The Loneliness Epidemic: How Technology Addiction Impacts College Students

Abstract

Roberto G. Ortiz [Name] English 1302 160 3 November 2022 Correlation between Technology and Loneliness among Users One can argue that modern technology is a development that makes life interesting for many. Technology advancements impact many areas of life, from work to home environments. People connect through technology regardless of the differing geographical areas making the world a smaller place for all people as they can communicate from the comfort of their homes, workplaces, social joints, or any human convenience. Nonetheless, do people consider the dangers of technology regarding change and shaping human thinking and lifestyle? Technology addiction attributed to internet availability is a severe health disorder that demands attention before it takes over the current and incoming generations. In an educative book, The Shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains, Nicholas Carr aims to enlighten the world on media addiction and its impact on human thinking, which proves a problem to most youths/adolescents. Borrowing from Carr's arguments among other reputable scholars, this essay aims at demonstrating that loneliness is among the primary stress disorders in youths/students attributed to technology addictions. Loneliness makes students wish to look for alternatives in life, with uncontrolled media use becoming a potential reliever leading to negative effects in the long run. In their article, "The relationship between social media addiction and depression: a quantitative study among university students in Khost, Afghanistan," Haand and Shuwang argue that there is a noted problematic use of social networking sites among students/youths that demands attention (780-786). The author states that such inappropriate use of social media sites is a significant public health concern as adolescents express stress upon over-reliance on the internet leading to a miserable life in adulthood. However, asking what translates into such addictions among students is crucial. Based on Haand and Shuwang, the freedom that most youths acquire upon joining colleges and universities plays a significant role in shaping their social being (782). What does this imply? Most people are under the strict watch of their parents and guardians until they hit the age of joining colleges/universities, which in most cases is 18-plus years. During this period, many youths feel entitled to all life privileges, especially on matters related to social networking. Unfortunately, due to their inability to control their media use, most students become media addicts, which translates to long-term stress. Loneliness remains well-defined in a stressful state. Media addiction becomes part of users' loneliness as victims try to fight the opposing forces within them, distancing them from the realities of life. On the other hand, Carr relates such student freedom to poor character development as such youths try to prove their might in the technology world (10). The freedom to use technology as a student in research, among other education-related errands, exposes many students to the availability of internet access leading many to experience problematic and uncontrolled internet use. However, the nature of the content that users expose themselves to defines the outcome of their experiences. When lonely, a student may use social media to source interesting things or connect with other users and chat to kill such loneliness. However, uncontrolled media use and exposure to varying contents can translate to stress among such users after becoming over-reliant on social media as a remedy for their dull moments. On the other hand, freedom can expose students to dirty content like pornographic or violent content, which in the long run makes the students lonelier than before, attributed to their poor performances in other areas that demand their attention, like academics leading to a stressful life in the long run. Arguing social media addiction from another perception, one can confirm that family-related stress can cause loneliness among family members leading them to use social media as an option for their noted problems. Kaibiao Xiang et al. argues that family stress, whether behavioral anxiety or emotional stress, is pivotal in enhancing the victims' loneliness (2-4). One can define loneliness as a negative feeling people experience when their need for rewarding social relationships and contacts remains ignored. Unfortunately, some family environments unconsciously expose family members to stress-related experiences like loneliness without noticing the stressors. What do people do when experiencing such negative feelings? They source for the most viable options that can address their needs as a whole. To this effect, family-related stress exposes the victim to getting engaged with the internet as a potential consoler. Unfortunately, Kaibiao Xiang et al. confirms that behavioral and emotional stress serves as potential triggers to internet addictions as the victims try to find exciting episodes in life (4). The urge to forget the disturbing stress triggers exposes such family members, old or young, to becoming internet addicts, which translates to another form of stress disorder if not addressed accordingly. Nomophobia is another potential area that emerges while investigating the connection between loneliness and Smartphone addictions. Many students, if not all, feel privileged to have a Smartphone that can take them through the social world without much pressure. Unfortunately, the fear of losing or separation from such phones and their services becomes a public health concern, proving a threat to the well-being of such users and a massive blow to students whose urge to use smartphones remains well-defined. Arguing from MacDonald and Julie's points of view, it becomes clear that loneliness enhances positive associations with long screen time and social media app use (4). It is also clear that the frequency of picking up one's phone and using communication apps remains negatively associated with loneliness, while a higher need for social recognition and a lower need for affiliation remains as personality factors are predictive of loneliness (MacDonald & Julie 3). Arguing from such perspectives, one can confirm that loneliness is a subjective experience of social isolation, which makes the victim enslaved to a Smartphone, thus experiencing nomophobia upon any sense of withdrawals from such addictions. Loneliness involves evaluating satisfaction regarding social and emotional support in the entire social life. It is upon signs of dissatisfaction that the user, especially the youth adults, experience nomophobia limiting them to either improving or changing their situation, leading to a stressful life in the long run. Adding up on the connection between nomophobia, loneliness, and media...