New and unknown illnesses and diseases will emerge, in psycho-medical terms.

The technization of communication reinforces the alienation from wo-men to wo-men, and from nature. Analog competencies in communication are undervalued, and people will be digitally condioned to communicate via information machines. This is an exponential trend and carries great pathologies for the cohesion of human societies on all levels.

Technology shortens time indeed, and for a while I have been enthusiastic about the possibility of having in few seconds the same educational experience that few years ago requested so much time and efforts. Social interaction also, even if we know the negative consequences of the utilisation of the social networks, with technology conquered great opportunities .

The problem is that younger seems become tolerant to the pleasurable effect to have these things easily. The most frequent "side effects" is a sort of hunger of more and more pleasurable sensactions concerning " relatedness" and " power"and a lack of interest regarding real interactions, more risky and tiring. I dont think there is a general solution because everyone can develop a tolerance to such a pleasurable effect of a particular " technological pleausure" . We have to keep on mind that "shorten time" can give problems sometime, and that younger are more prone to " technological" side effects.

Totally agree with Stephen I. Ternyik and Giovanni Portuesi , many thanks for your opinions

The addiction to technology and related things are increasing day-by-day!

In my opinion, it is a mental disease nowadays, usually known as the "FOMO- Fear Of Missing Out"!

It is a condition where an individual is afraid of missing on new techniques and technological avenues.

You might have heard or read in the newspapers these days, there are celebrities who are challenging people to do "ludicrous" things, such as, the very common one, "THE KIKI CHALLENGE".

I mean, why on Earth would people try it? What is so special about it? :/

I don't find anything relevant or rational about it. But people do take up such challenges, so that they do not miss out on anything!

Regards,

As a researcher I am glad for all the benefits technology has brought to scientific research. As a private person and parent, I see many issues I dislike about it, especilly in social life and social akills development among young people.

I totally agree with you dear Mirna Leko Šimić , we are reaching a very dangerous point for children and adolescents, we should start to better control this problem , thanks for you opinion

When was the last time you enjoyed counting the stars in a clear sky?😊

This takes me to the " Power of Now and Here" . Nowadays; time seems flying because we are absent from the present or the place. Most people are worried about a future that does not exist. The new technology and devices make us absent from the place. We are not here; so we are absent and like "dead" . We used to watch movies with friends and neighbors in theaters . After that; came TV and we watched it with family members only. And now we are all alone with the SMARTPHONE. Everything is virtual as we are completely absent from our environment. Again; when was the last time you counted the stars in the sky or watched your children playing. I think humanity needs to have a smartphone -free day.

Popularity of technology, mobile phones and videogame across the globe has become second to none. Children running and gunning for latest videogame, youth monitoring the lunch of a new mobile phone and adults keeping tab on new technology. Waste of time, laziness, immoral, fraudulent act, unnecessary spending are all products of social networking and technology. Something has to be done. Children need to be adequately briefed of the impending doom of wrong use of technology before the children are exposed to the society.

I would consider that a new type of communication is spreading.

Always there are misuse, always there is a "correct" way to use. it is not really so clear what is digital and what is fisic. Same I woul say abou what is a game and what is reality.

I mean, shall we also consider that a whole new culture is coming. Can you figure out what culture of communication will be in 50 years? Can we still tell what is disorder and what is not, regarding these issues?

It is just suggestion from my experiences.

I agree with colleague Sahar Qazi.

This is the new disease of the 21st century. Kids these days are more or less born holding a cell phone and they just cannot let go. They have not been taught an alternative. The cell phones or other technologies become the youngster's "remote brain" and they tend to lose their brain capabilities to think or even solve a simple problem because they can look for answers for any old stupid question on the net. This is a global problem and something can be done at the school level to stop this addiction from setting on. It is heartening to hear that France has banned cell phone use in class rooms to those 15 and under and now it has banned bringing cell phones into the school campus. This does not mean that the problem will go away but it may curb some. This is a step in the right direction.

Many thanks for your opinion dear Srini Vasan

I think who r somehow far from nature or some daily routines r addicted to technology more but those who are happy with their objectives or aim - only use this technology fr their work.

A very important and interesting exchange of opinions

all families suffer from this problem.. all the kids are technology addiction.

thanks for your comments and recommendations

Dear Catia, I know many young people who are "retiring from the urban world". They like to live a more meaningful life as if they are living in the ashram of Mahatma Gandhi. The consequences of course in this ashram live are the absence of social media. But the majority of young people are still living in smart and big cities. I have heard a debate that this time is super for our brain. It enjoys the enormous amount of stimuli. That could mean that a clear-cut answer is not yet available. My opinion is that social media use is insane. Everyday when I am bicycling I observe many people on their bicycle reading social media messages. I observed once a couple and a child. This couple occupied themselves with their mobile phones. They were waiting for a tram. The child got on the tram and this couple missed the tram and watched their child moving away. This is I agree just a temporary answer. All the best, Carl

I think people will have less and less ability to think. I was reading that the brain is affected negatively to become narrower in thinking.

Thanks dear Zin Eddine Dadach for your comment

Technology is a two-edged sword. We must, as researchers and parents maximise the favourable and minimise the unfavourable.

Many thanks dear Anastas Ivanov Ivanov for your important and interesting comment

Good question Catia

I agree totally with what Ivanov mentioned.

Due to addiction to cellphones and video games people are feeling lonely.

In these type of addiction they don't talk with their family members and are afraid of loneliness...

Many people are joining introspection camps because of this feeling where cellphones and other gadgets are not allowed for few days. After joining these camps they feel relaxed. You can call these camps as rehabilitation camps.

It is a de-facto, we can decrease its bad effects but, unfortunately, we can not totally overcome it.

I personally do not subscribe to the blanket view of so called, 'technology addiction'. If you consider the matter within the anthropological context, homosapians have been adopting, adapting and evolving through technological change over the milenia. Humans did not become addicted to fire, we first sought to understand it through no doubt a whole process of experimentation, we then progressively perfected the technology known as fire and then adapted that tool and knowledge to advance humanity.

The whole idea of modern technology possible wreaking havoc on young minds I believe is a nonsense; it is just the next step in human evolution.

I do not consider digital activities as an addiction. SUD's are addictions as they create organic brain d/o that over time becomes more persisting. Via PET scans their influence in the brain are more profound. I regard excessive digital use more as a obsession-compulsion. It provides an illusion of object constancy, omnipresence and omniscience. I have just submitted an article for publication on Brain Blogger which the digital self as an emerging split-object representation.

Great topic!

Rich

Yes, definitely problem that is increasing over the addiction to technology, telephones, video games especially for school children as well as College students.

@Richard Kensinger. i Agree with you that smartphone can be a problemi because they give you an illusion of object constancy, omnipresence and omniscience. But I think that they can be a real addiction, because they give you the illusion to reach a pleasure without dealing with reality, and they can become preferred to others natural and evolutionary important pleasures.

Giovanni, I remain open to this possibility. Much of my clinical experience is based of PET scans of those actively under SUD influence.

Thanks much for your insight,

Rich@Giovanni Portuesi

@Richard Kensinger . Actually, there is a common feature betwen OCD and addiction disorders: the compulsion. The OCD patient is compelled to perform his rituals in order to avoid unbearable anxiety ( in the traditional description, even it is an anxiety not respnding to bdz), while in the addiction disorders patient there is a sort of compulsion to some pleasurable behaviour also in order to avoid....What? This is an important question, in my view.

Giovanni Portuesi

You make a great point. One of the clinical indicators of SUD diagnosis is CSSB which indicates compulsive substance seeking behavior. It is an end state consequence of the "initiation" process.

Thanks,

Rich

With the latest fad of technology and youth even with the younger children should be a time limited monitored system,

In my opinion. Because too many children as young as 10 are mow having mental and emotional issues as a result. As well as children as young as 10 committing suicide of those having access to the latest technology and not having some form of time limits or monitored time with such devices.

Theirs been an increase in children who have access to the latest technology that are now developing symptoms of depression.

This is devestating and need to become a PUBLIC AWARENESS MATTER before it becomes any worse than it has already gotten.

Parents need to wake up and pay more attention to what is going on before the unimaginable happens with their child.