Digital Detox: Why Taking a Break from Technology Can Improve Your Well-Being

This book discusses the dangers of too much technology use, explores the benefits of digital detoxing, and outlines the different programs and approaches available to help you unplug. It’s an invaluable resource for readers looking to establish a healthier relationship with the digital world.

Health professionals and the general public are becoming increasingly aware that addiction to the internet, social media, online games, and other forms of technology has become a real problem with significant negative impacts on physical, psychological, and social health. To combat this issue, some are now undertaking a ＂digital detox,＂ and many options have emerged to help individuals unplug, whether for a weekend or for longer-term change.

Digital Detox: Why Taking a Break from Technology Can Improve Your Well-Being explores both the dark side of technology’s ever-present existence in today’s world and what individuals can do to find better balance in their digital lives. Part I explores addiction to the internet and other novel technologies. What effect does overindulgence in social media, gaming, online shopping, or even ＂doomscrolling＂ through internet news sites have on our self-esteem, relationships with others, and happiness? This section also explores how researchers study and quantify technology addiction. Part II focuses on the digital detox countermovement, examining how various programs, support groups, retreats, and even technology itself can help individuals conquer their digital addictions.

Bernadette H. Schell is a well-published professor in the human-computer interaction domain. She has authored numerous books, including Greenwood’s Online Health and Safety: From Cyberbullying to Internet Addiction.