Blame Netflix for your Depression

Why Personal Tech is Depressing 

 Blame Netflix for your Depression 

In today’s society technology is a luxury that was unimaginable by our great grandparents. Now, with a few clicks on technological devices we can watch a movie at home and have food delivered as well. Although this has a great aspect because of how convenient many things have become, this is also the root of depression. Unfortunately, these advancements also have their downsides which include lack of socialization, or isolation.

Three in every ten people experience depression and although the antidepressant intake in the U.S. has increased, the rate of depression has also increased and this not just in America but worldwide. These technological advancements are time savers which people aren’t taking advantage of. Rather than going out with friends and having a volleyball match or even just playing bingo, people are sleeping in, scrolling on their social media pages, or watching Netflix. We may think that social media is the best way to stay connected and socialize, but screen time is not the same as face to face interaction.

To fight depression the University of Kansas has come up with a system of three simple steps; “Get (Properly) Lit,” “Don’t just sit there,” and “Power Down Correctly.” By “Get Lit” they mean to sit in front of Artificial light box for at least 30 minutes a day at around the same time. (But couldn’t we just sit outside where the real sun is?) Their second step means to exercise, even just walking for 30 minutes three times a week is a good way to fight depression as well as antidepressants but without side effects, and lastly turning the thermostat down five degrees before going to bed, dimming indoor lighting, and placing our electronics in night shift, helps reduce depression.

This article may affect electronic sales especially for children because parents reading this article are becoming aware of the negative effects of technology. However this article’s target market is anyone and everyone who uses electronics because it wants to make us aware of the negative impact of overuse.

(https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-personal-tech-is-depressing-1509026300)