Deputy on the screens already affects the health and the relationship of the elderly; See how to avoid

The most common symptoms that indicate cell dependence are stress, depression and anxiety

When the programmer Gabs Ferreira visits his father inside San PaoloIt almost always finds it the same way: with his cell phone in his hands and the Coils From Instagram On the screen.

Initially, Antonio, Gabs’s father, refused to enter social networks, but adhered to the platforms influenced by the family. Today he is an active user and enters Instagram every day and spending hours YouTube.

“Sometimes I am, my mother and someone else on the table and there is a time when she dissociates herself a little, she takes her cell phone and continues to run there,” says the programmer.

Excessive use of cell phones – and other devices – studies already motivated all over the world. The Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) concluded that this type of dependence is connected to the worsening mental health in the elderly, adults and children. Another studio in Nielsen, a market research company and American data analysis, revealed that the elderly USA They are more obsessed with screens than young people and consequently spend many hours a day in front of them.

Most of the time the elderly people arrive at IPQ have a significant social isolation even before addiction, explains Rodrigo Machado, an IPQ psychiatrist. “That old man who abuses technology often already has depressive symptoms,” he says. “Technology comes to fill this hole in a life that is impoverished by social activities and bonds”

And in practice, what do the elderly do on the cell phone that keeps them so much? Random and repetitive games of the style Candy CrushThey are the most compelling because they have a random reward mechanism. Something similar to a gambling.

Another content that stimulates excess consumption are short video platforms, such as Tiktok, Shorts AND Coils. “This type of information consumption is almost fast food,” says Machado.

For these patients, Machado faces a treatment based on cognitive behavioral therapy and, in the end, the idea is that the elderly will be encouraged to practice the car -regulation. “Our treatment is in a group, but it can also be individual, a driving psychologist and usually [o tratamento] It lasts from 16 to 18 psychotherapy sessions, “he says in parallel to this, we have a multidisciplinary team that supports this patient, who also undergoes employment therapy.

The employee Guimarães da Silva, a psychology student at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UEG), also understood that a family member used the cell phone more than he should. He says that Ocimar Guimarães, his 65 -year -old grandfather, did not have a cell phone, and when he got a smartphone and downloaded Tiktok his routine changed.

Ocimar told his nephew that he had spent the entire data package watching videos on the app and now consistent to put the Wi-Fi at home, an object that was previously disengaged.

To live in the rural area of São GonçaloMunicipality of Rio de JaneiroOcimar narrows the characteristics that make elderly dependent on technology. It has some physical limits and lives in relative isolation.

The Clart deals with the effect that this intense use can cause concentration, memory and social interaction. “We know that dependence on the screens is worrying. It affects us a lot, affects a matter of concentration and the concern is: can this addiction cause other things?”

Some behavioral changes have attracted Cler’s attention. Before being presented to smartphoneOcimar went to the granddaughter’s house to bear fruit and speak. After Tiktok, he started less.

“Now, my greatest concern is this. I have not seen any impact on cognitive matter. I know it has some difficulty focusing on conversations. And it is provided with another topic at the top, for example.”

Many of the problems that imply the dependence on the screens are actually connected to what the user does on the device, explains Adnerbal de Castro Vieira Jr., a doctor responsible for the sector of the treatment of dependence on the Proad behavior, the Paulist School of Medicine of the Federal University from São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP).

“The problem of the mobile phone is that it has the Internet, it is a smartphone. But nobody is dependent on the mobile phone or cell phone dependent on calling calls,” says Vieira. “It can be a video game dependent on the game. The phone is only a means.”

Family treatment

To treat a patient in these conditions, Vieira explains that the environment in which it is inserted must also be treated. “The patient is that person who has been identified with that problem, but you have a sick family around, sometimes you have to intervene also in this family.”

Therefore, the treatment requires a much more personalized approach, the Vieira and UNIFeP study group emphasizes psychotherapy, which according to him does not give priority to the use of medicines.

“Treating only that person owned by the problem, who is identified with the problem, may not be enough. You have to look a little more, have a slightly bigger angular view.”

And how do you replace the use of devices with other activities? For Vieira the way is to find out what the person did not do to help him recover this habit.

“If the person practices sport, we will increase the times of sport. If the person likes to read, we will increase reading times. This is what we call reduction of damage. It is not necessary to promote abstinence. If you change a very bad standard of Use according to a more suitable standard of use, you have treated, you have progressed, “says Vieira.

To contact Proad if you have identified some of the symptoms, call (11) 9 9645-8038.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.