Many of us feel like we or our children spend too much time staring at a screen. Whether gaming, using social media, or doomscrolling, sometimes it can feel like we mindlessly spend hours getting lost down a rabbit hole of technology.
But according to Catherine Knibbs, a psychotherapist specializing in cybertrauma and online harm, we can all take concrete steps to wrest control back from the tech companies.
In her new book, Managing Your Gaming and Social Media Habits: From Science to Solutions, part of the new Ask The Experts in Psychology series in collaboration with the British Psychological Society, Knibbs argues that technology is neither good nor bad in itself. What matters is how it is used and by whom.
“For some people, social media and gaming are a lifesaver,” says Knibbs. “Games provide people with a way to socialize and combat other feelings that are present in their lives, such as loneliness, anxiety and depression.”
For example, Knibbs points out that technology has given us the opportunity to connect with others during the COVID pandemic when we couldn’t meet in person.
“Connections in cyberspace connect people to each other, and young people and adults tell me that online communities make them feel like they are with people who understand them, who see them and who share their interests. This can help them when they feel alone and need support.”
But problems can arise when a person spends so much time on technology that they stop paying attention to signs of a full bladder or no longer want to participate in real life, Knibbs explains. Eventually, this can lead to children skipping school or adults not going to work.
The key, she suggests, is to manage our technology use so that we can reap the benefits without falling victim to the negative sides of screen time. According to Knibbs, the first step in that process is understanding the tricks tech companies use to get us addicted to their apps and devices in the first place.
“Technology companies develop products that specifically address our innermost desires and needs in order to draw our attention to those products,” says Knibbs.
