According to a recent Oxford study, mental health problems in children, especially teenagers, are unrelated to the use of technology. This research was focused on data obtained from 430,000 teenagers over a 28-year time period.
It should be noted that this study in no way implies that spending hours in front of a computer or using social media excessively would make someone happy. In reality, most users are unable to cope with real-life situations and maintain productivity in their lives as a result of increased social media usage.
This has an effect on the user’s eyes as well, as too much screen time causes vision issues, eye-watering, and discomfort. This can be addressed by introducing a ‘digital wellness’ strategy that focuses on reducing screen time and smartphone use. Apple and Google have also launched similar apps that track how much time is spent on a smartphone and provide daily statistics.
“We’re not suggesting that less happy people use more social media; we’re saying that the bond isn’t getting stronger. We couldn’t say the difference between the effect of social media on mental wellbeing in 2010 and 2019,” says study co-author Professor Andrew Przybylski.
