Information is now literally at our fingertips. Does this sound familiar – you wake up, check your phone and find out everything that is going on that day. It really is amazing that we can do so much with our phone. We can check out the news, correspond by email and text, find out things about our friends and celebrities on social media and of course the list goes on. Because our phones can enable us to do so much, inevitably it has become a habit that is hard to break. Just look around and I’m sure you have. Most people are looking at their phones absorbed in the vast array of information that it offers.
Being distracted with your phone can lead to disconnection in relationships. In addition to impacting relationships, social media use can possibly lead to feelings of depression. In 2015, the University of Missouri conducted a study that reported feelings of envy could lead to symptoms of depression. Feelings of envy could occur when seeing all your friends go on vacation, buy new houses and appear to have the perfect life. The study does have some good news. If you are self-aware of the fact that most people only post things in their life that reflect a positive light, then hopefully the feelings of envy will lessen. Just remember that no one leads a perfect life!
Awareness…that is the cornerstone of my therapy approach. Becoming aware of what you are doing and experiencing on a daily basis. I am not saying stop using your phone or using social media because there are great things about both. Just be mindful of the time you are spending using technology. If after assessing that it may be impacting your relationships set aside time to connect and communicate.
