Internet addiction, which has been increasing in recent years, seems to be a candidate to become the disease of the century. Especially with the pandemic process, the internet has become indispensable for people. The world has rapidly transitioned to a completely new system. In this process, workplaces, work areas, schools, shopping malls, markets, restaurants are now in front of the screen and the internet is in every moment of our lives. After the pandemic process, the new world order awaits us. The world looks like it will never be the same place. It is necessary to adapt to this new system. So, what kind of threats other than the virus await people in this new order? Internet addiction is one of these threats. While the internet enabled life to continue in some way during the pandemic, it also created a new field of addiction at a level that cigarette, alcohol and substance addictions cannot compete with.
The definition of needs changed during this period. Internet has become a basic need, competing with water and air. People are afraid of not having an internet connection, they become uneasy if Wi-Fi does not work or they cannot access the internet. The time spent on the internet, which is not limited to work, school and shopping, has turned humans into techno-social rather than social beings. Family members living in the same house started talking to each other on WhatsApp groups, even in the same place. Addiction found a cover for itself with the pandemic, and the first dose seemed like a very savior. But the momentum of this work is increasing. The hours of the day got mixed up, day and night changed places in most homes, the concept of working hours began to disappear when work moved home, and this caused the time spent with the family to disappear. Everyone is at home together, but no one is there. We have turned into clusters of people who are together but far away but not there. The pandemic has created a new race of people walking around the house with phones, tablets and computers in their hands. Do you think this order will change when the pandemic is over?
Thanks to the Internet, nowadays we can access the information we want instantly. In fact, when you think about it, this situation, which brings knowledge and distances closer and brings great convenience, also shakes the values that make people human. The time spent in front of the screen took up almost all the time outside of bedtime. Yes, it's been a tough time. We are going through a difficult time, but the pandemic is not the only problem of this period. Internet, the savior of today, poisons people when used too much, just like excess of everything does. Internet and technology use increases over time and invades life as more time is spent in front of the screen. As a result, after a certain point, a person begins to understand that things are going wrong, that there is an abnormality in his situation, that he cannot do his routine work, that he is wasting time, but he cannot stop himself. This is where addiction begins to emerge. This situation can lead to loss of enjoyment of life and burnout after a while. The internet, which distracts and distracts from problems in the short term, may be the very problem in the long term. Situations that the human brain normally perceives as rewards, such as the other person smiling at us or talking to friends, are no longer perceived as rewards. These people, who get away from real life and confine themselves to their phones and computers, only enjoy being in the virtual environment. However, this virtual pleasure only takes you so far. After a while, it consumes.
While children stay at home to stay safe during the pandemic, their closest friend, the internet, which includes the school, also poses a threat. Children acquire a fake identity, socialize in the virtual world and play games virtually. As a result, lying begins to appear to the child as a natural phenomenon. Individuals who do not accept themselves as they are, present themselves the way they imagine, and become increasingly distant from themselves begin to emerge. Social networks offer people the option of becoming a "new me". Additionally, this new identity created can be changed at any time. If things go wrong, you receive negative criticism, or you are not popular, you can immediately adopt a different identity. This situation eliminates human qualities such as being responsible for our own words and behavior and trying to correct the mistakes we make when establishing relationships in normal life. Friendships and relationships are disposable, people who do not take responsibility and lie very easily, and fake selves... This situation causes people to become more and more distant from themselves over time, alienated from humanity, and unable to be truly happy.
If technology is used as a tool to achieve our goal if necessary, it makes our lives easier, but if we put technology as a goal at the center of our lives, not as a tool, it restricts our lives and makes us dependent on it. We will bring it. Internet/technology addiction had become an increasingly important addiction area before the pandemic. Although it is not currently on the agenda with the pandemic, it seems to be a problem area that we will hear about more often in the future. Therefore, let's pay attention to this danger at home and try to limit the time we and our children spend in front of the screen as much as possible and create time periods to spend with the family. There is a vaccine for Covid-19, but it seems unlikely to find a vaccine for internet addiction.
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