Simonchik N., student of PT-06

Oleshitskaya O., assistant

Kryvyi Rih Technical University

THE INFLUENCE OF COMPUTERS ON HUMAN

In a great number of books and publications it was said, that continuous work at the computer has a very negative impact on many functions of human body. We can point at the highest nervous activity, as well as the endocrine, immune and reproductive systems. Most of above said concerns eye sight, skeletal and muscular system. Non-compliance of a simple set of rules of computer use may cause both corrupted eye sight, and varicose veins.

Clearly, these diseases can not have negative impact on human mental health. But at the moment we are only interested in computer impact, which is directly connected with our psyche. If people’s eye sight and hearing are mostly threatened by keyboard, mouse, monitor or headphones, human psyche is influenced by more virtual things - namely, excessive enthusiasm for computer games or the Internet. Typically, these factors can cause a sort of dependence, which in some cases is associated with the inability to break away from own passion, producing a kind of compulsive dependence on the Internet or games. In such cases, the person is simply unable to imagine life without unhealthy object devoting it more and more time and health.

Before we consider above stated cases, we must say that in this context, we shall consider only those situations that involve using computer for many hours. Our focus will be on those people who can no longer imagine their daily lives without various chats, online forums, or computer games (these are approximately 90% of all the "regulars" World Wide Web users).

Now let’s try to sketch a portrait of an average representative of this audience. This is not a complicated task because lifestyle of such person serves as the main reason for this pastime, and, with all the consequences. We do not make mistake if we say that people living their entire lives on the Internet (at least, bigger part of it), as the rule, need a social support as they face enormous difficulties in communication, dissatisfaction, extremely low self-esteem, they are full of complexes, shyness and have a great number of other problems. Unfortunately, the Internet is able to solve almost all these problems providing a virtual life (where you can make yourself absolutely anyone, that is realize all your dreams of self-exclusiveness) instead of real life, to which such person is not adapted.

There is a dual situation. From the one side such people aggravate their character traits which they would like to be fully delivered, but from the other side, acquire new “prizes” which are expressed in escaping from reality by means of changing mental health, virtually changing their sex, age or some other qualities... The risk is also reflected in the fact that over time this lifestyle and thinking permeate all reality levels that makes person act and think very differently. In other words, the human completely changes his approach to domestic issues, as well as to all his family, personal, professional and other issues.

There is a list of psychological symptoms below which Internet-dependent people have:

· feeling of well-being, and sometimes even euphoria from computer use;

· problematic, and in some cases inability to interrupt the work;

· increase of time spent at the screen of the monitor;

· inattention to family members and friends, passing into total disregard and indifference;

· sense of internal discomfort, emptiness, depression and irritation occurring by computer absence;

· increase of lying to employers and family members about their activities;

· problems with work or study.

Besides the following signals must also draw your attention:

· obsession to check e-mail as often as possible;

• hardly restrained need for next network session;

• increase of time spent in the network with every session;

· increase of costs for use of Internet services.

It is possible to mark that all these symptoms are almost entirely consistent with the symptoms which characterize any other addictions, as alcohol, drugs or work obsession. In all these cases, including the Internet addiction, human health is getting worse and as the result becomes the status of mania, if any steps to bring this person out of dependence are not made. Euphoria, provided by computer and the Internet, cultivates in human disbalance, distraction, carelessness, self-isolation, loss of conventional values and internal guidance, careless attitude to family members and friends.

Quite often close people of dependent person consider that they can persuade their “problem” relative to the ethic norms and normal way of life. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible, as in this case they have to deal not with the stubbornness, but with the human disease, which causes profound personality changes and development of new, rather unpleasant character traits and characteristics of personality.

We should always remember that computer can become a friend, help in need, but also may cause a lot of problems, lead to loneliness.