Are you suffering with over stimulation?

If, like me you are a child of the 70’s or 80’s, you will remember a distinct lack of technology in your life. No computers, smart phones, social media, 3 channels on the TV, and watching Tomorrow’s World with wonder each week. These days the pace of technology and constant new methods of communication are introduced into our lives with such ferocity we often don’t take any notice, that is until they have taken over.

The ways of communicating range from WhatsApp, SMS text message, email, social media, in-person Zoom-type meetings, mobile phone/FaceTime calls, TV, podcasts and many more. Between personal and business interactions, our brains receive thousands of communications each day. 

And this is before we even discuss whether you’re single! Throw in constantly checking your multiple dating apps to see if you have any notifications, any swiping left or right, answering messages from potentials dates or wading your way through matches. 

No wonder we sometimes struggle to cope. Add to the mix our ever-growing workload, our own expectations and those of others and it’s hardly surprising that our social interactions take a back seat - we simply cannot process the volume of digital interactions thrown at us! It can feel like our brains are literally being fried, and we retreat just to give ourselves a break. 

The average person spends between 7 and 10 hours per day on screentime, mostly on their phones, as unbelievable as it sounds. Our whole lives are there in the palm of our hand. With apps to organise and manage every area of our lives, we can’t (and don’t) do much else but look at it all day. 

The constant barrage of communication and interactions our brains are being subjected to can lead to anxiety, irritability, feeling tired all the time, depression and mental health issues, as well as us retreating and not engaging in social situations. Dating apps can also make your question your own self-worth and self-image. It’s pretty hard not to take everything thrown at you from the dating world personally. 

Have you ever cancelled a social engagement that you were really looking forward to as you were just too tired and couldn’t be bothered? Not taken up a new hobby as you convince yourself you haven’t got time? Made an excuse for a networking or social invite as you couldn’t possibly fit anything else in?