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Digital Zombie

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A Digital Zombie is a person using digital technology and/or social media to a point that they become fixated only in that faux reality[1]. Typical signs attributed to Digital Zombies is a difficulty looking people in the eye or carrying on healthy conversations, as well as displaying signs of early onset dementia, having difficulty or failing to see details of live occurring around them, or having limited social skills within the real world[2]. People such as Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google, has expressed concern over the effect of the internet on its users[3].

Research by the University of Sydney has demonstrated that increased exposure to heavy technological use can have negative health consequences just as drugs, smoking, and alcohol are reported to have too[4]. It is unknown at this time if any of consequences are long term or not digital technology has not been around long enough to determine if there is long lasting effects or not. Digital Dementia South Korea

Neuroscientists in South Korea have reported that young people have been so obsessed with their smart phones and digital technology that they are experiencing cognitive difficulties that are akin to those who suffer from Dementia[5]. Symptoms include the inability to produce clear handwriting, recall phone numbers correctly and memory loss. Environmental Health Trust, a nonprofit research and policy organization has stated that in a nation where 20 percent of 10 to 19 years olds spends seven hours a day on smartphones and tablets, exposures are the highest in the world and reports that this amount of usage is being linked to Digital Dementia which can cause brain damage[5]. This severity of damage is usually only observed in individuals with a head injury or a serious psychiatric illness[6]. This is not the first time South Korea has reported problems with digital technology, as they were the first nation to adopt a high technology usage they previously reported in the 1990's that internet addiction was becoming an problem. [7].

Concerns over Children

The first few years of a child's life is critical for development, within the first year alone the brain volume doubles in size.[8] With the brain rapidly growing, the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry has stated that the environment that the child interacts with also plays a direct role in the development of the brain[9]. Psychotherapists such as Patrik Wincent, who works with people suffering from digital stress, have raised concerns regarding the impact of technology on children[10] He has said that American children between 3 and 4 years old can comfortably control and iPad but lack the developed motor skills to manipulate pens, paper, and building blocks[11]. Alternate definitions

Alternatively, a Digital Zombie can refer to a person that is performing distracted walking, which has been labelled dangerous by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. This issue has caused the creation of the "Digital Deadwalkers" campaign after physicians have noted the risks associated with walking across intersections or sidewalks while not paying attention to their surrounding as they only paying attention to their smartphones. The name is derived from the fact that "They're oblivious to everyone else, so it's like they're dead-walking, sleepwalking."

The Department of Sociology, University of Warwick has also identified the term, digital zombie, to refer to an individual who has died but "lives" again through a digital self on a digital medium. After the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, many relatives asked for the Facebook profile pages of the victims of the shootings to remain online so that they can post messages in the process of handling their grief. Through the use of digital technology, people are beginning to use digital technology to grieve and researchers have called for more research into the area of human-computer interaction[12].

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Concerns have been raised about the effects of digital technology on children psychotherapist who study addiction such as Patrik Wincent

Prevalence of children with technology

Technology targeted to children should be carefully examined since from zero years to two their brain doubles in size an growth continues until they are 25[11]. How do we determine if technology is impacting children negatively? In America children who are just 3 or 4 can easily control an iPad but be underdeveloped with motor skills required to grab pens, paper, and blocks [11] With the impact unknown, toy phone are marketed to kids and wifi is being provided for free in some schools and public parks. What are the consequences of this easy access[13] Reports of students who use heavy mobile device usage flunking tests that require intensive memorization [7] Young people are the most at risk from any ill effects of heavy technology use since their brains are still developing[7] Doctors in Korea are observing more cases of memory problems, attention disorders, and emotional issues among those who spend a significant amount of time on the internet[7]

Invasion or partners in our lives

Patrik Wincent, Psychotherapist and specialist for those suffering from computer games abuse, refers to digital cellphones as the new cigarettes. They are in our pockets and can easily come out whenever we are feeling anxious, bored, or any signs of tension. Once they have left our pocket and we engage with them, we begin to get rewards which enforce the behaviour of picking them up in the first place [11]

Consequences of addiction

behind digital media

There is a physical reaction within our bodies that occur over time as smart phones begin to play a bigger role in our lives. Our smart phones for instance can train our body to trigger Adrenaline and Cortisol which are stress hormones. In small doses the effects are moot but in larger doses it can "become chronic which is not good"[11]