The Impact of Technology on User Loneliness: Exploring the Connection

Roberto G. Ortiz Trishia Briones English 1302-160 October 9, 2022 Does Technology Make Users Lonelier? Advancement in technology has a positive and negative impact on its users. Before the beginning of the technology era, communication was challenging and tedious, among other areas in which technology has significant influence. However, the technology era came with defined approaches that eased human operations. Paying close attention to internet use, one can argue that this is among the most influential factors technology offers the human race. Unfortunately, as much as this privilege improves communication regardless of time or distance, its addiction exposes users to negative effects like stress. The current essay analyses the connection between technology use and loneliness, paying special attention to mobile use addictions in response to whether technology makes its users lonelier. After considering various scholars' arguments, the essay wishes to connect ten literature references on the topic and provide a logical trend in response to the correlation between technology use and loneliness among users. Is there a direct correlation between stress and internet addiction? There is a common thread of similarities in response to this question as different authors believe that technology use has direct effects on the user, whether positive or negative (Daei et al. (202); Kaibiao et al. (2-4); and Lu et al. (2-6)). While meditating on the role of loneliness concerning internet dependence, Kaibiao et al. (3) argue behavioral and emotional stress as potential triggers of internet addictions. Modern technology makes life very interesting as people can learn much from the internet. Unfortunately, many are becoming internet-enslaved people attributed to severe addiction, limiting normal/controlled internet use, and exposing many to negative effects like stress and depression in severe cases. Based on this author, family stress, whether emotional stress or behavioral anxiety, enhances the victims' urge to use the internet as a way to avoid or forget such stressors. Arguing from the perception that too much of something is poisonous, such addictions worsen stress levels to the primary victims and others within such families. In connection with Kaibiao et al. (10) arguments with a little extension on stress triggers, Daei et al. (202) argue the relationship between stress and mobile phone addictions from a nomophobia disorder point of view. According to Daei et al. (202), nomophobi