The Silent Walk: A Lost Opportunity for Connection and Well-being
In the photograph above, five young individuals walk in a line, each engrossed in their mobile devices. This seemingly mundane image is a powerful reflection of a deeper societal issue. The scene portrays a lost opportunity for genuine human interaction, physical health, and the appreciation of the natural world around them.
Lack of Social Interaction
One of the most striking aspects of the photograph is the absence of communication among the group. Despite being physically close to one another, each person is isolated in their digital world. The art of conversation, sharing thoughts, and building meaningful relationships is being replaced by the solitary engagement with screens. This lack of interaction can lead to feelings of loneliness and social disconnection, contributing to mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression.
Physical Health Concerns
The sedentary lifestyle promoted by excessive screen time is evident in the image. The group walks slowly, heads bowed, with minimal physical engagement. This behavior can contribute to weight gain and other health issues such as poor posture and decreased cardiovascular fitness. Regular physical activity is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight and overall well-being, yet the distraction of mobile devices takes precedence over the opportunity for exercise.
Missed Connection with Nature
Surrounding the group is a beautiful natural setting, with lush green trees and vibrant flowers. However, this natural beauty goes unnoticed by the youths, whose focus remains on their screens. Engaging with nature has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance cognitive function (Bratman et al., 2019). By ignoring their surroundings, they miss the chance to experience these benefits and to develop a deeper appreciation for the environment.
Addiction to Digital Engagement
The photograph also highlights the addictive nature of mobile applications. The constant need to check notifications, engage in social media, or play games indicates a dependency that overrides the immediate reality. This addiction can lead to a range of negative outcomes, including decreased academic performance, disrupted sleep patterns, and diminished life satisfaction.
The Digital Epidemic: Addressing the Mental Health Crisis Among Youth Through Legislative Action
The mental health crisis among youth today has reached epidemic proportions. One of the significant contributing factors is the pervasive use of mobile applications that have replaced natural social interactions and physical activities. These apps create an unrealistic fantasy world, leading to a higher demand for dopamine release, which fosters addiction. This article examines the impact of mobile application usage on youth mental health and advocates for legislative action to ban their use by individuals under the age of eighteen.
The Mental Health Crisis
Recent statistics paint a troubling picture of the state of mental health among young people. According to the World Health Organization (2021), one in seven adolescents aged 10-19 experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group. Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, psychosis, suicide and self-harm, risk-taking, and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents (WHO, 2021).
The Role of Mobile Applications
Mobile applications, particularly social media, and gaming apps, have become ubiquitous in the lives of young people. While these platforms offer some benefits, their overuse has been linked to significant mental health challenges. Research indicates that excessive use of these applications is associated with increased rates of anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality (Twenge & Campbell, 2018).
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The Biological Mechanisms
The addictive nature of mobile applications can be explained by the brain's reward system. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, plays a crucial role in this process. Mobile applications are designed to maximize user engagement through features such as notifications, likes, and rewards, which trigger dopamine release (Montag et al., 2019). Over time, the brain develops an expectancy for this high rate of dopamine release, leading to addiction and further mental health issues (Volkow, 2020).
Getting My-E-Health Support
The My-E-Health ecosystem provides many psychometric measures and self-help tools to address these challenges. Fully integrated with Garmin wearables snapshots of physical activity, sleep, body battery and much more can provide excellent guidance in motivating movement. Combining this with many of the psychometric measures a holistic approach to engaging wellness can be identified (Michelsen, 2021 & 2022).
The Need for Legislative Action
To address this growing crisis, it is imperative to consider legislative measures that restrict the use of addictive mobile applications by individuals under eighteen. Such legislation could include:
?References
Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., Hahn, K. S., Daily, G. C., & Gross, J. J. (2019). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567-8572. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1510459112
Michelsen C, Kjellgren A. Effectiveness of Online Psychotherapy to Treat and Prevent Burnout: Controlled Trial. JMIR Form Res. 2022 Jun 27. PMID: https://dx.doi.org/10.2196/39129802001?
Michelsen, C. (2021) Empowerment for Participation: Measuring Motivation, Stress, Defense Routines and Engagement. Psychology, 12, 511-535. https://Doi: 10.4236/psych.2021.124032.
Montag, C., Lachmann, B., Herrlich, M., & Zweig, K. (2019). Addictive features of social media/messenger platforms and freemium games against the background of psychological and economic theories. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(14), 2612. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16142612
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018). Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271-283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003
Volkow, N. D. (2020). Collision of the COVID-19 and addiction epidemics. Annals of Internal Medicine, 173(1), 61-62. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-1212
??Member Engagement Worcestershire &Warwickshire Co-op??Independent Modern Celebrant ??Author of 'Healthy Ambition' out 2026????LLB Law Final Year??Business Growth Specialist ??"You'll find me where the cats are !"???
5 个月This is a wonderful article Clive Michelsen, it is a great sadness to me that people are losing the human to human connection. I can honestly say I love to disconnect from time to time, it is such a valuable habit to form. Hope you and the team are all keeping well ??
Co-founder & Partner at Decision Dynamics AB
6 个月These digital bubbles are to a large extent bad for both our mental health and our societies. A big challenge is finding out how to build on the value that this digital revolution contributes, while avoiding the destructive human sides that accompany it. ?? ?? ??