Nomophobia, cybersickness and the “Google Effect” are far from a complete list of ailments suffered by those who have not been able to extricate themselves from the World Wide Web.
With the advent of the Internet, people's lives have become much easier. The World Wide Web provides access to information and entertainment, as well as virtually unlimited communication opportunities. However, there is a downside to this. People who can no longer get out of the World Wide Web and do not let go of their gadgets suffer from mental illnesses, the existence of which scientists did not even suspect until recently, writes 3Dnews.
Internet addiction is no longer surprising – it has been talked about a lot, but scientists still cannot decide: is it akin to drug addiction or psychosis. In Russia alone, millions of people suffer from it. Added to it is addiction to computer games. When escaping into the virtual world, gamers often forget about reality. Doctors warn that this addiction is very dangerous, it can cause depression and even lead to suicide.
Another scourge of modern times is the so-called “Google Effect”. Having become accustomed to the fact that the answer to any question can be obtained in a matter of moments, just a couple of clicks of the mouse, people come to the conclusion that they do not need knowledge. Moreover, the human brain adapts to this: information is easier to find than to save.
Those who suffer from cyber sickness feel motion sickness when using a certain gadget. By the way, some iPhone owners with the updated iOS have recently complained of nausea. Nomophobia affects those who are afraid of being left without a mobile phone. And with phantom ring syndrome, a person experiences hallucinations and it seems to him that the phone is ringing or vibrating, although in reality this is not happening.
Social media regulars who can't go a day without checking their news feed, liking a friend's photo, or posting another photo of food for all to see are prone to Facebook depression. And cyberchondriacs are now those users who, after reading about a disease online, immediately convince themselves that they have it.
However, the dominance of gadgets has a negative impact not only on mental health. Constant use of mobile devices harms the eyes, spoils posture, and because the head is constantly tilted down when working with a tablet, the cheeks can even sag. Portable computers are especially dangerous for children – scientists from New Zealand have proven that this causes curvature of the spine.
