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Screen media technologies (SMTs), comprising smartphones, tablets, televisions, and laptops/computers, are widely used for work-related and personal requirements. These have a significant effect on every aspect of life, be it social, personal or work. People are spending more and more time on these technologies to communicate with friends and family and enjoy their leisure time besides using them in official work. The use of SMTs positively affects the individual as it makes communication easier and improves and enhance relationships while decreasing loneliness (Wood et al., 2016). At the same time, several research studies point out the ill effect of the overuse of these technologies. According to a report by McDool et al. (2016), an hour a day spent on social networks reduces the probability of being satisfied with life by approximately 14 percent. The survey conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health in 2017 (Status of Mind: Social media and young people's mental health) has shown both the positive and negative effects of the use of media technologies on health. The survey found the use of such technologies helping to improve self-awareness, self-identity, community building, emotional support, awareness to others, access to health-related information, real-world relationships, and reducing loneliness. Increased depression, anxiety, bullying, rise in concerns related to physical appearance, fear of missing out on things, and sleep disorders are reported to be the adverse effects on the other hand. Depression and anxiety are the most frequently reported adverse effects of smartphones and computer/laptop overuse in school and college-going students (Rozgonjuk et al., 2018; Jamir et al., 2019). Kross et al. (2013), Balakrishnan and Shamim (2013), and Beardsmore (2015) reported that the overuse of SMTs and social media has led to mental health problems, low self-esteem, anxiety, social and emotional difficulties among young college-going students aged from 21 to 25 years.
The constant urge to check smartphones for messages and notifications, posting almost everything on social media, comparing others' social media life with their own, binge-watching on laptops or television are some of the factors associated with technology addiction in college students (Stoller, 2013, Chan et al., 2014, Kushlev et al., 2016, Walton-Pattison et al., 2018). Addiction to these technologies affects not only the mental health but also the physical health of the users. Neck pain is one of the most reported ill-effects of these technologies' overuse. Berolo et al. (2011) and Gustaffson et al. (2017) reported that neck pain among university students and young adults is associated with time-spent texting on mobile phones. Similar were the findings but on the use of laptops/computers in office workers (Cho et al., 2012) and university students (Eksioglu et al., 2017 and James et al., 2018).
In some cases, the overuse and addiction of these technologies can cause severe damage to a person's social, psychological and physical wellbeing. The seriousness of this issue is garnering the attention of psychologists, sociologists, and other related researchers. Leading software and smartphone organizations have also acknowledged this problem. They have thus developed various software applications enabling users to monitor and control the amount of time they spend on their smartphones, laptops, and televisions (Dennison et al., 2013, Rooksby et al., 2016). However, this technology supported feature is not the total solution to the problem and cannot arrest the overuse of the technology causing damage to physical and mental health.