4 things in modern life that make psychology a profession of the future

What developments in our society will offer new paths for psychologists?

In the last few decades, human beings and the society we have built has evolved in a very remarkable way, and with the advancement of new technologies, our way of relating to each other has evolved in a very different way.With the advance of new technologies, our way of relating to our environment is very different from that of previous generations.

Just 40 years ago, no one could have imagined the impact that social networks would have on our lives today, nor how a device called "telephone" would evolve, as mobile devices have become our inseparable companions.

The values of our society have changed, and with it our way of thinking.. But changes have not always been for the better, and modern society can bring with it various disorders that were not previously a reason for consultation in psychopathology clinics... unless cultural changes and new ways of managing these new situations are introduced.

Disorders associated with modern society

But, which facts of modern life make psychology a profession of the future?

These four facts make the figure of the psychologist in the health area indispensable in the present and in the days to come:

1. The obsession with the digital image

New technologies have burst into our lives with such force that it is almost impossible to live outside this new reality. Body image disorders are nothing new, and in fact they are a fairly frequent phenomenon in our society. Our culture rewards those individuals with a body image that borders on perfection, something that leads many people to become obsessed with their bodies..

Excessive preoccupation with appearance and the image we give turns certain individuals into tremendously unhappy people. Access to new technologies and the possibility of being connected all day long to social networks causes many problems in people prone to this type of behavior.

We all know someone who spends hours and hours taking pictures of themselves and then sharing them on their Facebook or Instagram profile, and they become obsessive.

In fact, the selfie phenomenon has become a characteristic fact of modern society. In this regard, psychiatrist Dr David VealeThe British newspaper Sunday Mirror quoted him as saying: "Every third patient who comes to my practice for Body Dysmorphic Disorder is obsessed with selfies". It could be said that access to new information technologies increases this phenomenon. However, it is important to understand that the main problem is not the new technologies, but the pathological use of them.

Recommended article: "Alert with selfies: they can be a symptom of a mental disorder".

2. Stress and Technostress

Stress is not something new, but nowadays it has become a very serious problem. It is common for people to consult psychologists because of the stress they suffer in their lives.. 

In fact, in the work environment, chronic stress or burnout causes serious psychological problems. Stress is a complex phenomenon in which job variables, an individual's expectations and his or her ability to cope with complex situations all come into play.

But, recently, some experts claim that a new form of stress is affecting many individuals. The cause? The irruption into our lives of technology in the form of computers, internet, smartphones tablets... what is known as technostress.

For psychologist Marisa Salanovaprofessor at the University Jaume I of Castellón, technostress is "a negative psychological state associated with the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) or with the threat of their use in the future. The perception of a mismatch between the demands and resources related to ICT use causes this phenomenon, which is characterized by a high level of psychophysiological arousal, discomfort, anxiety, fatigue and the development of negative attitudes towards ICT. And the fact that the use of smartphones and laptops blurs the boundaries between private life and work life can also lead to problems.

To learn more about technostress, you can visit our article: "Technostress: the new psychopathology of the digital age".

3. The use of smartphones

And of course, when we talk about the disorders and syndromes associated with the use of new technologies, it is inevitable to talk about the nomophobia. For a little over a decade, cell phones have been with us everywhere we go, wherever we go. Since the advent of smartphones, we have access to the Internet 24 hours a day, and in the face of this reality, it is In the face of this reality, it becomes almost impossible to disconnect a single moment from the digital world..

Being continuously connected may not be all good, and in the long run, for some people, disconnection can have serious psychological consequences, making them anxious, in great discomfort, and even feel lost in this world dependent on new technologies. Psychologists can re-educate these people in the use of new technologies to overcome their addiction to cell phones.

Recommended article: "Nomophobia: the growing addiction to cell phones".

4. The new ways of relating to each other

In the modern world, the way we relate to each other has changed a lot compared to previous generations. We tend to be connected to social networks continuously, and we interact with our acquaintances on a daily basis. Being continuously connected to the network has provoked a new phenomenon called FOMO Syndrome (fear of missing out) or the feeling of missing out on something. This syndrome has been recognized by psychologists as a disorder produced by the advancement of the a disorder produced by the advance of technology and the amount of options that are presented to us nowadays..

People with FOMO feel that their lives are much less interesting than those of their acquaintances, which affects their self-esteem and emotional health. FOMO can also lead to depression or anxiety. As in the previous cases, education is essential to prevent this type of pathology associated with the use of new technologies, and psychologists can help people to correct the negative thoughts characteristic of this phenomenon.