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How Digital Media Is Destroying Your Mental Health and What You Can Do About It

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What is your social media and screen use doing to you and your relationships? I bet it’s causing harm in ways you don’t even know. It’s elusive. Have you ever thought about how much time you are spending on your phone and not talking to your spouse or friends? Have you ever been ignored when a friend or loved one was on their tablet or phone when you had something important to say?

Maybe you are feeling stress, anxiety, pressure, anger, or something of that sort. Social media and our digital world are shaping your life in ways you don’t even realize. Do you ever wonder how it might be influencing you?

That’s what this article is about. We want to lay out how digital media is influencing you, especially your relationships and mental health. You probably don’t have a clue how much of an effect it’s having, but that’s what we want to make you more aware of. A better life is a life of awareness. Don’t let this moment pass to learn how digital media influences your life and what to do about it.

What Is Digital Media and How It Shapes Your Life

Digital media, as we are using it in this post, is any usage of a phone, computer, or other technology to read about news, browse social media, play video games, talk to friends and family, and gather information. If you think about it, we use screens all the time. Years ago, that wasn’t the case. Unfortunately, it really wasn’t that long ago that people didn’t carry around phones or have multiple ones in their homes.

Now, you may have more technology than you think. In Statista’s research, the average number of connected devices in a U.S. household is reported as 21. Wow. Even if the quoted original statement of 13 devices is accurate, that’s still a lot.

This really does mean that our technology could be taking over, even if we don’t know it. The everyday items you might have in your house are smartphones, smartwatches, TVs, game systems, Alexa, tablets, laptops, and desktops. But what about the not-so-obvious ones? Smart light bulbs, refrigerators, door cameras, Bluetooth speakers, and a whole host of other things that can be controlled by a phone.

Physical Effects of Digital Media on Your Health

If you are playing video games, scrolling on your phone, or sitting at a computer, you probably aren’t doing a lot of moving around. As you age, over time, you can become physically sick. Think about it. If you sit in the same position and don’t move a lot, you can get stiff, your muscles get weaker, you gain more weight, and you start to break down physically over time. You know this.

As I am sharing this right now, I recall that just yesterday I sat for hours on my phone playing a very addictive game. I can’t believe I spent so much time doing that because I promise I don’t make it a habit of doing that, and it is not like me. I am trying to be a good example for you, but yesterday was a good example of what not to do.

Spending so much time playing games can have other consequences, too, but let’s focus on how our use of digital devices affects our physical body first. What I can say is that after a while, I started feeling stiff in my shoulders and neck. Have you ever woken up in the morning with a crick in your neck? Guess what? I have a slight crick today. The feeling of not being able to turn your head more than a little bit is irritating, to say the least.

On top of that, at my age, you start feeling unsteady on your feet. I’m not old by any measure, but the more I sit as a counselor, typing blog posts, or doing anything else while sitting for long periods of time, the more I can feel my legs becoming less sturdy than I would like. Trying to put socks on in the morning when I just jumped out of the shower is just one example. I have to grab onto something or sit down. The feeling of not being able to stand on one leg and put on a sock is not comfortable.

I understand that as you get older, this type of support is probably necessary, but I am a classic case (mostly because of my job) of what happens when you sit a lot when you are not old yet. When you sit a lot and don’t move, you lose strength in your legs. Thus, you lose your balance because your muscles don’t work as well to hold up the same amount of weight.

If you struggle with this, here are some self-care tips to help reset your body and mind.

Mental Effects of Digital Media and Screen Time

Science reveals that certain types of digital media can become addictive. We don’t have to take a researcher’s word for this. We can just look around us or evaluate ourselves. How many times a day do you reach for your phone? If you want to count, that would not be a bad idea. Awareness is very important.

What are you getting out of it? Are you more excited to be playing a game or watching a video than doing other things? That should tell you something. Your dopamine is being activated, which is what addiction plays off of. Try going without a device for a few hours, let alone a day. You will start to struggle with finding things to do.

A recent brain imaging study published in NeuroImage found that people who feel hooked on short-form videos tend to be less sensitive to losses and make faster, more impulsive decisions. This shows how digital habits can literally change the way our brains process rewards, making it even harder to put the phone down.

Also, people stop thinking for themselves. It’s been shown that video games and TV hurt creativity. The movie or game is thinking for us. Yes, you do have to think in some strategy games, but not like in a book where your imagination runs wild.

Another way digital media is influencing us is through the endless noise. We are consistently being fed information. When the internet and media were not available years ago, people had to buy a newspaper, read a book, or talk to other people to get information.

Now the news and all the information you want is at our fingertips, all the good news and bad. However, bad news tends to sell better than good news. So, what do you think we get fed a steady diet of? We get a regular stream of fear- and anxiety-filled stories from our “trusted” sources, as suggested by McLean Hospital.

If this resonates with you, check out our guide on managing emotions to help reset your thoughts and routines.

Spiritual Effects of Digital Media

Let’s move on to how media and digital technology are impacting us spiritually. Again, we see incredible benefits. The Bible is in our pockets 24/7. Sermons can be heard worldwide in an instant, not just in churches on Sunday. The Gospel is seemingly moving rapidly toward the goal that Jesus commanded, to be spread to the ends of the earth.

However, the dark side of it is the millions, even billions, of porn views due to the massive amount of pornography and access to it online. The negative news that we constantly hear spreads fear. The continuous feed of noise keeps drawing us back to it over and over again. Addiction.

You have a major choice. Choose good things or the spiritual killers. If you are involved in any of these harmful things, your spirit is rapidly being crushed. You are less able to hear God. Where is your quiet time to think? How much shame do you have from overindulgence or lack of spending time reading your Bible or praying? Or worse, how much do you even think about spiritual things or God?

The impact on us spiritually is devastating. Our world has become more and more dark. Some examples are even hard to bring up because of the inevitable backlash you may bring on yourself. What stood for years as a natural truth is now distorted and accepted by many because of the ease of spreading information that goes against science itself. Too many people accept anything they read or hear on the internet as truth without taking the time to study it themselves.

If you are struggling here, Christian counseling can help you sort through the noise and reconnect with your faith.

Emotional Effects of Digital Media

Social media and technology use can have profound, yet subtle effects on our emotions. As we said before, lots of what you read online, especially in the news, uses fear to get you to read it. Content can play off of other emotions too, such as joy, happiness, sadness, and more. Marketing itself is all about creating an emotional response so you will buy something that a company is presenting. You may not have realized it, but you are being manipulated.

The funny thing is, that’s exactly what all writers do. Through books, movies, and articles, writers are trying to get you sucked into their story so you will buy, read, or watch more of their content.

However, over time, watching the same content can affect your emotions long term. Research shows an increase in fear and stress due to constant social media and technology use. We are tapping into those intense emotions more often than we really should and are not giving ourselves time to rest and relax. If you are constantly feeling on edge, check your digital media use.

Relationship and Communication Impacts of Technology

Our relationships have changed in the past 20 to 30 years with the invention of phones and communication technology. I don’t think anyone can deny that. House structures have fewer porches. We tend to text more than we call. We stare at a screen more than we talk to our partner. It’s easier to hide behind distraction more than ever before.

It may seem like we are more connected than ever, but many articles and videos have been produced that talk about the most connected, yet least known generation ever. We are able to communicate more often now, but we know each other far less. There have been studies that show the difference between how you communicate with sunglasses on and when you don’t.

There is a major difference between our communication in person and on a phone or a digital device. I have tried to do counseling with kids on telehealth. Do you know what happens? Since I am not right there in front of them, they find all sorts of other things to distract them. It seems like I am spending more time trying to get them to focus than actually working with them.

This happened with my daughter on FaceTime. Every time I call my wife on a lunch break and she lets me speak to my daughter, she changes her face to a pig, a mouse, or some other avatar before I can get her attention. Yes, it does give us a good laugh, but it shortens the time we can really communicate.

There is a real concern when it comes to technological advancements. It’s sad to walk into a restaurant where kids are on tablets and adults are staring at their phones. My questions: “What are we missing? What are we losing in our time spent together?” It’s hard to calculate, but we know our relationships have less depth than ever.

Research backs this up. People who are “phubbed”, ignored by a partner looking at their phone, feel less emotionally close, and that behavior lowers relationship satisfaction and intimacy.

If your relationship feels distant, you might benefit from our couples counseling in Augusta, GA.

3 Tips to Help Manage Your Digital Fingerprint

1. Plan Blocks of Phone-Free Time


There is a saying that says, “Those who do not plan, plan to fail.” Planning is essential to our lives. You can use planning to help you limit the effect of technology on your life. One easy method is to write in your daily planner or schedule blocks of time where you will choose not to have your phone. I recommend planning out the whole week. You can adjust it as needed. Planning is the first step to commitment.

Once you have done that, make sure you check your schedule every day. You may even set alarms to let you know it’s time to put your phone down or turn off your device and go do a tech-free activity. If I am correct, Apple phones have something called “Screen Time” where you can set times for your phone to turn off or not be in use. You can even give someone else the password until you build some self-control.

2. Use Timers to Keep Yourself Honest


Timers have been around for decades. We use them with our kids in many different situations. They help keep us on track. I bet you can name many times where you have used a timer, workouts, finishing a task, or cooking a meal. You can also use them if you are going to use a device. Let’s say you sit down to play a game on your Xbox or PlayStation. Set a timer for 30 minutes to an hour. By doing this, you will be more aware of how long you have spent playing.

I have set timers during work. Like right now. I am writing this blog on a computer. I usually will set 30 minutes to an hour on a timer so I will stop in order to take a 15-minute break, stretch, take a walk, and get some water or a snack. It helps me not to overload my brain and strain my eyes. So, use timers to your advantage to slow down your tech use so you can transition to healthier tasks.

3. Try a Technology Fast


If you find that you are really struggling with putting the phone or tablet down, maybe you should try a media or technology fast. I have used this prescription for different reasons with some of my clients. Technology use can be an addiction. We are stimulated by scrolling social media and playing video games. By fasting from these things, you may be able to break habits and addictive tendencies that are keeping you stuck.

A digital detox can help you focus. It can also increase your awareness of how technology is affecting your life. You may see some of the things above, or maybe you see other ways technology is influencing you that we did not list. You can do a 24-hour digital detox or a 5-day digital detox. Whatever you choose, make sure you are intentional and use structure, limits, timers, and planning to help you achieve your goals.

If you want support in this process, check out our individual counseling services.

Still Struggling with Digital Effects

There is more help if you find you are struggling with technology use. Try some different methods to help yourself, but if you find it would be better to have accountability or talk to someone, don’t fret. We encourage you to reach out or find a counselor. Talking to someone or having a person come alongside you to get some traction is completely normal and can get you there faster than you can do it on your own.

We would love to help you with that, even if you just need some encouragement. Contact our team in Augusta, Georgia, to speak to one of our counselors anytime you have a question.

Final Thoughts

Technology is incredible and helps us with so much. Yet, the faster our world spins, the more we miss out on things that matter. Sometimes it affects us in ways we are not aware of or even understand.

Now you can start to take note of how your digital usage is influencing you and your family. Even if it doesn’t affect you in a bad way, you now have some reminders and ways to keep yourself vigilant so that you can live a healthy life and create an amazing legacy.

References (APA Style)

Author:

Brandon Coussens is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He is the owner of Legacy Marriage Resources, LLC in Augusta, GA. He provides couples counseling and individual counseling and specializes in Marriage Counseling, Christian Counseling, and Sex Therapy. Learn more about him in his bio.

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