Mobile Addiction - Silent Pandemic
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Mobile, mobiles everywhere,
Not a soul with time to spare.
Everyone is lost in screens,
Trapped inside their unfulfilled dreams.
Our dependence on mobile is so intense that it is taking over our life. Today, this technology is already indispensable for billions of humans.
According to a report by the Pew Research Center, today, 81% of Americans own a smartphone.
But the smartphone is not just a source of entertainment; it is also a secure banking tool, a powerful educational tool, a device documenting our lives through photos and videos, ordering takeaways, instant shopping, an exciting gaming console, accurate GPS and a colossal library of Apps for vast and varied utilities.
We take them no matter where we go, and they are the first thing we reach for when we wake up in the morning. So it is already an extension of our mind and body, enhancing capabilities, increasing productivity and building our personality around the device.
Mobile usage is dominating lives, leading to high screen time. It’s no secret that we’re a society obsessed with our mobile devices. However, although there is nothing wrong with using technology, there is a fine line between using it and being addicted to it.
Today, mobile addiction is a real and growing problem. More and more people are finding themselves unable to break away from their screens, and this addiction is impacting their health.
HEALTH
One of the most obvious ones is that it can lead to neck and back pain from looking down at the phone all the time. It can also cause eye strain and headaches, making it difficult to concentrate on tasks and have poorer sleep quality.
There are a few different ways that screen time can be harmful to our health.
First, the blue light from screens can disrupt sleep patterns. It is a serious problem, as a good night’s sleep is crucial for our overall health.
Second, staring at screens all day can lead to headaches and eyesight deterioration.
And finally, too much screen time has been linked to several psychological problems, such as anxiety, mood, self-esteem and depression.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
With the increasing popularity of mobile devices, psychological problems such as addiction and self-esteem issues are beginning to surface.
Although psychological problems are often stigmatized, they are genuine and can seriously impact mood, mental health, and overall well-being.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
There are many reasons people are addicted to their mobile phones. One of the most common is the fear of missing out or FOMO.
With social media, people are constantly bombarded by images and messages from their friends and family, and they feel they need always be available in case something important happens. Consequently, it can lead to feelings of anxiety and insecurity.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION
Another reason for mobile addiction is the need for instant gratification. With apps like Snapchat and Instagram, people can get a quick hit of dopamine whenever they receive a like or a comment. It can be addictive and leads to people spending hours on their phones instead of doing other things.
A recent study found that nearly 60% of people use their smartphones for instant gratification. The study also found that this trend is particularly prevalent among young people, with over 70% of 18–24-year-olds using their mobile devices for quick pleasure or satisfaction.
There are several reasons why people seek out instant gratification from their phones. For many, it simply feels good to receive positive reinforcement.
In a world bombarded with negative news, stressful life and constant comparison, a few likes on a post can help to boost our self-esteem.
On the contrary, it can make users more impatient and less likely to stick with something if it doesn’t provide immediate results. It is found that the average person checks their phone 150 times per day.
The constant need to check for notifications can lead to feelings of restlessness and dissatisfaction.
Additionally, excessive screen time can lead to toxic comparison syndrome. None looks unhappy, poor or unsuccessful on social media.
So, the comparisons made between one’s life and the carefully curated reels on social media can cause the degradation of self-worth. Furthermore, it can damage relationships with friends and family members and self-esteem.
In recent years, there has been a growing concern over the psychological effects of mobile phone addiction. For example, a study by the University of Maryland found that those who spent more than two hours a day on their phones were more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Moreover, another study found that young adults who are addicted to their phones are more likely to have lower self-esteem and are more likely to experience mood swings. These studies suggest a link between mobile phone addiction and mental health problems.
However, it is important to note that correlation does not necessarily imply causation. In other words, people suffering from mental health problems may be more likely to be addicted to their phones.
But regardless of the cause-and-effect relationship, it is clear that mobile phone addiction can have negative psychological consequences.
SOCIAL LIFE
For many people, mobile addiction has negatively impacted their social life. Instead of being present at the moment, interacting with the people around them, they are distracted by their phones.
People focused on their phones are less likely to initiate a conversation. As a result, they miss essential conversations and bonding experiences, leading to loneliness and isolation.
According to a recent study, the average person spends over five hours daily on their phone. And it’s not just adults who are addicted to their screens.
Kids are spending more time than ever staring at screens, too. Parents are using mobiles as a pacifier for children. No wonder children are becoming mobile addicts, and parents are the unintentional enablers.
A recent survey found that 50% of tweens (kids between 8-12 years) and teens felt they were addicted to their mobile devices. Accordingly, they’re missing out on valuable bonding experiences with friends and family and the joys of real-life connections. It is going to impact their personality development in numerous ways.
For one, mobiles can lead to social isolation and loneliness. When people are constantly on their phones, they’re not interacting with the people around them. They’re not making eye contact or having conversations.
As a result, they can start feeling disconnected from the people in their lives and get a distorted view of reality.
Additionally, mobile addiction can lead to problems with focus and attention. A research study by the University of California found that people who used excessive mobile phones were more likely to have trouble focusing and paying attention.
A recent research study also found that the average attention span has decreased from 12 seconds to 8 seconds in the last 15 years.
And lastly, mobile addiction can be damaging to relationships. If someone is constantly on the phone, they are probably not giving friends and family the attention they deserve. Rising divorces can also find a reason for mobile addiction.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For many of us, it’s a way to stay connected with friends and family, share news and experiences, and express ourselves. And while there are certainly some positive aspects to this increased connectivity, there are also some downsides.
Although social media can be a great way to stay in touch, it should not come at the expense of real-life social interaction. We connect to more people than ever, but those connections are often shallow and superficial.
People can spend more time looking at their screens than talking to the people around them; as a result, they are losing meaningful social interactions. Additionally, all this time spent staring at phones can lead to feelings of loneliness and dissatisfaction.
A study published in the Computers in Human Behavior journal found that people who spend excessive amounts of time on social media are more likely to report symptoms of social withdrawal, such as loneliness and isolation.
A study published in CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking found that social media use is linked to lower self-esteem and self-worth.
The study’s authors surveyed over 1,000 adults and found that those who used social media more frequently were more likely to report negative moods and mental health issues. Nearly 60% of people who use social media report feeling lonely, and 40% say that social media makes them less satisfied with their lives.
Another study found that people who use social media for more than two hours a day are twice as often and feel socially isolated as those who use it for less than 30 minutes a day.
Nearly 60% of young people say that social media is a significant source of their self-worth. It is troubling, as it suggests that a large portion of the population is basing their self-esteem on the number of online likes and comments.
Social media use is also linked to lowered self-esteem and depression. The study, which researchers at the University of Pittsburgh conducted, found that people who use social media are more inclined to compare themselves to others, leading to feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy.
It can also lead to addiction, as people grow addicted to the validation they receive from others.
So why does social media have such a hold on people’s psychology?
Part of it has to do with the way social media is designed. It is because social media platforms are designed to be highly engaging. They use algorithms to deliver content that users are likely to find interesting or important, which keeps them returning for more.
What was once a platform to communicate with family and friends has become a competition where people compare themselves to others and measure their self-worth based on the number of “likes” or “followers” they have.
Besides, it can create a feedback loop whereby people increasingly rely on social media for self-worth and validation.
CONCLUSION
The “smartphone generation” is a risk to society. People will be fragile, mentally unstable and highly impatient. Moreover, their sense of reality will be closer to virtual reality, impacting crucial life-defining decision-making.
In future, imagine a person with these qualities taking up a top job in a public office!
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