People can become addicted to technology, there is therapy for that addiction, the APA is considering making it an actual mental disorder, and retreats exist whose purpose is to get us away from technology. Even when that happens though, we get stressed because we don't have it.
We just can't win!
(Edit - I left out the link to the survey results! They're up there now, or you can find them right here)
What an interesting article. I was shocked to see that some people find computers more stressful than finances and arguing with a spouse. Those two are always more stressful than computer issues to me.
ReplyDeleteThat survey is hard to believe! 94% said that they experience more stress with computers then with taxes or traffic. I am not part of this 94% at all. When I have had issues with my computer I do not feel stressed but just try to work through my problem or find someone is more knowledgeable then I am to fix it.
ReplyDeleteI can attest to the addiction that technology can present. I have often spent hours in You Tube land without noticing any time has passed. I will look up after viewing random entertaining videos and wonder where my day went. If I have to spend time on my computer I will sometimes purposely avoid looking at You Tube so I will not waste my day. I find this a little sad to admit but very true!
Technology is only stressful it people let it take over their life. Creating a disorder for it would be great. Not only will people get help, but others will start to recognize some of the symptoms that might also have. I can honestly say I can leave my iPhone at the house and I will not freak out about it.
ReplyDeleteOk,consider this...
DeleteYou go to work and a fellow co-worker (the master tech hacker of the universe) starts being pushed around by a ruthless boss. He gets fired for reasons that wouldn't fly in a big corporation. So he goes home, works some magic and the next thing the evil boss knows, his entire internal network goes down and even some of his clients. He goes into a panic/rage. Does the boss show signs of a stress `disorder' then?
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PS: This happened when I was working in telecom back in the early 90s. The boss had a coniption like you wouldn't believe... and you bet it cost him real good. ... but next time it happens ... I'll just say: `Calm down, you have a technology stress disorder. Here, take this number and call my shrink'. LOL!
I can't lie: there have been tech disasters that put me over the edge and some have even threatened my job security (because someone else got mad at my computer -- circa 1993).
ReplyDeleteOne particular nightmare not only blew up my windows [no thanks to a bloated GIS app] DURING FINALS, it caused me to take a bad grade -- yes, I had to suffer then apologize FOR the software, instead of me.
It was pure stress from start to finish.
I think this whole computer rage has a lot to do with lack of knowledge in how the technology works. A lot of this can revolve around not being trained properly. I would have honestly thought that the percentage for the stress of traffic would have been the same as this computer rage.
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience with technology and being in a traffic jam, I'd rather deal with the technology because with that you can go back to where you started in certain situation.