Mobile phone addiction – symptoms, causes and prevention

Barkha July 17, 2012 2
Mobile phone addiction – symptoms, causes and prevention

Mobile phones can prove to be of immense help to people if used effectively. But it has several negative impacts too. A person using cell phone excessively can be termed as cell phone addict. This is a very serious problem and it has been noticed frequently these days, especially in teenagers. They feel very perturbed and agitated when they don’t have their cell phone with them or if they are unable to locate it. They tend to become obsessed with the device and feels that cell phone is of prime importance to them. This affects everything, from studies to their health. If you are suffering from mobile addiction, you are in deep trouble and should definitely try to overcome it.

Signs revealing that you are addicted to your cell phone:

  • Feel uneasy when your phone is misplaced. Your attention gets diverted and you are unable to focus your mind anywhere else. You just can’t afford to tolerate the trauma of losing or not finding your cell phone.
  • If you need your phone to remind you for everything. You have alarms directing you every time to prod you through every step of the day and you just can’t think of living without your cell phone.
  • Experience distress if you haven’t checked your phone since hours. When you are just not able to suppress the urge to check your phone right at that moment.
  • When you use it in the bathroom. This is the topmost sign of mobile phone addiction. Seems as if you can’t survive without it for few minutes also.
  • Suffering from phantom phone vibrations. You feel that your phone is vibrating even when your phone is turned off or not in use.
  • You bring into play your phone so much that even a fully charged battery is not sufficient for a day.
  • When you access your cell phone at the dinner table and look at apps rather than talking to family members over the meal.
  • Sleep next to phone that is on and wake up from sleep once or twice to check status updates and messages on your phone.
  • Suddenly when your phone drops out of your hand and fall and breaks, you feel like kicking yourself for letting that happen. You even dream at times of that incident.
  • Feel annoyed when your cell phone connection is lost. You get furious very soon and just want it right back then and there.
  • Answer or initiate calls and texts while driving. Taking unnecessary risks, not realizing your priority at that moment.
  • A cell phone addict downloads ample amount of apps and use them all whereas non-addicts are found installing apps randomly on their cell phone and many of those apps are either deleted or left it to stagnant by them after few days.

Causes of cell phone addiction:

Everything is easily accessible through mobile phones these days. Mobile phones these days are equipped with apps and games. Very soon people start relying on their cell phone for their day to day activities. They have alarms to remind them of what has to be done and when. We have all become addicted to our smart phones and it has become impossible to imagine a life without a mobile device.

The main reason for cell phone usage is to be with any other person. Online social networks are growing daily and the urge to talk to them makes us use more and more of our mobile as our busy schedules do not allow us to meet in person. Once you start enjoying this way of interacting with people living far, you gradually become addicted to it.

This also increases the fear in you. Fear of missing out on certain things that interests you. You start loving to be updated and just don’t want to miss anything happening or exciting while you are busy in real life.

Tips to overcome it:

To begin with one has to admit the problem, before going deep into the treatment of it. Without realizing that it is a serious problem, one cannot help himself in overcoming it. Confess yourself honestly that are you a cell phone addict. Mobile phone and its advanced technology has deprived you of certain important things that you have been neglecting since very long or may be even now not considering its consequences. Mobile phone is a great boon but it is also a distraction. You must be determined if you really want to overcome the addiction.

Stop random checks. Whether it is messages, calls, emails or your Facebook account, stop checking all of them randomly. Limit your access to these or even better you can note down the amount of time you spend every day on mobile and try to degrade them with each passing day.

Do make yourself realize that it is not mandatory to reply or respond to every mail or messages instantly. You can also do that tomorrow or may be after some time. You should stop feeling restless and try to suppress the urge to revert to those mails and messages as soon as you receive it. Try to understand your priorities. Do first what needs to be done instead of things that you can easily postpone.

Stop being dependent on mobile technology. Change your habits. Start remembering things and stop relying on your mobile every now and then. Meet your friends and relatives face to face and interact with them personally instead of interacting with them through social networks. Try to increase your independence from the technology.

Also Check:

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