The internet and World Wide Web became widely recognizable in the 1990s.
“It is readily accessible,” said Richard Young Outpatient Clinic Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner Bridget Mosek.
She says this has changed the way we communicate.
“Instead of having to take hours, days to contact somebody, I can write somebody and have a response in 30 seconds,” said Mosek.
It is this readily available, instant communication that is impacting our personal life.
“We have to just make sure as professionals, that we separate,” said Mostek. “This is my work. I have a work phone, I have an office that you can contact, but don’t contact me personally on technology. It’s very easy to find people. We’re all on different apps. But, really set firm boundaries so you can separate work and play, home life.”
The constant internet communication may also be hurting our next generation.
“Sometimes it decreases our personal interaction and I think that can cause a lot of anxiety especially for kiddos,” said Mostek. “If we don’t have to make contact, eye contact with somebody or have a face to face interaction it inhibits our ability to do so.”
Therapists say oftentimes kids perceive the ability to instantly communicate as a necessity.
“A lot of kids who are maybe wanting to make friends or have friends they really believe that if I don’t respond to this facebook message in X amount of time, will they still be my friend or will they as another friend to go to the movies instead of me because I couldn’t respond quick enough,” said Mostek.
Therapists say the internet is creating more marital and relationship problems.
“I think it makes it a lot easier for people to be unfaithful,” said Mostek. “One of the big questions is, is emotionally talking to somebody, is that cheating or not? I believe yes, because you’re giving that attention that you should be giving your spouse to somebody else. The internet is so readily available, it just makes it so easy to get involved, even if your intentions are not to get involved, it’s easy to get kind of sucked in to that.”
She said when talking about the internet, the important thing to remember is balance. In the evenings, disconnect.