Over the past 30 years, the impact of technology on the day to day lives and interactions of humans has drastically increased. Technology for many is now a way of life and is an inseparable part of them.

Ever since the release of the Windows operating system, as well as the release of the first iPhone in 2006, technology has played a progressively pivotal role in our lives. In the intervening years, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of technology has nothing but meteorically taken off. Now everything from jobs, to education and meetings are held through a handful of video conference platforms. Technology has impacted everyone immensely.

However, the group it has impacted the most is teenagers. Teenage years are a very precarious and sensitive part of a young adult’s life. Teenagers face hormonal changes, parental pressures, school stress and now the added stress that technology brings to them. Technology has impacted the physical health of students, their mental health, and their day-to-day lives and interactions.

Social media has had a huge psychological impact on teenagers, as it leads to unrealistic standards, cyber-bullying and social pressure

Almost every teenager has heard this phrase being religiously preached to them by their parents, “Don’t use the phone too much, you will ruin your eyesight.” I have heard this phrase more times than I can recall. In fact, our parents aren’t wrong, but it is more complex than that.

According to Dr Richard Shugarman from the University of Miami, “There is no research that shows constant technology use causes any permanent vision damage. But staring at bright screens for hours on end can breed smaller-scale problems.”

He goes on to state that some of the problems caused by prolonged contact with a screen include dry eyes, sensations of discomfort around the eyes, eye strain, and tension headaches. The use of technology is not only limited and confined to hindering eyesight, but it also engenders other problems, including laziness and neck problems.

Many of us, especially in the era of Covid-19, spend hours on binge watching our favourite shows, whether it is on YouTube or Netflix. Nowadays, teenagers spend the bulk of their time slouching on couches and lounging on beds, instead of leading an active and sporty lifestyle. Along with instigating heart problems and diabetes, laziness may also adversely impact mental health.

Lastly, due to the way we view our phone, it adds extra weight for our neck muscles to carry. This is dubbed as “text neck” and its ramifications include neck pain, soreness and muscle spasms. Therefore, technology has had an adverse impact on the lives of teenagers, hindering eyesight, promoting laziness and provoking health problems.

Technology has had a massive impact on the mental health of teenagers, and most of the blame can be attributed to the sole factor of social media. Social media has had a huge psychological impact on teenagers, as it leads to unrealistic standards, cyber-bullying and social pressure. Social media, with all the connectivity benefits it boasts, still has a dark and murky side.

Multiple researches have indicated that the excessive use of social media results in mental health impairments, anxiety, depression and loneliness. Additionally, multiple surveys conducted have highlighted that many teenagers experienced suicidal thoughts and wanted to inflict harm upon themselves due to the overwhelming influence of social media.

Social media can make many teenagers feel that they are inadequate or simply not good enough, whether that is in terms of looks, personality or intelligence. Social media and technology have spurred ‘FOMO’ or a ‘fear of missing out’. Imagine seeing all your friends post about their excursion to the beach and you are not invited. The feeling you experience is one of being excluded. FOMO can lead to an addiction, like attraction to the phone and jeopardise relations between friends and family.

Other adverse elements of social media include stalking, harassment, isolation and self-absorption. Another element that can have an effect on the mental health of teenagers is video games. When I refer to video games, I do not refer to Mario Kart and games which follow parental guidelines. Instead, I am referring to violent and inappropriate games.

Several researches indicate that these games corrupt the minds of teenagers because they promote and preach violence. However, this subject is still heavily debated in the gaming and parental communities. An amalgamation of these factors can induce depression and anxiety, which can hamper and annihilate the lives of teenagers.

Apart from the impact on the psychological health and physical health of students, technology has had a massive impact on the daily lives of teenagers. In the current world that we reside in, we cannot receive an education without employing the aid of technology. Technology has become an inseparable part of our daily lives, without which there would be great inconvenience and hardship.

A teenager’s lives revolve around the pedestal of technology, from the internet to social media to video games and so forth. A study published by the Washington Post has found that the average American teenager has an approximate screen time of seven hours and 22 minutes. This is excluding screen time spent on homework, and virtual school. Moreover, technology has stimulated the minds of teenagers to such an extent that many are not able to consume a meal without interacting with it.

Over the presuming decades, the reliance on technology has skyrocketed, to the point that now we cannot live a life in the absence of it. Along with our increased dependency and use of social media some of its adverse effects and impacts have emerged into the limelight. Historian Christian Lous Lange summed it well by stating, “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.”

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 10th, 2021