Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Screens have dulled our ability to truly feel and connect, writes GulfWeekly’s columnist Preety Praveen as she explores this month’s Speak Your Mind topic ‘how overexposure to gadgets especially social media affects mental health’.
There was a time when real friendships, quality time with family, and taking breaks from work were considered the most valuable aspects of life. Today, these meaningful moments are often overshadowed by phones, laptops and other gadgets.
Charging a phone seems more urgent than talking to the person next to us.
We are more concerned with checking the online status of someone we barely know than asking a loved one how they’re doing.
Somehow, knowing a celebrity’s daily schedule feels more satisfying than planning our own goals or spending time with those who truly matter.
How did this virtual world take over our reality? Or are we the ones who gave it permission to invade our lives? What should matter more, chasing ‘likes’ on social media or sharing a hot cup of coffee with someone who genuinely cares about us?
The truth is, this digital shift hasn’t just changed our routines, it has reshaped our emotions.
The depth in our bonds, the grief of losing a friend, the sorrow of a breakup, or the pain of parting with a loved one has lost its emotional impact. Screens have dulled our ability to truly feel and connect.
Those late-night heart-to-heart conversations have now been replaced by scrolling through reels or gaming on our phones. Our excessive workloads have chained us to laptops, denying us moments of physical warmth and connection.
And yet, without guilt or awareness, we’ve comfortably adapted to this digital lifestyle — we even seem happy about it.
But we must pause and reflect: our real world should be built around real people and relationships. In moments of crisis, it’s our loved ones who will stand beside us, not our phones or social media apps. A warm hug, a reassuring touch, a caring glance, or a few kind words will always offer more support than any screen ever could.
We must remember gadgets and apps were created to serve us, not the other way around. Let’s ensure they remain tools we control, not forces that control us.
Make time not just for yourself, but for your family and friends too. Be present in the real world. Cherish the laughter, warmth and comfort that come from genuine human connection.
After all, we are human and with that comes a social responsibility to care for each other with compassion, attention and love.
(Preety is a psychologist and author.)
