Infoxication: how to combat information overload

Infoxication is a phenomenon that arises from the inclusion of new technologies in our day to day, in which the amount of information we receive saturates us and surpasses us. We receive a lot of information, but it is not always of quality nor do we get to delve into it.

In this article, Institute of Psychological and Psychiatric Assistance Mensalus He talks about an interesting topic: the management of excess information.

Information overdose

Can you psychologically deplete excess information?

The excess of information of any kind can generate stress and have consequences at the functional level. Especially with the arrival of new technologies, making a "click" offers the possibility of being in permanent connection with the information.

The immediacy with which we access any type of source opens the doors to an infinite dimension. Each movement leads to a different virtual space, there is always a possibility to explore. The world is constantly changing. In a second something begins and something ends. The big question is: how far do we want to be informed?

And how far do we inform ourselves? Being hyper-connected, yes, it can drain us psychologically. In addition, the feeling of accumulating more and more messages to respond, more links to consult, more conversations to participate, can create a feeling of true mental saturation.

¿What else has the "click" changed?

"The click revolution" as some call it, without realizing it, has changed our way of relating and seeing the world. We live in a different reality, we have much more instantaneous information (the latest in fleetingness: Smartwatch) and, therefore, it is important to learn how to manage it.

This is neither good nor bad, it is different. When we talk about good management, we highlight the difference between being informed and informing ourselves of what we need. In the West there is an arch-repeated belief that can be extrapolated to different areas: the "the more, the better." In the case of information (as in many others) we could discuss it at length.

Why do we live hooked on new technologies?

So, really, do we need that much information?

The need is created and disappears, our society does it constantly. What at one time may seem important to us, then ceases to be. Meeting the needs of the moment and establishing an order of priorities is already a way to sift through and manage the messages that come to us.

By nature, we always want more information even if we cannot always retain and digest it. Perhaps, there is the limit: when the amount of information generates a high level of stress that, it even prevents me from concentrating on aspects of my daily life, relaxing my mind, being present and enjoying the here and now...

Am I absorbing too much information? Answered this question:

• Do I need to deal with so many messages?
• Can i say no
• I want to do it?

We actually have the power to decide what information we want and what we don't.

What exactly is infoxication?

The infoxication is a term that refers to the excess of information and that is related to the fact of being in permanent activation. This reality can generate inability to stop and go deeper (as the saying goes: "who covers a lot, little squeezes").

There is an interesting concept to define the functioning of the infoxicated person: the "working interruptus", that is to say, that individual who opens many topics but most of them remain halfway. In the end, “playing so many keys” is what generates a high level of stress due to the impossibility of responding to all of them.

Symptoms and problems

In short, when could we say that a person is infoxicated?

When he feels that he cannot handle all the information that he thinks he should and this generates anxiety and other consequences on a psychological and physical level such as lack of concentration, discouragement, apathy, muscle tension and fatigue.

A common attitude in the infoxicated person is the inability to read a text slowly (the famous diagonal readings) and / or read without understanding. In these cases, comments such as "I no longer remember what I have read" are representative of inattention while reading. In fact, many times the person has made a totally distracted reading without the intention of delving into its content, solely for the purpose of “crossing out” the information as “attended”. This is especially the case with email management (infoxicated individuals typically have their inboxes full of pending "envelopes").

How can we do good information management?

For example, looking at quality rather than quantity. As we said, being connected to a multitude of sources all day can be confusing and generate distress.

Likewise, getting in touch with the needs of each moment helps us decide what priority we give to the information. What is useful to us in a vital moment (for example: “it amuses me to be on different social networks and participate in different groups and forums ") may change (" I've been at work for a few weeks especially busy and I find it an effort to participate with the same frequency").

People function by habits, but this does not mean that we cannot question their meaning and consider a change. The automatisms, sometimes, make it difficult for us to "let go" and set limits to what we no longer want to cover. On the other hand, our mood also tells us when we need a change. Being aware of how we feel and the meaning behind the emotion is one way of curbing the urge to absorb more information.

Recovering the "here and now"

It's funny how, many times, we are not aware of the amount of information we manage daily, the impact it has on us (how it makes us feel) and, most importantly, if we want or do not take it. What tools can we train to be more aware of our needs and our emotional world?

There are many techniques and exercises aimed at being physically and mentally present in the "here and now" through the detection of thoughts and emotions.

To connect with our needs, first of all, we have to learn to stop and feel the present moment. A good exercise is to enjoy deep breathing while looking at what is happening around us without being forced to respond.

It is revealing when we are especially accelerated and we experience the sensation that the state of contemplation, at times, generates in us. Understanding that we can stop makes us more free and permissive with ourselves and with others ...