The Digital Freezing: Emotional Isolation and the "Silent" Patient-Physician Relationship in the Smartphone Era
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This publication analyzes the phenomenon of "Digital Freezing"—the creeping emotional cooling of society caused by the permanent flood of digital stimuli and smartphone dependency. A particular focus is placed on the transformation of helping professions: the transition from empathetic interpersonal resonance to "data-driven" diagnostics. In modern medicine, the "Hybrid Physician" often prioritizes the screen over the patient’s gaze, leading to a state of "Psychic Numbing" and social malnutrition. The work combines neurobiological findings on dopamine down-regulation with sociological theories (e.g., Hartmut Rosa’s "Resonance") to document the systemic loss of empathy in a hyper-connected yet emotionally isolated world.
Author: Krug, Peter
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7130415418
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: