Anxiety is complex. It can be caused by life stresses. It can be caused by trauma. It can be caused by nothing at all. Similarly, how we treat anxiety can vary based on the presentation of its symptoms, our lifestyle habits, and more.
Some things we do can make anxiety better. Others can make anxiety worse. One factor that is contributing to the anxiety of a lot of those that are struggling is “digital overload.” The more time we spend on devices, the more problematic it is becoming for our mental health.
What is Digital Overload?
Human brains were not meant to process as much information as we see every day, and not in the way that we’re exposed to it. It’s not that we cannot process large quantities of information generally – for example, when we walk into a forest, we see thousands of trees, experience countless smells, feel the breeze, and more.
But when we’re on a screen, we are processing only visual information in rapid quantities on a variety of topics, all while completely cut off to the outside world. Our minds were not designed to be capable of processing that much information, nor are we equipped with the cognitive skills necessary to sort through it.
This is what we call “Digital Overload” – the overwhelming exposure to digital devices an information, which leads to both mental and physical strain. Through smartphones, tablets, computers, and other small electronic devices, individuals are consuming massive amounts of content all throughout the day – an excess of information that makes it harder for the brain to process and retain data effectively.
What Does Digital Overload Do to Anxiety?
The effects of digital overload can manifest in various ways, such as increased anxiety, difficulty focusing, and disrupted sleep patterns. It also contributes to the phenomenon of “information fatigue,” where individuals feel overwhelmed by the amount of data they encounter daily.
Left unchecked, digital overload can negatively impact mental health, productivity, and overall well-being, making it important to set boundaries on screen time, practice digital detoxes, and prioritize offline activities to maintain a healthy balance between the digital world and real life.
Why Do We Allow Digital Overload to Happen?
When clients are challenged on their digital overload, sometimes they argue that it was caused by anxiety, rather then the cause of it. We’re faced with many challenges each and every day. It is not uncommon to feel like we need to “zone out” – to find away to turn our brains off and “veg” from the difficulties of the day.
Digital overload, in that sense, is very paradoxical. It can allow us to feel like we’re escaping our stresses, while at the same time contributing to worse long term mental health. “Turning off” our minds as a result of digital overload can seem like a solution, despite also being a potential cause.
However, using devices to try to escape our stresses also has a similarly problematic effect. We lose our ability to cope with stress on our own, eventually weakening our abilities to respond to future stresses and anxiety. In the end, it is even more harmful to our long term mental health.
Logging Off
It can be hard to log off and turn off our devices, especially if we’re feeling addicted to them or our stress or anxiety is out of control. That is one of the reasons that it can be helpful to speak to a therapist that specializes in anxiety. My role as your therapist is to determine what is making you so stressed, and work with you on solutions to help reduce it.
I can help you “log off” and make your phone a secondary, less necessary tool – one that is not causing you as much addiction and is not necessary to reduce (and contribute to) your anxiety. If you’d like to learn more about therapy, please contact me today.