Look around the classroom. What’s something that you see on a daily basis? Technology. We know how great it is and everything technology has done for us, but what are some of the negative effects?

1. Isolation/Lack of Social Skills and Bonds

We get so focused on our devices that we pay no attention to what is going on in the world around us. When we isolate ourselves, we lose the ability to form a social bond that requires the skill of communicating face to face with another person.

2. Obesity

When we just sit around all day while watching YouTube videos and waste time on social media, we are eliminating the time that we could be out doing something physical. This, along with mindlessly eating anything and everything around us, causes us to gain weight.

3. Poor Sleeping

If all we do in bed is stare at our cell phone and scroll through Twitter or Instagram, it puts too much information in our brain, causing it to not be able to “turn off” at a reasonable time for us to fall asleep. Another factor is the glow from your phone screen. It can affect the release of melatonin (the sleep chemical) from your body, causing a lack of sleep.

4. Bullying

With an increase in technology, bullying (and the severity of bullying) have also seen an increase. Kids are no longer able to escape their bully in the safety of their own home. The ability to cyber-bully has also seen an increase in the number of kids who become bullies due to the fact that people are more likely to say something online rather than in person. Also, cyber-bullying has lead to an increase in teen suicides.

5. Lack of Privacy/Deceit

Although these two are opposites, they belong in the same category here. With the advances in today’s technology, someone could look up virtually anything they want about a subject or person. People tend not to give a second thought to tweeting about whatever they’re doing, giving out their location on Google maps, or spilling out their whole life story on Facebook. That being said, someone can be any person they want on social media. You may think you’re talking to a 16-year-old girl but instead you’re talking to a 45-year-old man. The best way to avoid any potential danger is to not give out personal information online and be careful about who you’re talking to.

6. Neck and Head Pain

If someone is constantly looking down at a device, it can cause their neck pain and your neck can lose its natural curve. Also, eyestrain can cause headaches, blurred vision, and migraines.

7. Short Attention Span

Studies have shown that the use of social media has literally rewired our brains. Our attention span used to be 12 minutes and has now gone down to five minutes. Constant news feed, reading news in less than 140 characters, and videos that are usually under 10 minutes are the cause of this. Also, someone who spend a minimum of five hours on social media a day have trouble remembering people’s names, forget pots on the stove, and sometimes even their own birthday.

8. Childhood Developmental Issues

Imagine all of these issues listed above and any others you have ever heard. The effects on adults are bad enough, but they are a lot worse on children. There is no way to determine what the effect on the developing brain of children can be, severe or not.

9. Loss of Hearing and Eyesight

Always have your earbuds in and listening to music can lead to hearing loss. Also, straining your eyes to look at the content on your device can potentially lead to vision loss.

10. Neurosis

Technology can cause people to suffer from mental and emotional disturbances such as anxiety, delusions, or phobias (which are all signs of Neurosis). Thinking your famous after a video goes viral or being convinced you’re deathly ill after looking up symptoms on WebMD are both examples of Neurosis.