Cell Phone Addiction
Written by Jennifer Reinhart
E-mail. Texts. Social media. Games. Work and school obligations. For many of us, it seems as if our entire lives are found on our smartphones, accessible by a few taps of our finger. With all of this convenience, we can find it hard to disconnect, raising the question: how much is too much of a good thing?
Smartphones were originally created using the philosophy of human centered design, meaning that they were made to be intuitive enough that anyone, including very young children, could pick one up and operate it with little to no instruction. In this same vein, smartphones are designed to encourage engagement, making it difficult to refuse the pull and put the phone down. Smartphone designers and engineers created pull-to-refresh technology to give a high and engage us in repeated use.
An estimated 70% of the world’s population today owns a smartphone. Though estimates vary, roughly one in five smartphone users show signs of problematic smartphone usage. While there is no actual clinical diagnosis of smartphone addiction, it is recognized by medical professionals and researchers using a range of behavior patterns. Much like substance or gambling addiction, smartphone addiction has been shown to negatively impact the user over time.
Signs of smartphone overuse
There is no “magic number” of messages sent or minutes spent on a smartphone that would be an automatic indicator of smartphone addiction. However, if many of the following warning signs have started to appear, it may be worth considering if smartphone use is problematic.
You might catch yourself lying about how much you’re actually on your phone
Responsibilities at work, school, or home start slipping—or feel harder to keep up with
You’ve had close calls or even gotten hurt because you were distracted by your phone
Your social life feels smaller, or like it’s fading into the background
Even when you’re connected online, you still feel disconnected from people
You get annoyed or frustrated when something (or someone) interrupts your phone time
You wake up in the middle of the night just to check your phone
The second you’re alone or bored, you automatically reach for it
You swear you felt your phone buzz… but it didn’t
Effects of Problematic Smartphone Usage
While many people settle down with their phone in an effort to distract themselves from stress or anxiety, or even as a way to relax before sleep, problematic overuse of a smartphone may actually exacerbate stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Additionally, researchers note that smartphone addiction may lead to impaired relationships, declining grades, and lowered ability to concentrate.
Take a break
As much as the technology companies want us to keep picking up our phones and hitting refresh, there are ways to help overcome smartphone addiction. Many individuals have found success with a 72-hour smartphone detox. Three days is often long enough to break the habit and notice how frequently you reach for your phone out of habit rather than need. While it won’t be a complete cure-all for smartphone addiction, it is often enough to reset baseline awareness of smartphone use. After experiencing withdrawal and adjustment during the first two days, the third day often brings better concentration, better sleep, and more mental space.
While you may note mental health improvement after a three-day smartphone detox, it’s important to note that if smartphone use is tied to anxiety, depression, loneliness, or other stressors, decreased smartphone use may actually make you feel those emotions more.
When beginning a smartphone detox, it’s important to make clear decisions for yourself on what is and is not allowed, at what times, and for how long. Turn off your notifications, log out of apps, or even turn the smartphone into a baseline phone, with only phone and text capabilities.
Traditional psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and group therapy are also possible options for dealing with problematic smartphone use.
Smartphones are not going away anytime soon, nor should they. Smartphones will not fix our anxiety or stressors; they may only exacerbate those issues. Even brief pauses—like stepping away for a few hours or trying a 72-hour detox—can help reset habits and reveal how often we reach for our devices without thinking.
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