data collection and processing taking place between September 2022 and October 2023.
“Being concerned about what’s going on online and trying to be online regularly” was a behavior reported by 63.9% of respondents, while 41.3% reported the same concern when using social media and trying to be online regularly. networks,” the study states.
In general, young people (25 to 34 years old) are more concerned about what is happening on the Internet and social networks and try to spend more time online.
“However, it turned out that the third age group that is most concerned about what is happening on social networks and strives to be regularly online are people aged 65 years and older,” the study emphasizes.
According to the investigation, 43.5% of respondents claim that they have already used the Internet “as a form of ‘escape’ or to alleviate their psychological state (guilt, anxiety, disappointment, powerlessness, sadness, depression),” and about 40.1% report that resorted to using social networks for the same purpose.
More than a quarter of participants admitted to feeling “irritable and anxious” when technological equipment or lack of internet prevents them from accessing their online life (28.5%), and about a fifth said they feel the same when technological equipment or lack of internet prevents them from accessing social media (20.4%), the study said, adding that these sentiments are expressed more by young people (24 years and below), followed by the 25 to 24 age group.
The results of the study also show that 20.8% of respondents reported that they had already experienced the situation of losing track of time and the inability to disconnect on the Internet, and 17.5% on social networks, while 14.3% said that they had made fruitless attempts to control the situation . , reduce or stop using the Internet and 9.6% of social networks.
Finally, 3% of respondents said they had jeopardized or risked ending relationships, jobs or opportunities because of the Internet, and 2.9% because of social media.
Of the 1,704 people who took part in the study, one in 100 depended on the Internet and social networks.
“Nowadays, the Internet and social media have become essential needs, and gradually they increase technological addiction, which is reflected in behavioral addiction, which gives rise to situations of mood changes, anxiety, isolation, tolerance and relapse, causing more anxiety to those who (even for a moment ) more vulnerable or experiencing associated emotional immaturity,” changes that cut across all ages, genders, employment status, marital status, educational level and income, the study highlights.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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