Constant connectivity and mental health: a qualitative exploration of technology’s double-edged role

Purpose This paper aims to explore the dual impact of constant connectivity on mental health among young Indian adults (aged 18–40), with particular emphasis on the lived experience of ambivalence – where psychological burdens (e.g. anxiety, boundary erosion, social comparison) and perceived benefits (e.g. emotional support, family connectedness, access to resources) dynamically coexist and must be actively negotiated within the same individuals, shaped by India’s unique blend of collectivist cultural norms and competitive occupational pressures. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory design was used, drawing on reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). Thirty-five urban participants (18 males, 17 females) from diverse occupations (students, IT professionals, health-care workers, service employees) were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews conducted between April and June 2025 (30–50 min each) explored daily technology patterns, psychological and emotional impacts, positive roles of connectivity and self-regulation strategies. Data were analysed inductively while remaining sensitive to researcher positionality. Findings Five interconnected themes emerged, each revealing negotiated ambivalence: notification-driven anxiety coexisting with family reassurance; work–life boundary erosion offering flexibility yet breeding burnout; social media comparison inducing inadequacy while delivering validation; supportive connectivity simultaneously fostering closeness and invasion; and digital self-regulation providing temporary relief but undermined by cultural and occupational responsiveness demands. Research limitations/implications The urban, purposive sample limits transferability to rural or lower-socio-economic contexts. Future research should adopt longitudinal, intersectional (gender × class × urban/rural) and mixed-methods designs to track how ambivalence evolves and test intervention effectiveness. Practical implications Organisations in high-pressure sectors (IT, health care) should implement enforceable after-hours policies and culturally attuned digital literacy programmes that address notification overload, family responsiveness expectations and gendered comparison cycles. Individual-level interventions could promote mindful boundary-setting techniques tailored to collectivist values. Social implications Constant connectivity fosters stronger family and social ties in India’s collectivist culture, enabling emotional support amid urban migration. However, it intensifies social comparison on platforms like Instagram, particularly among females, eroding self-esteem and heightening FOMO. The “always-on” expectation normalises blurred work–life boundaries, contributing to collective fatigue and burnout in competitive sectors. These dynamics risk widening mental health disparities, underscoring the need for culturally sensitive interventions promoting mindful technology use and digital boundaries to preserve social well-being. Originality/value By analytically demonstrating intra-individual negotiation of ambivalence in India’s hybrid collectivist-competitive context, this study extends technostress theory and digital well-being literature beyond the dominant adolescent-focused or quantitative Indian/global studies, offering nuanced conceptual and practical insights for rapidly digitising Global South societies.