Mobile technology causing behavioural disturbances among people, says top expert
Jun 08, 2022
By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], June 8 : Days after a 16-year-old boy, who was addicted to playing mobile games, shot his mother dead for scolding him over his PUBG addiction, an expert on Wednesday warned that mobile addiction is harming the population of the country rapidly.
In a conversation with ANI on Wednesday, Former Director of the Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences Dr Nimesh G Desai said, "There are some cases in which individuals report serious depression and anxiety disorder when you take their phone away from their possession. So, maybe they are developing what we now recognise as technology addiction."
Dr Nimesh further said that new developments in the market of gaming are the reason behind such behavioural disturbances and people should understand this. He said, "We must recognise that we changing social development dynamics. We are marketing the available technology, just like tobacco and alcohol, in the field of games. Developments in mobile technology are driving the market forces nowadays."
"All of that together will bring about some amount of behavioural disturbance including violent behaviour in children or adolescents or even adults. Thus, mobile addiction is harming the population rapidly," he added.
Dr Nimesh also advised those who have an addiction to mobile phones to get themselves treated through supportive counselling. "There are a lot of children who get addicted or get used to the mobiles. They need supportive counselling to get this addiction off them. Use such technology appropriately instead of handling it strictly," he said.
Mobile phone addiction can also lead to depression. Dr Desai said, "There are some who might have serious depression and anxiety problems when you take the phone away from the individual's possession."
"There might be people who may have psychiatric disorders. I think we need to recognise these changes. There is a general social atmosphere about the problems of violence that is aided by technology and media. Some children or adolescents demonstrate early signs of violence or criminal behaviour like this boy in Uttar Pradesh. They need to be monitored and handled with care," he explained.
