2024-02-07 07:58:38
A study by UNAD and FEJAR shows the health consequences caused by the inappropriate use of social networks and, in general, screens. The conclusions drawn demonstrate that education is possible to avoid this problem from a gender perspective and encourage institutions to promote it.
The document from UNAD (Addiction Care Network) and FEJAR (Rehabilitated Gamblers of Chance) is called “Exploratory study on the effects on health due to overexposure to social networks (RRSS) and screens with a gender perspective.”
As stated in the report, the objective is to provide information on the physical, psychological, emotional and social consequences that people who suffer from this addiction can suffer. Also open new research opportunities to address this problem in the medium term.
a real problem
The exploratory study has been the result of a work process carried out between the months of March and November 2023.
The data collected has shown that the consequences of this overexposure go far beyond a simple addiction and address the physical, psychological and social level of young people.
Some of the most relevant figures indicate that, in the case of women, 95% suffer from self-esteem problems, 73% from anxiety, 64% from depression and up to 32% self-harm.
In men, the main consequence is anxiety (72%), lack of concentration (70%), low self-esteem (67%), depression (37%) and, finally, self-harm (7%).
Physical consequences
The most common physical problems due to this overexposure have been detected in both men and women.
Thus, the most common may be sleep disorders generated by the number of hours in front of the screen, followed by postural problems and muscle and vision problems.
“This is a problem that worries me personally and that worries my students a lot, the feeling that you can’t focus your attention,” explains a research professional in the responses to the study.
On the other hand, a very recurring theme is the increase in anxiety episodes or eating disorders associated with the use of social networks, especially among young women.
Vision problems are some of the most significant physical consequences of screen addiction. EFE/ Andreu Dalmau
Psychological consequences
According to this addiction study, various psychological consequences of overexposure to screens have been detected. However, one of the most worrying is that of the social level and the relationships of the youngest.
In both men and women, especially in adolescence, it is very common to feel a concern about being “accepted.” Social networks, as exposed in the study of addictions, have changed the paradigm of all this.
Furthermore, following well-known people recommended to us by our algorithm can be exhausting for our minds and alter the health of those who consume the content they publish to “imitate” them.
Social consequences
One of the most notable social consequences of the continued and prolonged use of networks and screens over time is the creation of bubbles that generate great polarization.
“The people you follow on your Twitter (now “resonance chambers where you are continually hearing the same message repeated, because that chamber brings you together with people similar to you. More homogeneous (…),” explains a professional with expertise in the use of screens.
In addition, the phenomenon known as “infoxication” also occurs, that is, always being exposed to excessive information that is not completely reliable or always verified.
Finally, self-perception and bullying are also very relevant issues with great consequences derived from the use of social networks.
What is problematic use?
Perhaps it is difficult for us to identify when the use of networks and screens is or can become problematic.
To this end, professionals in the ONE D y FIX In the study of addictions, they expose a series of indicators to detect them:
- Need for immediacy. A need to obtain an immediate response can generate a dependency in the user.
- Difficulty or lack of control of one’s own and other people’s content. This point is oriented towards families. Young people who have “supervision” are found to have a lower risk of developing problematic use.
- Lack of hours in front of screens. One of the aspects that is most emphasized is the need to establish a schedule to use the screens.
- Lack of real disconnection. As we are always accompanied by our smart devices, many times we do not completely disconnect from them. That is why the time we dedicate to rest is so important.
- Age at exposure to screens. The younger the people who use the networks, the greater the danger of addiction to them. It is good that adults protect them and only consume content adapted to their age.
The younger the age, the greater the possibility of addiction to screens. EFE/ JM García
Addiction study: conclusions
Derived from the study of addictions, we find various relevant conclusions to be able to take action in time and avoid, as far as possible, addictions to networks and screens.
Some of the proposals are:
- Promote respectful and open intergenerational discourse: Interventions in schools and institutes are those that demand the greatest intervention actions. If families are included in them, intergenerational dialogue will be encouraged.
- Disseminate inclusive, ethical and respectful content: If we take care of the language and messages that reach young people with a presence on the social networks and avoid sending messages of hate, we will be preventing them from internalizing this and circulating harmful messages that they later consume.
- Work along the lines of non-pathologizing discourse: Although it is an almost general idea among professionals not to pathologize this addiction, it is a very widespread concept to consider the issue as an addiction.
- It is not an individual problem: On an individual basis, it is true that there may be a tendency or predisposition to develop behaviors derived from low impulse control. However, these harmful effects of the use of social networks and screens cannot be treated as an individual problem, but must be addressed as a whole in its specific context.
- Train in a gender perspective and reinforce the idea that we cannot educate if it is not in this way: It is essential that professional teams have lines of intervention with a gender perspective. Thus, both individual and group treatments may allow us to delve deeper into causes and consequences linked to gender.
- Promote differentiated interventions and treatments: Many of the organizations consulted did not treat men and women separately in this type of addiction. However, it is essential that entities begin to design intervention and prevention actions in separate groups of men and women.
- Allocate more resources to research: Among the people surveyed, there is a general opinion that it is necessary to send more resources to research.
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