“NEW ADDICTIONS: THE DARK SIDE OF TECHNOLOGY”
On 17 June, the Sisters Hospitallers had celebrated a Discussion Forum, in which renowned speakers shared their impressions on “New addictions: the dark side of technology”.
Speakers
This discussion forum, designed to be a place of meeting and dialogue among experts in the field, will feature the following speakers:
– Enrique Echeburúa, professor of Clinical Psychology in the Faculty of Psychology, at the University of the Basque Country, Spain.
– Luis Carbonel, president of the CONCAPA (National Catholic Confederation of Students’ Parents, Spain)
– Guillermo Cánovas, president of the organisation of child protection PROTEGELES
Who, moderated by Dr. Francisco del Olmo, Director of Mental Health at Sisters Hospitallers in Madrid (San Miguel Clinic and Benedict Menni Health Complex), debated to produce a shared reflection on addictions to new technologies (signs, prevention and treatment), especially among young people.
Methodology
By streaming the discussion live, we could exchanged knowledge from all provinces and centres of the Institution, regardless of our locations, and participate interactively in the debate in real time. We could put forward our doubts and questions regarding the discussion topics on the table, which the speakers will respond to on the spot.
Foundation
Humankind has a high ability to develop new addictions, as what truly characterises an addiction is dependency and a loss of control.
There are behavioural habits that are generally considered harmless, but which, in certain instances and according to their use, can interfere with everyday life, and some of them can become addictions. Among these habits, and particularly nowadays, addictions to new information and communication technologies (ITC) stand out; such as internet use (chats, social networks, online gaming, etc.).
These new addictions are particularly found among the younger sectors of the population, the so-called “online generation”, but their prevalence and negative effects are relatively unknown, including within the scientific community, overwhelmed by the relentless progress of ITC.
