Are You Addicted To Your Smartphone?

Smartphones are everywhere as we use them when we should and even when we shouldn’t. But are they a force for good or bad?

A new era

New technologies always generate debate as people worry about how they will be affected. When television was introduced it was thought to have a destabilising effect on families as it caused a shift in attitudes and behaviours. But the question today is whether or not the smartphone poses a more sinister threat to our way of life.

There is no doubt that smartphones have a tremendous affect on how we communicate inside and outside the workplace. There is little research but plenty of emerging evidence that smartphones are changing how we relate to each other.

People talk together, walk down the street, meet family and hang out with friends, all the while transfixed by their phones. Parents worry about allowing their children to have them and agonise over the rules they need to apply about usage. But in reality children, just like adults, become addicted and are reluctant to leave them out of sight even for a moment.

Studies are underway on the physical and mental health effects of smartphones on young people and teenagers. It’s too early for definitive proof but it is clear that too much exposure at too young an age is not good. Not least, because of a growing obsession with the virtual world and a loosening of links with the traditional world of family, friends and relationships.

A growing belief

The widespread use of smartphones has happened so quickly and so comprehensively that it is difficult to predict what will happen in the future. But it is obvious that limiting young people’s use of smartphones is necessary as it reduces feelings of unease and insecurity.

There are already examples of excessive smartphone use as users become addicted to the thrill of connectivity even though it causes unease and unhappiness. It is also thought that the prolonged use of smartphones has an adverse effect on the mental health of children and young adults.

Similarly, there is concern that the multi-tasking, topic jumping, short attention span nature of smartphones reduces the ability to relate to real people in the real world in real time. At the very least, young people are distracted by smartphones to the extent that they become less aware of the concerns of others. And even when they aren’t using smartphones they check them constantly and clutch them closely as a response to an irrational fear of missing out.

Even though the smartphone is now a permanent feature of everyday living we can still mitigate its effects by not checking for messages every few minutes, not giving children unlimited access, ensuring online security features are in place, and agreeing strict usage and time limits.

So, the smartphone with its alluring attractions is an addictive accessory in today’s world but should be used with care to avoid addiction