Email, IQ and ADD
06.30.06
In a recent article posted on www.brainplace.com, Dr. Daniel G. Amen (Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association) reviews a research study on the distraction of constant e-mails, text and phone messages. This study by Glenn Wilson of King’s College, London University, found e-mail, text and phone messages to reduce IQ by 10 points more than the 4 points mean fall of IQ found in the study of cannabis users.
According to the survey, the most damage was done by the compulsion to reply to each new message. This leads to a constant change of direction in the brain, which tires and slows down the brain.
Dr. Amen believes the study is true. He says constantly checking e-mails increases stress hormones damaging cells in the memory centers of the brain. This behavior can be addictive, because one is always waiting for the next good e-mail or cell phone message. It is also a source of distraction pulling us away from the person or task we should be focusing on.
Email and ADD
People with ADD aren’t the only ones to be negatively affected by too many emails. This research shows us continual checking email can be distracting for any one. Having an ADD brain makes the distraction of email and phone messaging a bigger challenge. Because people with ADD are easily drawn away from scheduled tasks, a constant focus on new mail or messages will be more detrimental to their lives. Consider dealing with your email and phone messages at scheduled points during your day. Perhaps when you do not have an unlimited amount of free time.
Tip: Set aside a reasonable amount of time for email and write this into your daily planner. If you often get off course once on the internet, set an alarm to bring your focus back, every 15 minutes or so.
Keeping our IQ’s as high as possible is worth the effort.
Daniel G. Amen
For full article, go to “Checking E-mails Too Frequently May Make You Stupid.”
http://amenclinics.com/ac/bitn/bitn_detail.php?articleID=87
