Technophobia: The Fear of Technology

The technology incorporates scientific knowledge to create a design that handles specific tasks to make our lives easier.

Despite having numerous disadvantages, technology is a lifesaver, but some people are more concerned about the disadvantages.

Some of them get too concerned that they develop a condition known as technophobia.

Technophobia is the irrational and extreme fear of technology, especially when it is a new and advanced technology.

Technophobia may be a result of certain factors such as traumatic experiences, the presence of other phobias, or ill information about technology.

Technophobia is not a severe problem, but it becomes one when it is not handled correctly. This is when it tends to hinder your day-to-day way of living.

However, it is very much treatable, even at this stage. Technophobia is the exaggerated fear and irrational aversion towards technology, especially new and advanced technology.

We all know that science and technology evolve continuously. First, we accomplished tasks using stones, sticks, and bones.

As time passes, technology and tools become more advanced to solve problems better.

Certain people, especially older adults, usually feel overwhelmed by how fast technology is growing and feel the need to keep up.

Although technophobia is not recognized officially as a mental illness, this condition can be severe and may affect a person’s livelihood.

Diagnosing Technophobia

There are diagnostic criteria used to determine if someone has technophobia, and they may include;

• Consistent fear at the sight or thought of technology or advanced technological devices
• Arousal or panic attack due to exposure to technology or advanced technological device
• The realization that this fear is extreme and irrational
• If the person experiences symptoms of technophobia for more than six months
• Consciously and carefully avoiding technology or advanced devices.

Causes

Similar to other phobias, technophobia has no specific cause, but experts believe that the phobia occurs as a result of predisposing factors, and they may include;

Social and Cultural Factors

From the olden days to this modern time, teens and young adults have always been more accepting of new and advanced technology products than older adults.

Beliefs can prevent acceptance. Specific technological works may be useful to humanity, but because some people do not consider them morally right, they hate them.

Assisted Reproductive Technology has helped many couples and single individuals have children, but because some people do not find it ethically right, they detest it.

They may also peddle wrong information about it to keep their young ones from adopting it.

Gender differences also play a role in technophobia. Specific people believe that anything relating to technology is masculine and that females are not capable of handling it.

This stereotype still exists even though we have females in the technology world. That is why women who believe in this fear embrace technology.

Doomsday Scenario

Popular culture portrays doomsday scenarios in movies, books, articles, blogs, social media posts, and TV shows.

These doomsday scenarios are alarming possibilities of how technology is likely to destroy humankind as a whole.

These scenarios include;

• A war between humanity and robots
• World War III between countries and how the war will destroy the earth
• Dinosaurs attack because they were brought back to life using technology
• The dangers of cloning and other assisted reproductive technologies

Wrong Information About Technology

While we have credible and reliable information about many things, there is also wrong information.

Incorrect information can do more harm than good, and when some people see false information about a particular technology product, they may react negatively to it.

The more they read or listen to this unreliable information, the more threatened they get.

Presence of Other Phobias

The presence of other phobias, such as fear of robots, fear of chaos, and fear of death relatively, gives rise to the development of fear of technology.

Traumatic Experience

This is a common factor in phobias, and a person who must have experienced a tragic event, such as an explosion or fire outbreak caused by electricity or any accident caused by any technical product, will believe that technology is harmful.

This belief causes them to fear, and eventually, this fear may be irrational. People like this are likely to have this condition.

Treatment

Individuals with technophobia may feel threatened even at the thought of anything relating to technology. This fear may be irrational, and they know it, but they cannot stop feeling that way.

Technophobia can affect a person’s life so severely that it can temper the person’s social life, academics, and career.

However, technophobia is treatable using several methods, including;

Self-help

Self-help is an approach you take by yourself first. Self-help techniques may include the following;

• Read reliable information about technology and focus on its benefits to humanity and the world at large instead of its disadvantages.
• Trying out the new technology. You do not need to be scared to try out something new.
• Reading books, listening to music, watching videos, documentaries, or tutorials, and accepting that technology has made things easier for everybody.
• Practicing mindful meditation to calm your nerves and channel your mind to positive thinking

You are likely to overcome your fears by following the techniques mentioned above.

Counseling

Consulting a therapist is the next step if self-help does not work. Trained therapists possess the skills to help you overcome your fears.

Talking to your therapist about your problem in a comfortable environment will make it easy to address your situation.

By evaluating your situation, your negative thought patterns about technology are identified.

This makes it easier for your therapists to help you see the positive aspects of technology, thereby replacing the negative thoughts with positive ones.

More so, your therapist may teach you coping skills you can adopt to overcome these fears.

Support Groups

Joining support groups, which are available both online and offline, is another approach that can help you recover.

This allows you to connect with people who are going through or must have gone through what you are experiencing.

This gives you the homely feeling that you are not alone, and with their support, you can learn to overcome your fears of technology.

Exposure Therapy

You may consult a professional psychologist when counseling or joining support groups does not help you.

Your psychologist may use exposure therapy to help you. In this technique, you are gradually exposed to your object of fear.

This is done to help you feel less threatened at each exposure until you do not feel any fear, even when faced with your source of anxiety.

This is likely to worsen the condition and should be carried out by a well-trained therapist only.