The internet was an invention that brought a wave of change into the lives of people. It created a new dimension where people could spend their time and give themselves a different identity. The necessity of having one’s presence online has further boosted the amount of time spent in the web – world.
The concept of digital wellness is one that is slowly coming into effect for the mental and emotional benefits of individuals. It stresses upon the necessity of using technology by taking the necessary precautions and making sure that anything portrayed is appropriate. We can’t deny the fact that technology is now dominant in everyone’s lives and has given rise to advancements in medicine, business etc. It has been a factor of reducing distances between people immensely by making communication across physical barriers easier. But as they say, the easy way out may not be the simpler way out.
Creating a Virtual Identity
The advent of websites such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat has given all the youngsters an opportunity to have an identity aside from their usual real selves. This is one world where they have the freedom to be anything they’d like. It allows people to feel empowered in some ways. But taking advantage of being behind the screen or taking whatever is portrayed on the screen is not beneficial to one’s identity. Thus this concept of having a separate personality online needs to be exercised with caution
Statistically Speaking
The advent of social media has brought about a host of possibilities for businesses, educational institutions, startups etc. But half the people on the planet due to this reason, spend time browsing the internet rather than taking a look away from the screen and glimpse into reality. According to research and statistics, the most popular social media website Facebook has over 2 billion users and the numbers keep rising each day. Similarly, a prominent photo sharing application, Instagram has 1 billion users and more. Another study mentioned that compared to 66 million minutes spent by the users online in the year 2011, the number rose to 121 billion minutes spent by the entire population. And these numbers only show that the numbers would’ve surely tripled by now. Easy accessibility of the internet though being a boon is also causing an overall dissatisfaction in life due to increased expectations of the World Wide Web.
Prioritizing Digital Wellness
Considering the amount of time people spend online, it is turning into a major cause of mood disorders. Most people who are addicted to social media are capable of living away from reality which isn’t the ideal way of life. One of the first steps one needs to take towards cultivating digital wellness is to exercise restrain by disciplining oneself that it’s not necessary to remain online 24 hours of the day. Given are the steps one can take and things one can keep in mind, to maintain a balance with reality.
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