Digital detox tips and how to switch off from devices to avoid digital dementia: experts give their advice
Have you noticed any short-term memory loss or even problems controlling your emotions? Could be you’re suffering from a digital addiction, but don’t worry – there are ways to avoid the overload without going completely off-grid
If your reliance on digital technology has started to affect your short-term memory and focus, it might be time to change your usage habits – or risk literally losing your mind.
Many people are clearly hooked on their smartphones, laptops and tablets, spending far too much time online. Between communicating with friends, checking social media accounts and other activities like surfing the internet, there is rarely a moment for many of us when we are not on our devices. But what are our digital habits doing to us?
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In South Korea, which has one of the highest rates of digital technology use in the world, some doctors believe that digital overload is destroying people’s brains. A number of years ago they even coined the term “digital dementia” to describe the breakdown of cognitive function from an overuse of digital technology.
These doctors reported seeing young patients with short-term memory loss, attention deficit issues and problems regulating their emotions – symptoms that are typically associated with severe head injuries, strokes and psychiatric disorders.
In 2012, German neuroscientist Dr Manfred Spitzer explored this phenomenon in his book, Digital Dementia: What We and Our Children are Doing to Our Minds. He warned parents and teachers of the dangers of allowing children to spend too much time on their digital devices.
