The fear of computers is known as Cyberphobia. In today’s world, an intense and persistent fear of being around and using computers can be a real deterrent to career, communication, and even relationships.
Reasons For This Phobia
Cyberphobia may develop as a result of lack of facility with computer technology. Sometimes, older people who did not grow up in the Internet age may be most prone to the symptoms of Cyberphobia. Using a computer may be daunting, and people with this phobia often report feelings of longing for the “good old days”, when computers were not an important facet of workplaces, social networking, and other such things. People who fear computers may also be known as “Luddites”. Luddites are wary of all new technology, and prefer a low-tech approach to living their lives. They may also fear cellphones, Blackberries, and other new and modern gadgets, such as iPods and other MP3 players.
Cyberphobia Can Impact Career
This phobia can cause problems in a person’s career, because almost every office or retail job requires the use of computers. In fact, it is difficult to think of jobs where computers don’t factor in somehow. The person with Cyberphobia may prefer “old-fashioned” careers, such as carpentry, that rely on creating things with their own two hands. However, technology can make life easier: when it is shunned, advances that make work more efficient may be missed out on. For the true Cyberphobic, the computer is a source of anxiety and trepidation.
Ways To Cope
Getting a handle on symptoms and tension may require education or training. Sometimes, this fear can be conquered through beginner’s computer courses from a compassionate, caring instructor who understands that the pupil is suffering from the fear of computers. Even online courses that familiarize a phobic person with a computer’s applications and processes can be of great assistance. This may not be enough, however – for people who avoid computers, the idea of logging on to the Net and studying may be off-putting.
Living without a computer is not impossible, but it will have some negative ramifications. Today, much of our banking, business emails, and budgets are taken care of via computer program and the Web. When the person who fears computers chooses a life without computers, they may actually increase the amount of errands and phone calls they need to make in the course of daily life. Of course, this can also result in some positives: increased interaction with real people is not necessarily a negative.
Symptoms And Treatment
The Symptoms of Cyberphobia include avoidance of computers, physical malaise (such as physical tension in the muscles, headaches, and dizziness) and feelings of oppression or doom. In order to combat the effects of this phobia, a person may require panic treatment or some other form of therapy. In extreme cases, medication may be necessary to control symptoms that affect the person’s ability to live a normal life.
The fear of computers is also referred to as:
- computer fear
- afraid of computers
- computer phobia
