With a world of information at our fingertips, it’s hard to imagine life without the internet. University, for example, would be far more time-consuming if I had always needed to scour the library for the information I required or hand-write my essays, rather than simply using Google Scholar and typing them out. Generations have managed before us, so do we have an unhealthy attachment to our devices? I can’t remember the last day I spent without looking at my phone. Using the internet undoubtedly makes life much more straightforward, but can it do more harm than good?
Affecting around 6% of the world’s population, internet addiction is an inability to resist the urge to use the internet, leading to negative impacts on an individual’s well-being and aspects of their social, academic, and professional life. Additionally, too much internet exposure can adversely affect an individual’s physical health. While issues of eye strain and sleep disruption due to blue light are somewhat well-documented, the potential neuropsychological effects are alarming.
Studies have shown that internet addiction can change the structure of the brain, particularly a region called the frontal lobe, which is essential for higher brain functions such as thought and memory. When altered in this way, the frontal lobe demonstrates a reduced ability to filter out irrelevant information and cope with challenging tasks. Furthermore, constantly stimulating our minds with information is more exhausting than we realise, a phenomenon recently described as social media fatigue. This psychological exhaustion is associated with increased stress and sensory overload.
Earlier this year, a UCL study examined the brains of adolescent individuals suffering from internet addiction. They found a decrease in connectivity in brain areas involved in active thinking and a mix of higher and lower activity in brain areas activated during rest. These changes were linked to addictive behaviours and problems with intellectual ability and physical coordination.
Internet addiction is a severe issue, and it’s vital to raise more awareness about its detrimental impacts, particularly among young people. Internet usage is so ingrained into modern society that it’s impossible to completely disconnect from it. However, internet usage does not have to equal internet addiction. By allowing ourselves to have screen-free evenings or mealtimes, reading physical books instead of digitised copies and charging phones in another room, we can cultivate a healthier balance with technology.
Illustration via Madeleine Boyd