Mobile Addiction: Texting, Tablets and More

Smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices have become an integral part of our daily lives, which can cause us to become addicted to checking them frequently. Are you addicted to your smartphone? Is your tablet habit causing relationship problems with your significant other? Find out how to recognize mobile phone addiction and what you can do about it with this article on mobile technology. Mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives, whether we like it or not, it is hard to go without one. It has become more than just something to be able to call someone or send texts to friends and family, it has become our life support systems as well as being used for entertainment purposes and even social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

The way people use mobile devices can vary from person to person depending on personal preference as well as age group or social status, but there are dangers of overusing them which can lead to consequences that people don’t necessarily realize at first glance.

Definition of Cell Phone Overuse

Cell phone overuse is when you spend so much time on your cell phone that it has a negative impact on your relationships or everyday functioning. If you’re spending hours sending texts or playing games on your cell phone instead of hanging out with friends or family, you may be suffering from mobile addiction. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes cell phone overuse as an impulse control disorder in its diagnostic manual. This means that there are specific criteria for diagnosing excessive use of a cell phone. The Diagnostic manual states that people who suffer from mobile addiction have trouble controlling their use, even if they know their behaviour causes problems for them. They also feel like they need to use their phones to cope with life.

The main difference between cell phone overuse and other addictions is that many people don’t think of themselves as having a concern until someone else points it out to them. It can take a while before you realize how your cell phone affects your life, but once you do, it can be helpful to keep track of how often you pick up your phone and what triggers those behaviours. This self-awareness will help you understand when your use of technology is getting in the way of everyday activities or social interactions. You may also want to keep track of how much time you spend on your phone each day so that you can set goals for yourself and monitor your progress toward changing your behaviour.

1. You feel anxious or upset if you don’t have access to a cell phone or Wi-Fi connection.
2. You use your phone in places where it isn’t appropriate, such as at school or work.
3. Furthermore, you spend so much time on your phone that it interferes with your daily functioning. For example, you might find yourself texting instead of paying attention during class or work meetings because you are constantly checking for new messages.
4. You use your phone to avoid dealing with difficult emotions like anxiety or loneliness.

What are the symptoms?

These days, nearly everyone has a cell phone – some even have smartphones. Smartphones can connect you to email, text messages (SMS), social networking sites, games and other applications. That’s why it’s so easy to get addicted to them; they offer instant access to friends, family and work colleagues. You can send emails at any time of day or night. You don’t need to be in front of your computer to check your Facebook status or Twitter feed, either. The ease with which we can stay connected is both a blessing and a curse. It is great for our productivity, but terrible for our health!

Cell phone addiction has become an epidemic that must be addressed before it gets out of hand. Are you one of those people who just can’t put down their cell phone? Do you feel like someone is constantly trying to reach you? If so, you may be suffering from mobile addiction. Here are some signs that may indicate you are addicted to your cell phone:

The first step toward recovery is admitting there is a problem. If you think you might have mobile addiction, take a moment to consider how much time each day you spend using your cell phone. If it seems excessive, then perhaps it’s time to cut back on usage and develop better habits for managing your time spent on your mobile device.

Why it Can Cause Anxiety?

Mobile phones are part of our daily lives. From morning to night we use it for making calls, texting friends and family or surfing social media sites. Recent research shows how mobile technology can cause stress and anxiety issues, especially among adolescents. A recent study showed that an increasing number of young people are addicted to their smartphone sin fact, many say they would rather give up eating than give up their phone. The results were surprising, as 20% of students said they could not go a day without using their smartphone, while 17% said they were unable to go a day without using any kind of electronic device. These devices have become so addictive that some teens are even taking extreme measures to get them back when they’ve been confiscated by parents.

Another study showed teenagers who spend time on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites are at risk of depression. They found if kids spent more than two hours a day on these sites, there was a higher chance of becoming depressed. Furthermore, another survey from Common-Sense Media found almost 80% of teenagers sleep with their phones near them at night, which makes it harder to fall asleep. This is because blue light emitted from screens suppresses melatonin production, causing trouble sleeping. Although most adults don’t think about it, but mobile addiction can cause health problems such as headaches, eye strain, and muscle tension.

It is recommended that you take frequent breaks from your cell phone throughout your day to help reduce symptoms caused by overuse. So next time you feel like you need to check your phone every few minutes, remember all of these facts before reaching for your device.

How to break free

We all know that mobile devices are useful, but they can also be a little addicting. If you’re reading this on your phone right now—and we hope you are—remember that it’s always okay to put it down. Try not to check it while speaking with others or in meetings. And if you’re concerned about how much time your children spend on their phones (and tablets and gaming consoles), don’t panic! Instead, have a conversation with them about what they like so much about these devices. Is there anything positive? How else could they get those same benefits? Help them find other ways to do so—perhaps by taking up an activity together or using technology in some way that doesn’t involve sitting at home alone. You might just end up having some fun along the way! 

5 Steps To Break Free From Mobile Addiction

1. Set aside time every day when you won’t use your device—or any digital screen for that matter. Maybe even try making Saturday screen-free day (as one dad did). It doesn’t have to be forever; just make sure everyone knows they shouldn’t touch any screens during certain times of day or week. It can help to plan as a family and then stick to it together!
2. If you find yourself looking at your phone or tablet without really thinking about it, put down whatever else you’re doing and take some deep breaths instead.
3. When someone asks how much time you spend on your devices each day, don’t lie! Be honest with yourself about how much time you spend on them each day—and also think about whether there are ways to cut back without feeling like something is missing from your life.
4. Try not to check your phone while eating dinner, watching TV, or speaking with others.
5. Don’t keep all your social media apps open at once. Close out of Facebook and Twitter when you don’t need them, so you aren’t tempted to check in constantly throughout the day.

Conclusion

Mobile phones are a remarkable tool. They allow us to do things on-the-go that would otherwise be much harder. But in our constant quest for convenience, we’ve become obsessed with staying connected 24/7. The problem is that being constantly plugged in can make us fat. In fact, a recent study found that people who spent five hours or more a day using their mobile devices were 37 percent more likely to gain weight over a four-year period than those who used them less frequently. So, how can you break free from your phone without breaking your habits? Here are some tips.

The first step to kicking your phone habit is simply awareness. Start paying attention to how often you pick up your device, what it is you’re doing when you use it, and why. It may seem silly at first, but writing down everything you do on your phone every day can help give structure to what seems like an endless series of tasks—and seeing it all written out will help make clear just how typically (and when) you use it. Once you start noticing patterns, think about how you might change your behaviour. For example, if you find yourself checking email compulsively throughout the day, try setting aside specific times during which you check it instead.

If social media distracts you from work too typically, consider deleting Facebook and Twitter apps off your phone entirely, so they don’t beckon to you as soon as boredom strikes.