The fear of being disconnected is changing some family habits
New technologies have changed the whole society, much more than you can believe. Thanks to the internet and to devices like smartphones People can access a large amount of information in real time and be permanently connected. But many family habits have also been altered by the need to always be attentive to this digital world.
The one known as nomophobia (no mobile phone phobia) has altered the family routine. The members of a household, especially the youngest, fear being disconnected and therefore avoid certain activities with their own to attend their mobile devices instead of those around them. A change that can be seen from the attitudes in the living room of the house or in the choice of the travel destination.
Anxiety about disconnection
On the nomophobia has treated the study conducted jointly by the International University of La Rioja and the University of Deusto. A work that points out how anxiety disconnection It affects many families today. A situation that becomes more visible in adolescents, especially in young people between 14 and 16 years, especially in the case of girls.
This gender difference is due, according to the director of this research, Joaquín Manuel González-Cabrera, to that girls reach before the maturity than the little ones Therefore, they access these forms of socialization beforehand through smartphones. In any case, this study has detected how the behavior of adolescents demonstrates a lower level of stress when they access places with coverage or with Wi-Fi.
This has changed some patterns of family behavior, as for example the classic visits to the town. The researchers point out that many teenagers refuse to make these trips because of the fear of being left without coverage and not being able to maintain a full relationship with their acquaintances or access the content online.
Another appreciable change in the family routine are the moments that once were used to socialize. For example, the moments after the Dinner in which all the members used to talk, and in recent years we have seen how the smartphone has replaced these conversations.
Question of attitude
To prevent the nomophobia the best advice is to take care of the attitude of children since they are given the smartphone. These are some behaviors that adolescents who obtain one of these terminals must assume:
- Respect the moments. Every moment requires a behavior, if the adolescent is in class, talking with his family or doing homework, it is not the occasion to attend the smartphone.
- On the table, food. The smartphone should not be a guest to family meals. Teenagers should leave their devices in other places at the time of sitting at the table and take advantage of these moments to socialize with the members of the household.
- Better in person. Does the adolescent want to socialize with his friends? Great, but better to meet in person, spend time together and not through the screen of these smartphones.
- The time to sleep. In the darkness of the room at night, the face of many teenagers is illuminated by their smartphones. An activity that alters your sleep rhythm, therefore, the mobile is forbidden in bed.
- Remembering the real world. If the adolescent goes to an activity with family or friends, he should remember the real world that surrounds him. It is a great disrespect to take care of your smartphone, except urgency.
Damián Montero
