Dear Editor, In an era of hyper-connectivity, the ability to adapt to extreme conditions—particularly those involving digital deprivation—has emerged as a critical yet understudied facet of resilience.1 This letter examines the challenges faced during a three-day field deployment (February 19–21) in a remote desert region, where participants from the Iran University of Medical Sciences were deprived of internet access, telephone communication, and adequate food and water. While the team demonstrated remarkable adaptability to physical hardships, their psychological dependence on digital connectivity revealed vulnerabilities that warrant further exploration. Key Challenges and Adaptive Measures Communication blackout The absence of telephone antennas severed ties with relatives, exacerbating feelings of isolation. Although wireless radios were reserved for operational teams (per the Red Crescent’s crisis protocols), participants initially struggled with emotional distress. Over time, however, they adapted by focusing on face-to-face interactions, underscoring the value of offline community-building in crises.2 Resource scarcity Food rationing and water sourcing were immediate priorities. Participants organized into small groups to divide tasks—shelter construction, water procurement, and ration management—mirroring ancestral survival strategies.3 This collaboration not only ensured physical survival but also fostered collective resilience. Internet deprivation The most striking challenge was the lack of internet access, which persisted as a psychological hurdle throughout the exercise. Participants reported cravings to check social media (e.g., Instagram, Twitter) and described the deprivation as “more taxing than hunger.” This aligns with studies linking internet withdrawal to anxiety and identity disruption.4 Notably, while physical adaptations were swift, digital detox remained incomplete, suggesting that modern resilience frameworks must account for technological dependencies. Implications and Recommendations Training Programs: Integrate digital deprivation simulations into disaster preparedness curricula to build psychological resilience. Alternative Communication: Pre-deployment training in low-tech tools (e.g., satellite phones, mesh networks) could mitigate isolation. Research Gaps: Future studies should compare urban/rural populations and prolonged disconnection scenarios to identify cultural or temporal variations in adaptation. Health Promotion Approach Addressing the psychological toll of digital deprivation requires a proactive health promotion strategy that empowers individuals and communities to build resilience before, during, and after crises. Health promotion in this context involves fostering awareness, developing coping mechanisms, and creating supportive environments to mitigate the distress caused by sudden digital disconnection. Key components of this approach include education on healthy digital habits, training in alternative communication methods, and strengthening interpersonal connections. For instance, pre-deployment workshops could teach mindfulness techniques to manage digital cravings, while community-building activities could reinforce offline social networks. Additionally, integrating low-tech communication tools into emergency protocols ensures continuity of contact without reliance on internet infrastructure. By prioritizing mental well-being alongside physical survival, health promotion transforms digital detox from a vulnerability into an opportunity for growth. This shift not only enhances crisis preparedness but also promotes long-term psychological resilience in an increasingly connected world. Novelty of the Letter This letter offers a fresh perspective on crisis resilience by exposing the underappreciated challenge of digital deprivation in survival scenarios. While traditional research focuses on physical adaptation, our findings reveal that internet dependency poses a unique and persistent psychological burden, even surpassing hunger in perceived severity. The letter bridges a critical gap by connecting digital health with disaster preparedness, urging a paradigm shift in how resilience is conceptualized and taught. Unlike prior studies that examine digital detox in controlled settings, this real-world deployment highlights its impact during actual survival conditions, providing actionable insights for policymakers and health professionals. Furthermore, the letter calls for integrating digital resilience into mainstream disaster training—a novel recommendation that acknowledges technology’s pervasive role in modern life. By framing internet dependency as a public health issue, it opens new avenues for research and intervention in an era where connectivity is often taken for granted. Conclusion This exercise revealed a paradox: while humans retain the capacity to thrive under physical deprivation, digital disconnection poses a unique and pervasive challenge. As societies grow increasingly reliant on technology, fostering resilience must extend beyond traditional survival skills to address the psychological toll of internet loss—a critical frontier for disaster research. AI policy Linguistic and grammatical polishing was performed utilizing DeepSeek’s AI technology. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
Seyedin et al. (Fri,) studied this question.