The Web Trap

3 mins read

An increasing number of youth are spending most of the time on social networking sites, which has lead to insomnia, aggressive behavior and complications in eye-sight Itifaq Lone shares some details.

Srinagar: The growing use of social networking sites is leading to insomnia and aggressive behavior among the youth in Kashmir.webtrap

Warning against the excessive surfing of internet, especially of social networking sites like facebook, the experts believe that majority of the youth including male and female who were diagnosed with insomnia, aggressive behaviours, partial loss of eye sight and depression have been increasingly spending their time on social networking sites.

 “Avid facebook, twitter and other social network users also have possibility of developing narcissistic approach in life besides contracting psychological disorders, including anti-social behaviours and aggression,” believes Dr Arshid Hussain, a senior Psychiatric at SMHS, Srinagar.

 He said it is also telling upon the study culture among youth while maintaining that socially it has considerable negative contribution.

 “Its aim was to keep people connected socially and culturally. But unfortunately it has contributed more from negative perspective,” he adds while referring to the most tragic incident when rumours were spread over Whatsup and facebook about expired vacancies administrated to children in valley in January this year.

 The rumours triggered the complete chaos and panic for whole night and normalcy returned only after government assured on public address systems and through media that no such incident had occurred anywhere.

 “The Information is not filtered neither censored published on these sites.  And possibly it is not all time correct.”

 He laments that various ethical issues and personal facts are being violated on social media which leads to mental trauma, violent behaviours and sometimes to suicidal tendencies.

 “The hardest part is that people accept and believe more in information published on social media platforms without cross checking it.”

 Dr Majid, an Associate Professor at SKIMS, medical college Bemina is treating a young male who has lost his partial eyesight to excessive surfing of social networking sites forcing him to quit his engineering degree.

 Dr Majid admits that the youth was very intelligent and had a capacity to study for long hours.

But the complications he has developed now would not allow him to study hard what engineering subjects normally demand.

“I have returned home now after deciding to quit B. Tech since I was not able to concentrate on my studies the way it needs to stay in competition,” says Imran.

 Imran is presently pursuing graduation in Arts subjects from Srinagar College.

“My normal routine was to surf on facebook and text on Whatsup for more than nine hours every day with my friends. I deeply regret now since it spoiled my future,” he rues.

Dr Majid, however, is not against the use of modern digital technology. He stresses that people relying on it professionally or personally must strike the balance and not let it to cast negatively on his or her health.

“The people especially youth use it to drive pleasure out of it but that should be avoided,” he says.

 “It disturbs their sleep and peace of mind especially when youths indulge in late night chatting and texting.”

He warns that it disturbs the normal biological clock which otherwise is responsible for maintaining sleep-wake cycle.

“As a result of this, there has been steady increase in patients diagnosed with insomnia. Out of 100 around 10 are diagnosed with Insomnia and stress related disorders mostly due to excessive use of mobile and other computer gadgets,” he states.

“These youngsters complain sleeplessness, restlessness, careless lifestyles, stress and fatigue. They report difficulty in concentration, decreased interest in their academics and day time somnolence as well,” he says.

He also said that excessive use of cellphones is also harmful and potentially can contract radiations causing headache and eye sight problems.

A professor at Islamia College of Science and Technology Dr. Tariq has fully agreed to the observations of Dr Majid.

He has realized that the classrooms are gradually losing its vigour with the advent of digital technology.

Many a times, he has spotted students surfing social networking sites in classrooms due to which their concentration on studies is dwindling.

“The students even prefer to share more knowledge and information on social websites instead use their classrooms and libraries,” he says.

He added that even there is also a thin attendance in libraries with the advent of digital technology and its complete interference in human race.

However, one can’t ignore the positive contribution of the social media if utilized properly.

During the deluge of 2014 in Kashmir, it served as an alternative mode of communication to seek the relief and rescue operation from outside valley. It also helped a lot to get people connected when all communication lines were shut.

Hundreds of people initiated the rescue and relief campaigns over the social media networks and garnered support globally for the affected people.

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 This story was published in the print issue of March 30, 2016

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