- Amid other health concerns, the Coronavirus pandemic has raised another problem!
- The excessive usage of computers and mobiles has dramatically soared the screen-time during this Coronavirus Pandemic.
- Experts suggest various psychological and physiological problems to arise if this increased screen time does not decrease effectively.
The time spent on the computer and mobile screens has soared dramatically all over the world in the lockdown days. Statistically speaking, some Android and iPhone users have reported that their screen time increased by a whopping 100% within these two, three weeks of quarantine.
Scientists, researchers, and doctors all over the globe urged the governments to implement forced curfews, to restrict the spread of this virus. As a result of which, policies of self-isolation, social distancing, and voluntary shut-down ensued. Employees have been urged to work from home and students are continuing their studies from dorm rooms too.
Now this situation has raised the usage of internet exponentially, which means that the overall usage of digital devices has increased. Apart from those working or studying from home, for many people, which used to be a maximum of two hours of screen time on infotainment applications has now become many hours. For the lack of any other activity, people are using these applications in negative ways. And this is a major cause of concern as per the experts from King's College London and the Israel's University of Haifa.
As more days are passing, people are becoming more agitated. They use their phones to check on the latest news updates, scroll down, engage in heated debates about the disease on apps like Facebook adn Whatsapp, or use other video-streaming applications for making calls or for watching videos. All of this garners one result- Increased Screen Time.
It’s not a secrete that excessive usage of smartphones and computers has been considered hazardous, especially for kids. Experts have suggested repeatedly that increased screen time for kids affects their brains during their formative years of development, leading them to psychological, emotional and many behavioral issues.
Now the same is being advised by experts for everyone during this coronavirus quarantine situation. Increased screen time not only generates anxiety-related issues, but it can also lead to depression with the constant influx of upsetting news from all over the world. Apart from this, lack of exercise and stress-eating increases the chance of obesity too.
Excessive phone/laptop dependency has other psychological implications like the false sense of phone ringing (phantom vibrations) or the fear of leaving your phone behind (nomophobia), explained Dr. Michele McDowell, a London-based psychologist.
It is seriously advised by the experts to discipline and time-monitor your mobile/computer usage to limit your screen time. Strike a balance, find some other hobbies, restrain your screen time to avoid excessive reliance on your devices.
Because if you do not control yourself now, you will suffer later!
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