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Managing the daily use of technology

To give a good example about the mobile phone that makes the use of technology concrete for you, it can be said that the mobile phone is like a knife that can be used for both cooking and murder!

Therefore, it can be said that mobile is a device that can be very useful as well as very harmful. In this article, we are trying to explain to you how technology can be used in a way that is useful for us because technology specifically affects people’s brains.

Should we use technology every moment?

We all know that eating some foods such as vegetables or protein is good for us, but if they are consumed in excess, they are not only useless, but also cause disease and damage to the body. This also applies to technology, and excessive use of technology can be harmful.

In the research conducted in the field of mobile phone use, it shows that most people spend an average of 7 hours a day on mobile phones, and this average in Asian countries reaches 9 hours, which is not a good result at all. Meanwhile, this average is mostly related to online hours and spending time on the Internet and social virtual spaces.

What effect does technology have on the human brain?

The effect that mobile phones have on the body and soul of people is still unspeakable, but what is clearly known is that it is one of the addictions of people in the present century.

Technology has effects on mental health, which include:

• Stress and anxiety
• Insomnia and sleep disorders
• depression
• Lack of self-satisfaction and low self-confidence

Of course, the point is that, as we mentioned, food can be useful or harmful, and technology can lead to the development of educational videos and improve communication, or it can waste people’s time.

How does technology enter our brains?

To analyze the data obtained from technology, our brain needs to secrete 6 chemicals, which are:

Serotonin is a substance in the brain that is known as a good feeling, that is, when we do something creative or establish an effective relationship, this substance is produced in the brain and we feel good.

Is technology always bad?

All the mentioned hormones are useful for our body and create pleasure and relaxation in us, but why do we say that the technology involved in the production of these substances is harmful?

The point here is that the excessive secretion of these substances is harmful and the balance between the secretion of hormones is lost with the use of technology. Another reason is that these substances are addictive and we tend to use technology more by getting the good feeling we got through mobile phones and releasing hormones.

For example, the production of dopamine in the body, if it is high, brings a person closer to addiction.

But the worrisome issue in the use of technology is the sense of satisfaction that a person gets when playing or in virtual space, which causes him to get addicted to this feeling and go more towards technology. Gambling games or abusers of cyber space also increase the concern of researchers.

How to use good technology?

To control the problems caused by technology, it is enough to limit ourselves to use technology. Just like eating vegetables in food, which is beneficial if enough and harmful if too much.

This limitation does not mean abandoning the technology and it is enough to limit the time of use.

People who have a family history of addiction or lack of time control are more likely to get addicted to this virtual space and games.

How to detoxify our body from technology?

Today, the presence in the virtual space and the use of the Internet has reached a great extent and has involved all of our lives in such a way that this issue faces opposition. It has been proven in various researches in foreign countries that today at least 5 out of every 10 people are trying to limit the use of technology for themselves.

For example, one of the ways they consider to quit is to leave the virtual space and delete social networks, or they specify times for themselves to use the phone during these times.

The result of these restrictions is as follows:

The greater presence of the individual in the real space that has been replaced by the virtual space today.
Improve sleep quality and time
More relaxation and stress relief

Application of technology in improving mental health

In the past decades, technological advancements have entered the field of mental health and have tried to improve the quality of treatment by using numerous facilities. The use of technology in improving mental health includes many aspects, some of which we will discuss below.
Application of technology in improving mental health:

Internet-based therapeutic intervention:

Terms such as online therapy, online counseling, remote counseling and therapy, and remote psychoanalysis are related to this field.

Internet can be used as a communication tool between the therapist/counselor and clients. This method is an alternative to face-to-face counseling sessions or can be a supplement to it.

Psychotherapy is implemented by the following methods:

• Video conference (Skype)
• text message
• email

and online rooms

The advantage of web-based therapy is that it eliminates the need for the counselor and clients to be in the same place. According to recent developments in the field:

Increasing speed and access to the Internet
Reduce hardware costs
and improving video conferencing software

Online counseling can be expected to be a popular method for both counselors and clients. However, many people still do not use this method. Meanwhile, using an online consultant reduces treatment costs and speeds access to services. You can connect with a consultant who knows your culture and background even in the farthest part of the world. Simiarum has tried to be one of the pioneers of this new and modern field by providing online consulting services.

Self-management and self-help treatments:

Before the popularity of the Internet, self-help programs were popular in the form of books, videos or audio collections. Today, all these types of content are accessible on websites, and in the form of counseling materials and solutions, mental health assessment tests, etc., are among the subsets of the use of technology in improving mental health.

There are thousands of self-help programs available online now. The quality of these programs and their reliability are different. To use these methods, you should pay more attention to their source. In this regard, Simiarum has also tried to help improve the mental health of the society and increase the awareness of the population by publishing various materials in the field of counseling and treatment.

Computer therapies:

Terms such as artificial intelligence-based therapy and computerized cognitive behavioral therapy are associated with this area of technology application in improving mental health.

Computer-assisted therapies use software to provide therapeutic interventions without or with limited presence of a therapist. This method is very similar to Internet-based therapy, with the difference that in this method, the computer plays a more active role in the treatment.

Computer systems can be available in the form of software or special computers such as robots.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is best applicable in this method. In the future, sophisticated artificial intelligence technology may be used to fill the gap between live and computerized therapy. At present, artificial intelligence is used in a limited way in anxiety and stress treatment programs, but there is still a long way to go to meet the needs of clients without the presence of a therapist.

Personality psychology and review of various psychological tests
Therapist robots:

Man is a social being and needs the company of others. This companionship is so necessary for humans that sometimes they even love non-human beings. For example, humans have had a good relationship with animals for thousands of years and they play an important role in human mental health. Today, trained animals such as dogs are used to accompany patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Meanwhile, robots are gradually entering this field.

The use of technology in improving mental health, especially in the form of robots, is fruitful in improving the quality of life of people with autism. This method is used to teach social skills in patients. Additionally, robots can diagnose anxiety disorders, depression, and mood swings.

Treatment using virtual reality:

Virtual reality places people in an imaginative and stimulating environment. In this method, the therapist has complete control over what the patient sees and hears. As a result, this particular method is effective in the use of technology in improving mental health to diagnose and treat mental health problems. The best application of this method is known in the treatment of anxiety disorders and the treatment of some forms of phobia. For example, the patient is exposed to an object (spider, dirty toilet, etc.) or situation (height, flight, etc.) in a controlled and safe environment. At the same time, the therapist can observe the emotional and physical reactions of the patient. Once the patient feels comfortable in virtual reality situations, they can move on to the next stage of treatment, real-world situations.

The use of technology in improving mental health in the form of virtual reality can be effective for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and autism.

Application of technology in improving mental health using computer games:

Video games can help improve physical health and are currently recommended to increase physical activity of people, especially teenagers. Physical health has been proven to contribute to mental health and happiness. Therefore, these games can help improve mental health. Some of these games specifically target psychological issues.