There was a really interesting article in Esquire last month on “Divided Attention Disorder” or DAD (also known as “Internet Attention Deficit Disorder” (IADD”)). Nicholas Carr suggests that
“Recent psychological and neurological studies indicate that the hyperlinked multimedia that flows so abundantly through our computer screens actually gets in the way of deep thinking. It obstructs understanding, impedes the formation of memories, and makes learning more difficult.”
Article Extract from Esquire (Part One)
Article Extract from Esquire (Part Two)
Article Extract from Esquire (Part Three)
Article Extract from Esquire (Part Four)
(If you have an iPhone handy, you may also be interested in Version 1.5.1 of the Social Media Friend which now has Health related Social Media Phenomena like Cyberchondria, Divided Attention Disorder and Munchausen by Internet included on it.)
Also worth a look this 2008 report from the Carphone Warehouse on our relationships with technology….
I realize that for myself in a situational context that my mind is often split between my current surroundings (which matter immediately) and then my online life (and the potentials that await in my digital dream world) often create a cloudy state of mind which exhaust me mentally and make it extremely difficult to offer those around me undivided attention… whether its co-workers, lovers or friends. I find myself happiest when the virtual chatter goes away, but like anything you must remove it from your life, just like cigarettes and other things. There will be an adjustment and it wont be easy unless your determined to work hard at it.