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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

EV0505

The allostatic loads of digital life: defining thresholds for benefit and harm

THE ALLOSTATIC BURDENS OF DIGITAL LIFE - DEFINING THRESHOLDS FOR BENEFIT AND HARM

The benefits and harms of digital engagement are conceptualized within the framework of allostatic load, through the thresholds between digital exclusion, an optimal range of use (the Goldilocks zone), and digital hyperconnectivity.

The poster aims to review allostatic load theory, introduce the concept of digital states, define levels of cumulative allostatic load, and outline their effects on health and directions for future research. The method consists of a comprehensive literature review of allostatic load theory, cumulative stress physiology, and the effects of digital engagement; clinical observations and work on the concept of Digital Hyperconnectivity (DHC) informed the conceptualization of the Goldilocks zone, exclusion thresholds, and pathological thresholds. Allostatic load is defined as the cumulative wear and tear resulting from repeated or sustained activation of the body's adaptive stress response systems, and elevated levels are associated with anxiety, depression, and other forms of dysregulation. The poster defines two thresholds: the transition from digital exclusion to optimal engagement is described as the point at which technology use begins to improve health and well-being; DHC is described as a state continuously fueled by passive and active sources, operating along a dose-dependent benefit–toxicity curve. Drawing inspiration from Selye's work on eustress and distress and the Holmes–Rahe life change units, the authors assigned weights to negative digital experiences based on their relative capacity to cause harm: sextortion victimization 100, cyberbullying 90, fraud victimization 80, gambling notifications 75, harassment 50, AI videos 40, fear of missing out 35, video viewing 4, push notifications 2, and spam email 1. The poster explicitly states that these numbers are theoretical rather than empirical, that both negative and positive comments increase allostatic load, and that only disengaging from the digital environment reduces the load. In conclusion, allostatic load offers a parsimonious framework for understanding the harms of digital engagement without prescribing universal rules. By recognizing individual differences in thresholds and developmental stage, the Goldilocks zone enables clinicians to assess the balance of benefits and harms in relation to each adolescent's capacity, while the empirical identification of thresholds at the population level remains a task for future research.

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