Emotional regulation and Addiction

What Does Technology Addiction Look Like?

Technology addiction is a growing concern. It may be hiding in plain sight. Most of us don’t think of checking our phones 150 times a day as a disorder, but the line between habit and compulsion is blurrier than ever. As our appetite for high-tech devices grows, so does the evidence that our brains are being rewired in ways that look a lot like addiction. If you’re finding it difficult to control compulsive behaviors addiction counseling can help you understand what’s driving it.

How Technology Disrupts Mindful Living

As our attention is diverted more and more with apps, devices, social media, etc., it becomes increasingly difficult to be mindfully present in the moment. According to the American Psychiatric Association, technology addiction shares key features with other behavioral disorders, including failed attempts to cut back and continued use despite negative consequences. We are now able to occupy any and all of our free time with digital content a.k.a. “connectivity.” As we look at people around us, they are increasingly preoccupied as well, leaving less opportunity for us to engage with each other.

The Role of Emotional Regulation

Less mindful engagement in the moment presents a problem when we look at the process of emotional regulation. Emotion regulation is a person’s ability to effectively manage and outwardly respond to their internal experience of the world. Impaired emotional regulation leads to decreased awareness of emotions and a decreased ability to respond to our environment in a healthy way. We begin developing emotional regulation skills in infancy and continue to develop them throughout our lives.

How Early Experiences Shape Our Behavior

Babies are unable to soothe themselves and require a caregiver to attend to their every need. As they mature, children should gradually begin to develop the ability to soothe themselves. Problematic behaviors are often the result of children learning to substitute some form of escape like food, television, or video games, for genuine self-care. An example of this would be a neglected child who eats to feel better.