In the last quarter century, communication and communication tools have developed at a pace that challenges the human mind and lifestyle. At the point we have reached today; Places that could be considered the other end of the world have become closer to us than the other room of our house. The proliferation of television channels; The development of computers, tablets and mobile phones, the spread of the internet, the diversification of communication and social media environments and the instant flow of information and news from everywhere; Whether it is beneficial or not, it has made some people curious about everything at all times. Watching TV, being busy with the computer, surfing the internet, chatting on the internet, sending e-mails, sending messages, commenting, talking on the phone, playing games on the phone or computer, watching movies on the phone, listening to music, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Behaviors such as navigating in environments etc. have become a part of our daily lives.
Underdeveloped and developing countries cannot produce original, expensive and high-tech products (for example, airplanes, medical devices, medicines, smartphones, computer software, etc.)
/strong> and remains a permanent market of developed countries. Smartphone and internet addiction is a growing problem not only in our country but all over the world. Like our country, experiencing migration, urbanization and industrialization problems; Young generations of countries with very different social, cultural and economic segments of society are watching with curiosity and rapidly consuming the products of technological developments in the field of informatics with different motivations.
Technological developments have made human life easier and provided countless benefits to people. However, losing control over one's use of technology can cause serious harm. Rapid developments in the field of communication have rapidly affected people who are prone to addiction psychologically and have led to some psychosocial problems specific to the age we live in. Some of the leading problems are;
- Using virtual world data for no purpose
- Wasting time,
- Accepting everything you read, hear or see on television or on the internet as true
- Playing games or gambling in the virtual world
- Falling in love with virtual people
- Go Exposing their relationship in the virtual environment and causing family crises,
- Committing a crime in the virtual environment
- Committing a crime by being influenced by the virtual environment
- Weird behavior with the passion to be recognized and famous display
- Having difficulty avoiding face-to-face communication
- Being a brand enthusiast
etc.
When we say addiction, we immediately think of things like cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. However, when we look at it from a mental health perspective, there are many more types of addictions, for example; computer, television, phone, tablet, car, motorcycle, gambling, games of chance, some sexual behaviors, eating and drinking, shopping addiction, etc. The issue of being dependent on people close to us such as spouses, lovers, friends, children, mothers and fathers is a problem with other dimensions...
Definition: If we look at the field related to our subject; We call technology addiction when a person spends too much time with technological devices to a level that negatively affects their physical and mental health. Even if the addict wants to stay away from the technological device, he cannot restrain himself and picks up the TV remote or the phone again. The limit of satisfaction with these increases over time, and the person thinks that he will never be able to continue his daily life without the device he is addicted to, and everything will seem empty and meaningless to him. Therefore, when he is without it, he shows withdrawal symptoms such as searching behavior, feeling of distress, anxiety, irritability, and inability to sleep. As soon as he wakes up in the morning or comes home or work, his hand is on his phone, computer button or television remote control.
Symptoms of addiction: The addicted person says, "I'll look at something for a few minutes," but spends hours. When he encounters people who he thinks will scold or criticize him, he lies about the time he spends in front of the screen and says, "I had just opened it, you just arrived." He stays in front of the computer until late at night, neglects his wife and children if he is married, cannot get up early in the morning, and therefore begins to experience a series of problems during the day, for example being late for school or work. Communication problems within the family and at school, decrease in social activities; Decrease in relations with relatives, friends and neighbors, decrease in school success, not using time in a planned manner Due to this, inability to complete compulsory tasks and procrastination are observed. Insults, swearing, sexuality, etc. that do not suit his known identity. He uses a fake account when researching or writing about topics that he thinks may cause legal trouble. While it is possible to talk to people face to face, they prefer to communicate over the internet or via text message. He/she skips meals, skips classes, misses appointments, or neglects mandatory visits to go online. Sometimes experiences simultaneous opposing emotions; For example, while he feels guilty for spending too much time in front of the computer, he also feels great pleasure from being on the internet. The person comes and goes between these emotions. When he is away from his computer or phone, he feels tense and empty. Redness and burning occurs in the person's eyes. He/she may complain of complaints such as head, neck, shoulder and waist pain due to sitting in the same position for a long time, numbness or pain in the hands and fingers, swelling in the feet, vein occlusion in the legs, sleep disorder, malnutrition, weakness, forgetfulness and distraction.
Preventing the development of addiction: Studies to prevent the development of addiction can be achieved with long-term programs and the cooperation of state institutions, municipalities, press and non-governmental organizations. It is difficult for families to achieve complete success through their own efforts alone. If we list the things that need to be done;
Each member of the society should be equipped with accurate and sufficient information about technology addiction. It is necessary to give accurate and sufficient information, especially to the younger generations, about how to use the internet and technology in a healthy way, to direct them to read books and magazines on the subject, to introduce them to people from whom they can get information, and to ensure that the information acquired is applicable in daily life. People should be encouraged to use the internet not only to spend time or have fun, but also to use it for a specific purpose. You should be advised not to harm anyone or break the law while using it, and issues such as what consequences will occur if you get into trouble with the law should be discussed frequently.
Some people use it as a place to escape from troubles and have fun. He chooses to surf the internet or watch television. In the settlements, many free excursion, play and occupation areas should be provided for children and young people, according to the characteristics and needs of each season. Priorities have changed in urban structuring in most provinces and districts, housing and workplaces have been built intensively, and playgrounds for children and young people have decreased to an incredible extent. As a result of this; Neighborhood culture has changed, people do not know and trust each other even in the same building, and children and young people have difficulty in draining their energy, expressing themselves and socializing. Playgrounds, albeit insufficient, have been built in site-style constructions, but not everyone has the economic power to live in the sites. Whether you live in an apartment or an independent house, especially families at risk; TV, computer, tablet, internet etc. Efforts should not be made to create a home order centered on technological products, where technological devices draw excessive attention and their importance is emphasized.
Parents should support their children's friendship relations and plan activities that will bring their friends together. Children should be encouraged to meet their friends face-to-face in natural ways, and socialization within peer groups should be ensured. Information should also be obtained about the child's friends in the virtual environment.
Care should be taken to ensure that there are safe internet applications on the computers and phones used. Children should not be allowed to use the internet uncontrolled and for long periods of time. According to the age group and needs of the children (listening to lessons, research, communication, watching videos, etc.), a common rule should be determined in the family regarding the upper limit of daily TV watching and internet usage time.
From the age of two It is not appropriate to leave young children alone in front of a phone, TV or computer. In order to make children happy or reduce their frustration, they should not buy tablets or smartphones as toys, and they should not make them sit in front of the TV for hours. Food, tea and fruit should not be served to the child in front of the computer, and he/she should be asked to leave the computer and join other members of the family during eating and drinking time.
Children should be directed to sports branches that suit their abilities and interests. Whether played on the internet or elsewhere, all games of chance played with winning or losing rules carry the risk of addiction. Therefore, the awareness of both families and children should be raised on this issue.
The potential for addiction arising from the family structure should be reviewed. If someone in the family has any addiction, depression, social phobia or other psychopathologies, this person's risk of becoming an internet addict is higher than other people in the family. Young people, whose personality traits are introverted, unable to express themselves, have impulsive behavior and are addicted to their circle of friends, have a higher risk of becoming an internet addict.
Parents, other elders in the family, managers, artists, teachers and the society. People who appear to be prominent should be examples to children and young people with their positive behavior. Family members and teachers should follow the practices taught and advised.
Treatment of addicted people: It is difficult for adults who are addicted to technological products such as TV, telephone and internet to comply with the treatment recommendations, because they are exposed to technological devices. They do not see spending too much time as a problem that they need to get rid of, and most of them are disturbed by warnings in this direction. If a person has developed an internet, TV or phone addiction and if he/she tries to get rid of it and his relatives try to get rid of it, this person's level of benefiting from psychiatric support increases. He needs to share it with his members and relatives, ask for their support, and learn what he can do about this problem. People who think that someone close to them has such a problem may benefit from the suggestions listed below:
Depression in children or adults, obsessive compulsive disorder, impulse control disorder, adjustment disorder, anxiety disorder, social phobia, shy personality structure, borderline personality structure. If there are psychiatric conditions such as these, these clinical conditions should be treated first. Self-knowledge for these people, awareness of their weaknesses and strengths, and revealing
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