New Delhi, October 29 (IANS): As the selfie craze and short-form video consumption grow exponentially in India, health care experts warn that the constant need to stay connected on digital platforms is leading to a number of mental health issues, including a condition called “phantom pocket vibration syndrome.
Phantom pocket vibration syndrome is when a person feels the phone vibrate in their pocket when it doesn’t. The best way to combat the syndrome is to reduce the general use of mobile phones and turn off the vibration from time to time.
“Excessive use of mobile phones and social networks has serious effects on children’s mental health, as well as the development of problems such as an increased risk of depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm and even suicidal thoughts”, Gorav Gupta, psychiatrist Tulasi senior consultant. Healthcare, New Delhi, told IANS.
Sometimes social media is the reason to promote negative experiences like inadequacy about one’s life and appearance.
Selfie phones and selfie sticks are no longer just a convenience, but are considered the new symbol of self-absorption, experts said, adding that selfie fever may further isolate this generation and those to come.
Behavioral experts have divided selfies into three broad categories: those taken with friends, those taken during certain activities or events, and those that focus on physical appearance.
A study, published in the journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture, found that people who post a lot of selfies tend to have higher levels of certain narcissistic traits, such as fragile self-esteem.
According to experts, we should be concerned about the nature and intensity of the digital interface that children have. It’s not just about a selfie or making a video.
“It’s also about why you take a selfie and if you feel conformity/peer pressure on social media, if you’re trying to imitate someone, if you’re losing your originality or if you’re focused so much on whether or not you like what you post. … that you lose track of what the most important things in life are,” Samir Parikh, director of mental health and behavioral sciences at Fortis Healthcare, told IANS.
When it comes to videos, the same thing happens. More importantly, the more digital interface you have, the more likely you are to shy away from physical activity, social engagement, academics, sports, and creativity.
“And then you spend more and more time indoors, in front of a mobile phone. So it’s that aspect of the digital interface that is the most worrying. It will affect your concentration skills or a physical component or your social aspect,” Parikh said.
Parents should encourage children to lead a balanced life and participate in sports and physical activities and get together with friends, experts advised.
Since the start of the pandemic, and even before, India has seen a huge increase in the number of mobile phone users, especially children, with the number increasing every year.
“The best way out of this problem for parents is to limit the amount of time their children spend with these electronic devices. Avoid giving phones to small babies or newborns to play games or watch videos, basically to distract them. Parents can also ban children from using mobile phones late at night, which can sometimes become the cause of insomnia,” Gupta said.
