Technology Addiction Coach

When social media, gaming and tech take over your life, we are here for you

Technology Addiction Coach

When gaming, social media and the internet take over and you get Lost Online, you need a Technology Addiction Coach. In today’s digital age, the internet is a ubiquitous presence in our everyday lives. Although it has opened up a new world of possibilities, it can also have negative effects when it consumes too much of our time and attention. Certain activities such as online gaming, incessant web browsing, and excessive use of social media can lead to addiction and disrupt our work, relationships and well-being in general. If you are experiencing these issues and struggling to regain control, our team is equipped to assist you in getting back on track. We understand the severity of this problem and are here to provide professional support.

The prevalence of internet and technology addiction and its effect on mental health is a growing concern. The abundance of social media platforms and online games can easily lead to hours of wasted time. It is not uncommon to close an internet search window only to realize that hours had passed. Spending excessive and uncontrolled hours on the internet can cause depression and anxiety. It is easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others we see online and feeling inadequate. When the initial pleasure of social media or gaming ends, the subsequent ‘dopamine crash’ may lead to depression and sleep issues. These symptoms can result in lethargy and loss of productivity. We encourage everyone to use technology wisely and in moderation.

Have you ever just ‘surfed’ the internet only to go down the Facebook or Tick Tock rabbit hole and realize you just wasted hours looking at random videos? Maybe you got caught up in an online video game like Fortnight or Candy Crush and realized that you have not eaten for a full day? What happens when you spend hours trying to get just the right selfie for that Instagram post? That is Technology Addiction.

It seems everyone has the best photos, the most amazing dance moves, or is surprisingly happy in each vacation photo. While you are in your PJ’s wondering where your life went wrong, everyone but you appears to be having the time of their lives. When the game ends, the dopamine rush ends, and the depression and sleep kick in. Some people stay in bed for days and feel tired, groggy, and lethargic. This is no way to live your life. You are lost online and we can help.

Video Game Addiction

Video game addiction is the#1 Technology Addiction in the USA. It is classified as an impulse control disorder, also called a process addiction, very similar to gambling. Some Internet users may develop an emotional attachment to on-line friends and activities they create on their computer screens. An entire false reality can be created (including photos, jobs, etc) that is not real. Some gamers have no real human contact with the outside world, only their online virtual avatar, and the friends that they play with online that they never met. This creates a false reality and when it is time to go to work or school and interact with other people, video game addicts have anxiety and problems communicating with others. Video game addiction is very real and very scary when gamers bring that world into real life and they report that ‘real life and online life have become one’. This can create a long-lasting mental illness and other issues if not addressed properly.

Some signs of video game addiction include anger issues with removed games or less screen time, irritability, loss of sleep, not eating properly, gaming and sitting for long periods of time with little exercises, failing to go to work/school, poor hygiene, lack of social skills and social cues, complaints of ‘boredom’ with daily life and even brain developmental delays/stunted growth. We can assist in stopping the addiction to gaming, helping to boost the dopamine in the brain naturally with our Brain Health Recovery Method, and correcting the impulse behaviors. We can also address any drug or alcohol addiction (there is usually an addiction to pills, marijuana or alcohol with gamers) and work on setting up a plan to correct addiction as well.

Is online gaming addictive? Yes, very. The games are designed to boost serotonin and dopamine (the happy chemicals) in the brain and to hijack the neurotransmitters to get you to play longer and more often. The reward pathways in the brain are rewarded with a leveling up in the game, a gold star, or even a monetary marker to get you to keep going in the game.

Social Media Addiction

Social media posts and apps like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and TickTock seem to create the false reality that people are either falling apart or have their lives altogether. The younger generations have gravitated towards Instagram and seem to only post the most carefully selected selfies that resemble having fun and traveling all over the world. On Facebook you see anger, arguing, and meltdowns that create resentment and almost a road rage concept. There are Catfish profiles and online dating apps that hide the real users. For the average person, it is overwhelming and depressing. You have to keep up, look your best, and be excellent at everything that is coming out, or you can’t measure up and self-esteem plummets. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), Imposter Syndrome, failure, and low self-esteem along with anxiety increase, addiction increases, and the cycle continues. This is Technology Addiction.

With some of the new apps like Tick Tock, the pressure to create movie-quality videos, with expert hair and makeup can take hours and still not gain followers, likes, or comments. This can cause depression, body dysmorphia issues, anxiety, low self-esteem, and in some cases suicide due to bullying, pressures or even catfishing. The amount of time spent ‘going down the rabbit hole’ of these apps is usually 5-8 hours per day and can impact work, school, social interaction, and all aspects of life. We can assist by desensitizing the brain from the apps and regaining a high quality of life and lowering depression and anxiety. Our coaching and Brain Health Recovery Method will help heal the brain from mental health issues while implementing new behavioral changes. It takes 21 days to change a habit and we can help you do it.

What are some signs of social media and internet addiction?

You check your phone constantly and especially when you hear the ‘ding’ of a notification
You feel anxious when you cannot access social media, online games or the internet
Your online surfing time has cut into the workday and cut into your real-life relationships
You are more concerned with your online ‘friends’ than people in real life
You get depressed when your post or photo doesn’t get enough ‘likes’ or follows
You check your accounts before you even roll out of bed
Friends and family remark that you are ‘preoccupied”
You fantasize about how soon you can get online
You think the game is now real life and begin to act out scenes in real life from the games

Can social media make me feel lonely? Yes, there are several studies that suggest social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, TickTock, and Twitter can make you feel lonely and depressed. Your online persona and the real person you are can be very different and when you face your real-life world, the one online can seem more intriguing and fun. Plus you feel disconnected when most of your Facebook ‘friends’ are people you have probably never met in real life.

Technology Addiction

In terms of Technology Addiction, executives and other workers that are required to check their email and text messages in the evenings and during weekends, are also experiencing burnout and anxiety over having to be online for long periods of time. Most jobs now have an expectation that you are checking your email several times a day and responding to it and some jobs are even adding this stress into the contracts with a stipulation that a worker can be replaced. This leads to high rates of anxiety, depression, burnout, and addiction to the emails themselves or FOMO. Fear of Missing Out, which has become all too real for most people.

Some of these executives are turning to alcohol, Xanax, or even Adderall and cocaine to handle the pressures of the workload in the evenings and weekends. It is impacting their family time, vacations, and even self-care time. Eating healthy and cooking nutritious meals and going to exercise start to take a backseat just to keep up with the constant influx of work emails and texts. Relationships suffer and important events like soccer games, cheerleading, and more get missed due to having to keep up with the workflow. Burnout ensues and then physical issues set in. Let us help you manage and control the workflow, tackle the addiction vices, and get your life back on track before it is too late. We can help with all aspects of tech addiction and life management.

Is the internet addictive? Yes, the internet can become very addictive and it is currently a process addiction labeled in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5). Internet activities flood the brain pathways with dopamine and serotonin (the happy chemicals) and when you do not engage in these activities, the brain craves them, and the neurotransmitters are depleted. This results in depression and anxiety, similar to a drug or alcohol withdrawal.