Youth in urban, rural areas equally addicted to social media: Experts

Tribune News Service

Manav Mander

Ludhiana, December 4

Experts say youths in rural areas are as addicted to social media as those in urban areas. Increased use of social media in villages is making people ‘sick,’ as inadequate sleep is associated with increased use of mobile phones.

According to experts, relationship between Internet usage and the prevalence of depression has also been found. People who are on social media for long period of time are at a greater risk of developing health issues like anxiety, depression and anti-social behaviour.

City-based psychiatrist Dr Ashish said people who were using the Internet for a long period and were constantly on social media were developing health problems. “Now the gap between the urban and the rural youth who are addicted to social media has reduced. People in rural areas are as addicted to Internet as those in urban areas,” he said.

He said inadequate sleep was associated with increased exposure to the radiations emanating from the device’s screen.

“The blue light emitted by the mobile phone restrains the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle. This makes it difficult to fall asleep and wake up the next day,” he said.

Observing the trend that social media was a growing juggernaut, taking the globe by storm, Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) students of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) organised a one-day awareness camp on “Social media addiction” at Walipur Kalan village recently.

RAWE group in-charge Dr Lopamudra Mohapatra, assistant professor, Department of Extension Education, highlighted how social media addiction was influencing youths, damaging their minds, affecting social relations and hampering their school grades. Ways to overcome the addiction of social media were also discussed. The goal of the camp was to prevent social media addiction by setting limits to Internet usage. A skit was also presented on the topic, social media addiction.

In the skit, it was shown how social media addiction devastates the life of a school going boy, who was a very bright student before he got the phone. It also showed the idea that one should use social media for betterment and not be enslaved by it.

Switching off the mobile phone when going to sleep and keeping the phone away from bed, turning the notifications off and investing time in hobbies are some of the ways by which one can cut down on his social media usage. One should also keep oneself low on social media appearances.

Greater risk of health issues

According to experts, relationship between Internet usage and the prevalence of depression has also been found. People who are on social media for long period of time are at a greater risk of developing health issues like anxiety, depression and anti-social behaviour.

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