In today's world, the internet is central to our lives, and more and more people are beginning to realize the importance of taking periodic breaks from digital content. Constant access to online space can lead to information overload and increased anxiety. In an interview with Newsinfo.ru, family and clinical psychologist Olesya Pokusaeva shared her recommendations on how to reduce the time spent on the Internet and how excessive content consumption affects our mental health.
How do you reduce your time on the internet? What actual recommendations could you make?
Olesya noted that there are several methods to reduce the time spent on the Internet. “First, there are programs like retreats, silence courses, where this is limited, and people go there voluntarily, and this is called Internet detox.”, - she explained.
Pokusayeva also recommended setting an alarm clock and turning off the internet and gadgets for a pre-scheduled time. However, she emphasized that when a person starts restricting themselves, there are many reasons why it is urgent to return to the Internet.
“I use programs myself, including I am on silence courses, where completely we have no gadgets, no connections. These are meditation courses, which also help people exactly to clear the mind from all that we have a lot of worries, a lot of stress, and it helps people a lot, actually.”, - she added.
Pokusayeva also recommended setting an alarm clock and turning off the internet and gadgets for a pre-scheduled time. However, she emphasized that when a person starts restricting themselves, there are many reasons why it is urgent to return to the Internet.
“I use programs myself, including I am on silence courses, where completely we have no gadgets, no connections. These are meditation courses, which also help people exactly to clear the mind from all that we have a lot of worries, a lot of stress, and it helps people a lot, actually.”, - she added.
You mentioned anxiety. And how does internet content affect our ability to concentrate and our anxiety levels? Only for the worse?
Pokusaeva explained that the effect can be both positive and negative, depending on the dosage. “Naturally, as with anything, take, for example, salt, water, anything, if it is dosed, it is to our benefit, and if it is in excess, it is to our detriment,” she noted.
The problem, she believes, is that many people consume internet content before bedtime, which prevents the brain and body from fully resting. “The brain instead of slowing down some processes, it starts digesting this information, processing it,” she concluded, emphasizing the importance of controlling the quantity and quality of information consumed.
The problem, she believes, is that many people consume internet content before bedtime, which prevents the brain and body from fully resting. “The brain instead of slowing down some processes, it starts digesting this information, processing it,” she concluded, emphasizing the importance of controlling the quantity and quality of information consumed.
Is it true what they say that you'll watch less, you'll have less anxiety, or does volume not depend?
“There are people who are anxious themselves, and even some small amount of information is enough for them to increase this anxiety,” the psychologist noted.
She gave an example with tragic events, such as airplane crashes: “If a person saw it once, his anxiety level went up and down, but if he watches constantly, if he is included in the news, he researches everything, and how it was there, and what happened.”
Because of the constant monitoring of the news, she said, a person begins to perceive the situation as more dangerous than it really is, which leads to increased anxiety. “Why is it that after airplane crashes there is a very big spike in people's aerophobia. Even those people who in principle were not afraid of flying on airplanes,” she explained.
Pokusaeva recommended limiting news consumption. She emphasized that not all people know how to properly filter information. “This is also something we need to learn. Especially with young children, this is a real problem, because they believe everything that is on the Internet, they think it is the truth,” she added, noting that even adults are sometimes unable to distinguish truth from lies, which leads to information overload.
She gave an example with tragic events, such as airplane crashes: “If a person saw it once, his anxiety level went up and down, but if he watches constantly, if he is included in the news, he researches everything, and how it was there, and what happened.”
Because of the constant monitoring of the news, she said, a person begins to perceive the situation as more dangerous than it really is, which leads to increased anxiety. “Why is it that after airplane crashes there is a very big spike in people's aerophobia. Even those people who in principle were not afraid of flying on airplanes,” she explained.
Pokusaeva recommended limiting news consumption. She emphasized that not all people know how to properly filter information. “This is also something we need to learn. Especially with young children, this is a real problem, because they believe everything that is on the Internet, they think it is the truth,” she added, noting that even adults are sometimes unable to distinguish truth from lies, which leads to information overload.
And can the internet break that people may give themselves for one reason or another be considered a new form of stress in today's society or a form of addiction?
Olesya explained that in the initial stages, when a person just starts to limit his or her time on the Internet, anxiety can indeed increase. However, in her opinion, if a person does something useful and structures their time, anxiety gradually disappears.