TECHNOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE AND ITS EFFECTS ON HUMAN RELATIONS

Abstract

The intense use of digital devices and social networks, often compulsively, is associated with increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and social isolation, as well as decreased self-esteem. Contemporary phenomena such as Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and nomophobia emerge as frequent manifestations of technological dependence, intensifying feelings of social exclusion and difficulties in digital disconnection. It has been observed that dependence on digital technologies is not restricted to a specific age group, affecting both young people and the elderly, although the impacts manifest in different ways. Therefore, technological dependence constitutes a relevant contemporary psychosocial challenge, demanding the implementation of strategies to promote mental health, digital education, and public policies that encourage the balanced use of technologies, aiming to preserve the quality of human relationships and emotional well-being.