MENTAL HEALTH:

the excessive use of the technology and the psychological impacts on adolescence

Abstract

The creation and expansion of internet access provided the development of new means of communication and also the modification of the relationships and behaviors of individuals. As adolescents are the group that most uses technologies and in particular the internet, it can also be said that they are the most susceptible to suffering the psychological impacts arising from the excessive use of these tools. By having the following guiding question: “What are the psychological impacts that excessive use of technology causes on adolescents?”, the present work had as general objective to understand how the mental health of adolescents is affected by the excessive use of technology. Therefore, in order to fulfill it, a basic bibliographic research was carried out and the text was presented in sections, where technology and adolescence are characterized; the relationship between both is presented; the psychological impacts arising from the excessive use of technology are listed and, finally, the tools used by the psychologist to mitigate such impacts are described. However, taking into account that the internet can offer countless benefits to its users and at the same time cause serious impacts on them, it is necessary to enumerate the latter. Among such impacts are: imbalance in cognitive and affective aspects, changes in sleep mood and digital dependence. Due to the contact with technology being inevitable and constant nowadays, it is essential that parents, educators and the psychologist work together, for a better technological handling and maintenance of the mental health of young people.