Hyperconnection: 3 consequences of excessive Internet use

No one doubts that The Internet has revolutionized the world of interpersonal relationships and other aspects of our daily life: today it is possible to go shopping with a single click from our smartphone, study from the comfort of our own home with our computer and even receive psychotherapy sessions with a psychologist who is thousands of miles away from U.S. Thanks to the technological offer it is possible to work, study, have fun and even meet a partner using the Internet connection.

The new technologies have supposed a new paradigm for communication, and this has its advantages but also its negative consequences, because the day-to-day millions of people can be absorbed by “hyperconnection”, a term that refers to how people are constantly connected to the world digital.

And although the Internet does not have to be bad, its inappropriate use can have serious repercussions for the well-being of people and even on the identity formation of children and adolescents. What risks does hyperconnection bring?

How does excessive use of the Internet affect our self-esteem and our personal exposure? In this article I will talk about the psychological consequences of excessive use of the Internet.

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The birth of "digital culture"

Just a few decades ago we entered a new era with great repercussions for humanity, the so-called “digital age”. Technological advances, the appearance of computing and the Internet connection changed the whole future of our time. It was not long ago, just since the beginning of the new century, when the majority of the Spanish population began to use the Internet. It was then that we landed in the interconnected world, something that became more noticeable with the appearance of smartphones.

The interconnected world brings with it changes in the relationships between states, companies and even people. We are not witnessing a time of change, but we are facing a change of time. Some people were born in the analog world and others in the digital world. Be that as it may, today, we all live immersed in the digital revolution and we all we have daily contact with ICTs: forums, chats, blogs ...

In this context, our habits, our way of life, our customs and even our language have been transformed. Our culture is “digital culture”.

Internet connection overdose and social networks: hyperconnection

Is it bad to be connected to the Internet? Logically, no. The appearance of the Internet has allowed great advances for our civilization: it provides access to a large amount of information freely and for free, facilitates access to science, culture and leisure, makes it possible to connect with other people from practically anywhere in the world, facilitates learning process by offering new educational opportunities, enables new forms of commerce, etc.

However, many psychologists and educators warn of the harmful use of this phenomenon, and put the spotlight on some risks and some negative consequences of excessive use of the Internet. In the eyes of Alejandro Artopoulos, professor at the School of Education, "Hyperconnection can bring unhealthy effects for many subjects." Along the same lines, my partner and friend, the psychologist Juan Armando Corbin ", in his article"Nomophobia: the growing addiction to mobile phones”, Reviews the influence smartphones have on our mental health and emotional balance.

In his text he provides data from some research in this regard, especially from the study carried out by jointly by the United Kingdom Post Office and the YouGo Demoscopic Institute, which was conducted at the year 2011. This research involved 2,163 subjects, and the results revealed that 53% of mobile phone users in this country feel anxiety (comparable to what a person can have the day before their wedding) if their cell phone runs out of battery, breaks or is lost. Furthermore, 55% of the subjects stated that they “felt isolated” when they did not have a cell phone. Experts claim that these symptoms are characteristic of Nomophobia or mobile phone addiction.

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Risks of hyperconnection

New technologies provide us with new forms of relationship and communication and provide us with access to information in record time. But what are the risks of hyperconnection?

Psychologists have identified some negative consequences associated with excessive use of the Internet.

1. Relating to the type and access to information

Access to information or knowledge is one of the great advantages of using the Internet; however, the excess of information of any kind can generate stress and can have consequences at a functional level, as explained in this article: "Infoxication: how to combat information overload”.

It should also be noted that ICTs are a source of education in values, and not all the information we receive through this medium is of quality. In this sense, the educational community takes time making efforts to try to minimize the impact of new technologies in the education of children and young people. Minors have a large amount of information of all kinds available (violent content, pornography, etc.), without any type of control. Being hyperconnected, yes, it can exhaust us psychologically, and it can be a problem if we do not educate the little ones in the use of new technologies. It is not that new technologies are harmful, but the misuse of these can have consequences for the well-being of people.

2. Relating to personal relationships

It is possible to affirm that the Internet favors many interpersonal relationships and that it brings together many people who, otherwise, would hardly have contact with other individuals. However, hyperconnection is also favoring the creation of weak links between many people, superficial and liquid bonds, which can cause great discomfort and feeling of empty. In the article "3 ways social media destroys our relationshipsYou can find examples of this phenomenon.

In the case of couple relationships, infidelities and separations have increased as a result of hyperconnection to social networks. What's more, Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp can cause many conflicts and misinterpretations in couple relationships as shown by some research.

As stated in a study published in the journal Cyberpsychology & Behavior, there is a possibility that Facebook is acting as an engine of couple conflicts and lattice episodes.

3. Related to the creation of identity and self-esteem

One of the great changes produced in recent years due to Internet access has to do with interpersonal relationships, as I have commented in the previous point. And it is that, especially in adolescence, contact with friends has a great implication in the formation of identity.

In a showcase such as social networks, which expose a fictitious image of oneself and others, and that promote a society in which it Virtual mixes with the real, it is easy for insecurity and poor self-image to appear at these ages, something that can drag on during the rest of the life. lifetime. The formation of identity is linked to personality, and in these years it is key to build a healthy identity and a resistant personality.

In fact, when using social networks, it is common to think that the lives of others are more interesting than ours, something that considerably impacts our self-esteem. It is what is known as FOMO syndrome (Fear of missing out) or fear of missing something.