Dependence on gadgets

2020

In the Japanese city fine for use of smartphones when walking

At the beginning of July, 2020 Yamato became the first Japanese city in which to pedestrians prohibit to use smartphones on the run in public places. Read more here.

The dependence on smartphones physically changes a brain of the person

At the end of February, 2020 article which authors claim that the dependence on smartphones physically changes a brain of the person was published in the Addictive Behaviors magazine. According to this article, researchers used MRT-devices for inspection of people with dependence on the smartphone and found out physical changes of a brain, similar to those that are observed at addicts.

The research was conducted with 48 patients, 22 of which were classified as having dependence on the smartphone. Researchers from Heidelberg University claim that they at these people were marked out the smaller volume of gray substance in the island and temporal bark and also decrease of the activity of rest of a front zone crinkle of bark. At the same time the volume and activity of a front zone crinkle of a cerebral cortex were connected with weight of dependence.

Article which authors claim that the dependence on smartphones physically changes a brain of the person was published in the Addictive Behaviors magazine

Considering wide use and the growing popularity of smartphones, this research calls into question their harmlessness, at least, at people who can be exposed to the increased risk of development of the dependence connected with smartphones.

The term "dependence on the smartphone" was entered relatively recently for the description of dependent behavior and the related physical and psychosocial violations. Some users cannot just do without the phones even within 5 minutes. This research provides the first proofs of explicit correlation between structure and functions of a brain and behavioural dependence at the persons corresponding to psychometric criteria of this disease.

The received outputs cause reasonable concern, and many companies, for example, of Apple and Google, already implement in the phones and operating systems of function which should reduce time of their use.^[1]

2019: WHO officially referred game dependence to diseases

At the end of May, 2019 the World Health Organization (WHO) officially referred dependence on computer games to diseases and entered it to an update of the International classification of diseases (MKB-11) which gamblings, alcoholism and drug addiction also enter.

According to new criteria, the person is considered a diseased if games negatively and for a long time influence his life, but he with it does nothing.  At gamers of a game become ahead of other vital interests and also cause violations in family, social, educational, professional or other spheres of life.

WHO approved a new disease – "game frustration"

One more negative aspect of a game addiction experts called bad control over playing time and also priority of games even after there are negative effects. For diagnosis symptoms should remain for a year, but it can be delivered earlier, depending on their expressiveness.

The WHO expert on mental health and toxicomania Shekhar Saksena reported to NBC News TV channel that the game dependence seldom and is diagnosed only after several months of a long game.

The new editorial office MKB will become effective only in 2022.  Representatives of the game industry appealed to WHO to review criteria, pointing that existence of "game frustration" is not confirmed sufficient the number of proofs to enter it to one of the most important tools of World Health Organization.

The organization for protection of mental health  of Take This is dissatisfied with archaic equating of a game addiction with dependence on substances: according to some  researches, she resembles  a deficit syndrome more likely attention or obsessivno-compulsive frustration, so, treatment according to schemes  of dependences in a root is wrong and it is even dangerous.^[2] 

2018: Bill Gates limits children in use of smartphones

Representatives of technology elite of the USA, as a rule, show surprising severity to the children in a question of use of gadgets, and to it there are good reasons, Business Insider reports in January, 2018.

In April, 2017 the founder of Microsoft Bill Gates said in an interview to the British edition Mirror that he did not permit two daughters and the son to use mobile phones while children were not 14 years old. According to the billionaire, children complained of restrictions, but no arguments forced it to mitigate policy for gadgets. Also in Gates house smartphones under a ban behind a dining table and before going to bed.^[3]

Gates is not lonely in the approach: in an interview The New York Times in 2011 the legendary head Apple Steve Jobs was recognized that he did not allow the children to use "apple" products of the house.

Bill Gates with the daughter Phebe Adele Gates

What it do the richest top managers of the technology companies know of their products that is not known by ordinary consumers? — teachers with an experience Joe Clement and Matt Miles who in October, 2017 published the book under the name "Screen Schooled question: Two Veteran Teachers Expose How Technology Overuse is Making Our Kids Dumber". In it authors told how the domination of technologies stultifies modern school students.

Digital technologies cause dangerous addiction and dependence. More and more data confirm harm which is done to weak children's mentality by excessive hobby for smartphones, computer games and social networks.

In November, 2017 in Axios interview the co-founder of Napster and Facebook Sean Parker recognized adverse effect of social network, having noted that Facebook influences relationship with society and with each other and also fatally affects productivity.

One man's guess is as good as another's what social networks do with brains of our children — Parker said.

At the beginning of January, 2018 two large investors of Apple addressed with the open letter corporation in which they expressed concerned concerning impact of smartphones on health of children.

2017

WHO officially called game dependence a mental disorder

At the end of December, 2017 the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it is going to include game dependence in the International classification of diseases. This widely used diagnostic management last time was updated in 1990, and the new version — MKB-11 — will be published in 2018.

The wording of article about game dependence which will be included in MKB-11 is not completed yet, but criteria which can be used by doctors for determination of a cause of illness are already listed in the project.

The dependence on computer games will be officially included in the list of diseases

The game dependence is characterized by the permanent or regular need for video games which can be carried out online (i.e. on the Internet) or in locally mode. This requirement is shown in the following:

• insufficient control over game behavior (for example, inability to control the frequency and duration of game sessions);
• game purchases a priority over other vital interests and daily activity;
• continuation or escalation of participation in games, despite its negative influence on human life.

This behavior model has rather serious effects as destroys personal, family, social, educational, professional or other important spheres of human life. For establishment of the diagnosis symptoms should be shown within 12 months and more, however at compliance to all diagnostic criteria and gravity of symptoms waiting time can be reduced, reported in WHO.

Allen Frances from Duke University in Northern Carolina warns that introduction of game dependence to the list of official frustration can lead to wrong diagnostics fond, but healthy people. It should be noted that WHO rejected other violations, such as smartphone - and Internet dependence, having said that "proofs of presence of such diseases are absent".^[4]

Brain chemistry imbalance: research by MRS method

On November 30, 2017 scientific confirmations were provided to the fact that the dependence on smartphones and the Internet can cause an imbalance in brain chemistry.

Results of tests showed that teenagers with dependence have much bigger predisposition to a depression, disturbing frustration, heavy insomnia, impulsivenesses.

The group of scientists of the Korean university in Seoul used a method of the magnetic and resonant spectroscopy (MRS) for comparison of a brain of smartphone and Internet and dependent teenagers and a check group from those who have no similar dependences.  Researchers found out that the ratio of a neurotransmitter of GAMK gamma aminobutyric acid (gamma aminobutyric acid — GABA) and a neurotransmitter of a glutamate glutamine (glutamate-glutamine — Glx) was much higher in front zone bark of teenagers with Internet and the smartphone addiction, than at healthy examinees of a check group. GAMK inhibits or slows down brain signals while Glx forces neurons to become more electrically excitable.

The dependence on smartphones causes an imbalance in brain chemistry

According to scientists, the increased GAMK levels and the broken balance between GAMK and a glutamate in front zone bark can promote the best understanding a pathophysiology and treatment of dependences.

19 young people participated in the research project (average age of participants of an experiment was 15.5 years; 9 participants — men) with diagnosed Internet or the smartphone dependence. The check group of not having addictions of participants consisted of teenagers of the same age and a floor. From dependent teenagers of 12 people underwent 9 weeks cognitive behavioural therapy which program was modified from the similar program of cognitive therapy of game dependence.

Weight of dependence decided on the help of the standardized tests on Internet and the smartphone addiction, containing the questions directed to clarification of in what degree use of the Internet and the smartphone influences everyday and social life, productivity, a dream, feelings.

Then researchers carried out magnetic and resonant spectroscopy, measuring  the GAMK and Glx levels  at a check group and at teenagers with dependence how they underwent behavioural therapy. According to the previous researches, GAMK has an impact on sight and regulation of motility and also participates in regulation of different functions of a brain, such as concern. Too high level of GAMK can cause such ghost effects as drowsiness and disturbing frustration.

In comparison with a healthy check group, teenagers with Internet and the smartphone dependence had much higher ratio of GAMK and  Glx  in a front zone cerebral cortex before underwent therapy. According to researchers, ratios of GAMK and  creatine,  and GAMK and a glutamate considerably correlate with clinical scales Internet and the smartphone dependence, depressions, disturbing frustration.

Researchers provided scientific confirmation to the fact that the dependence on smartphones and the Internet can cause an imbalance in brain chemistry

Complete understanding of clinical effects of the received results will require additional researches, however, according to one of scientists of the University in Seoul, the increased GAMK level can be connected with functional loss of integration and regulation of processing in cognitive and emotional neural network. Positive result of a research turned out the fact that the ratio of GAMK and  Glx  at dependent teenagers considerably decreased or was even normalized after cognitive behavioural therapy.^[5]

Notes