Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the concept of “Digital Diet” emerged after Industry 4.0 entered our lives, emphasizing the formation of digital highways in the 21st Century. Tarhan highlighted that technology should serve as a tool for people; “Technology should be a tool for people. If we see technology as a tool, it will lead us to our goals. In this era, we need digital to stand firm and progress.” He said.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founder Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan participated as a speaker in the “Online Training” program organized by TRT Academy for TRT personnel. In the program held via Zoom, Tarhan made evaluations regarding the topic of “Digital Diet”; “Digitalization is not a goal, but a means to a goal.” He stated.
“Digital diet has two conditions”
Stating that the concept of digital diet has two conditions, Tarhan said; “The first condition of a digital diet is to live purposefully. If a person aims digital correctly and uses it towards their goal, they will achieve their purpose. Those who use technology for purposes other than its intended use fall into the trap of technology. We need to know digital opportunities and traps well. The Covid-19 pandemic made digitalization mandatory for us. Education, health, every professional group necessarily transformed digitally. Instead of seeing technology as an enemy, we should use it for our purpose. The second condition is that technology should not turn into an addiction, and technology should not be a person's only area of interest. Addiction emerged with digitalization. Technology should not be a person's sole focus of interest.” He spoke.
“Turkey is the most affected country by digital diet!”
Emphasizing that Turkey is the country most affected by the digital diet in the world, Tarhan said; “When mobile phones first appeared, Turkey was again the leading country in the world. Turkey is also the country most affected by the digital diet in the world. We became acquainted with the virtual world very quickly. For us to be able to live in this geography, we do not need to be constantly active. This situation keeps us alert and sensitive to innovation. The digital world is not a threat for us, but an an opportunity. Digitalization is currently a global flood. We must show cultural sensitivity and use digitalization within the framework of our interests and goals.” He stated.
“Befriend children without abandoning the parent role”
Giving advice to parents on digitalization and technology, Tarhan stated that the communication families establish with their children leaves marks on the child's mind. Tarhan; “The child considers the parents' actions, not their discourse. You can befriend a child without abandoning the parent role. The togetherness of the mother and father leaves permanent traces in the child's developing spirit and maturing mind. It means planting new seeds in the child's developing soul. Parents should pay attention to their actions at this point. They should be companions to children and exchange ideas. It is more important to approach them in a friendly way rather than imposing bans and giving advice. Hz. Ali has a very beautiful saying. He says, play with your children until they are 5, build a friendship with them until they are 15, and consult with them after 15. Actions, at this point, are remembered more than advice.” He said.
“Positive communication is the magical concept of family communication”
Referring to a study conducted by the University of Nebraska in America, Tarhan said, “Three common characteristics of happy marriages have been identified in a region of Central America. Firstly, spending a lot of time together. Secondly, it was found that positive words such as appreciation and approval are used frequently. Thirdly, couples going to church together. These three important points are actually a positive approach that one should turn into a life philosophy to make their marriage happy. Positive communication is important. When solving problems within the family, showing a positive approach, trying to solve the situation by thinking about how it can be turned into an opportunity, rather than being threat-oriented, is very important. When one party does this, the other party is positively affected. We can say that positive communication is the magical concept of family communication.” He spoke.
The program ended after participants' questions were answered.