The Web is addictive, as are the machines that allow us access it.
The Internet is the world’s largest slot machine, says Dr. David Greenfield, who has researched technology addiction since the mid-1990s. With every email check or glance at social media, we’re stoking an unconscious desire to keep our eyes online in hopes of some unknown payoff—just like gambling at a slot machine.
“By constantly pulling the lever by checking our devices the moment we get notifications, we end up activating dopamine receptors and reward pathways. We become addicted in seeing what’s on the other side of the notification or email update. It just compels the brain to keep seeking that supposed reward,” says Greenfield, founder and CEO of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction and assistant clinical professor of psychology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
This addiction to the Web can have some serious consequences. Overuse of technology has been linked to sedentary lifestyles, disruptions in sleep patterns, obesity, circulatory problems, and several mental and emotional issues.
The devices that let us access the Web exacerbate the addiction, to a degree, because of how simple it is to access any time of day or night, Greenfield says.
“I mostly see people with behavioral and social issues, where technology use has impacted work or school performance, or strained family and social relationships,” Greenfield says.
“Also, when you look at the average weight and the use of technology, you see a perfect correlation. Kids are not as active. Obesity and related conditions rise.”
The first step for figuring out if you’re using technology too much is simply to add up how much time you spend on your devices. Ironically, there’s an app for that—a few, in fact, that will track your time spent online to help you get a realistic picture of your total use.
While many people use computers for work, to manage finances and communicate with people, Greenfield says he finds people spend far more time than they realize aimlessly searching in ways that have nothing to do with work or personal goals.
People are typically amazed when they find out how much time they really spend online, Greenfield says.
“People experience disassociation and time distortion. You can’t accurately judge the passage of time when you are online. It’s similar to when people don’t monitor their food intake. They might consume many more calories than they realize,” he says.
Once a person has been diagnosed with technology addiction, the next step is a diet.
“We have them place devices so they don’t have unfettered access to them,” Greenfield says. “That means keeping it away from the bed near sleep, keeping it off of the table at dinner, and also turning off push notifications so they’re not bothered with a perceived need to be responsive.”
From there, simple behaviors can have a major impact on your use, so long as you develop more self control along with the awareness.
When you make the needed changes and adhere to them, the results are remarkable, Greenfield says.
“People see that they are literally getting their lives back,” he says. “You pay for your use with your life. When people make that connection and make the changes they need to, it’s immensely gratifying to see that progress.”
