Facebook or Face Time?
A new study from the school of Journalism at the University of Maryland shows how tightly tied students are to their digital devices. 200 students were asked to go without all media for 24 hours and then to blog about their experiences. The results?
- Students often referred to themselves as addicted, or described themselves as experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Their main use of media is to connect with friends and family, and one of their biggest complaints involved feelings of social isolation.
- Students seemed to miss their ipods the most, relying on music to set their mood or to help them overcome bad feelings.
What do you think? Are we all somewhat addicted to our digital devices? Would you feel symptoms of withdrawal if you had to go without your gadgets for a day and interact only with the people around you? Would you feel uncomfortable without some sort of music or stimulation in the background?
If you’re constantly connected digitally, try going without for just an hour or two, and see how it makes you feel. Try driving in your car with the radio off. Spend a quiet evening with yourself and maybe a book. Would that be a relaxing relief or torture?
If it’s difficult, try it for a shorter period of time next time. Serenity takes some getting used to. With constant stimulation we’re apt to lose the ability to concentrate, to integrate the things we know, or to gain perspective over our lives. I’m talking about being “in the moment” without necessarily meditating. A little quiet time each day can produce both cognitive and emotional benefits. There’s no risk either. You can always turn the your devices back on!