Cellphones Pose a Greater Threat Than We Might Think
In our society, it is considered grievous when someone becomes addicted to substances such as drugs or cigarettes. The craving and the need for these types of substances is detrimental and can cause serious damage to the dependent’s life as well as all those around them. Support is given to those who need it in order to remedy the addiction. Why then, has cellphone addiction not been addressed as seriously? Is cellphone addiction not considered as important, or is it simply too much of a fundamental element in our lives to even consider removing it? “A study by the University of Derby found that, on average, people spend 3.6 hours per day on their phones.” (Norton Team). That is a large amount of time, especially when most of that time is mindlessly wasted scrolling through news feeds or playing meaningless games such as Candy Crush. According to the Norton Team, we’ve conditioned ourselves to depend on our cellphones, using them for communication as well as to relieve ourselves from boredom. The second we receive a notification on our phone, we scramble to check it out immediately, forgetting whatever task was at hand. Altogether, we have empowered our phones with the capacity to bring us happiness. Now, we must live with the consequences. “A recent study […] took a look at consumers’ mobile habits and found that many are addicted to their devices. The poll found that most respondents looked at their smartphone approximately 47 times per day, with younger users checking a lot more frequently—roughly 86 times a day” (Kats). Sources suggest that cellphone addiction can be just as serious as a substance addiction. “[Many even] consider cell-phone addiction to be one of the greatest addictions of the current century” (Gutiérrez et al.). “For example, spending time away from the phone can make them feel anxious or panicky, looking a bit like withdrawal” (Grush). In fact, because of the positive perception towards cellphones and the sense of comfort and security they bring about when used, it is likely worse than any substance addiction. Addiction towards cellphones isn’t regarded with enough concern, leading to the addiction growing stronger to a point where it becomes too late. Furthermore, over-usage of cellphones greatly impacts those around you, stealing away time that could be spent together, just as with any other addiction. In this technological society, one must remain aware of their phone usage and the dangers that come along with it.
Works Cited
Grush, Andrew. “New study claims smartphone addiction is similar to drug addiction.” Android Authority. September 16 2015, https://www.androidauthority.com/smartphone-addiction-drug-642320/. Accessed December 16 2017.
Gutiérrez, Rodríguez de Fonseca and Rubio. “Cell-Phone Addiction: A Review.” The National Center for Biotechnology Information. Oct. 24 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5076301/. Accessed December 16 2017.
Kats, Rimma. “Can Too Much Phone Usage Affect a Relationship?” eMarketer. November 17 2017, https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Too-Much-Phone-Usage-Affect-Relationship/1016766. Accessed December 16 2017.
Norton Team. “13 Ways to Break Up with Your Phone (and spend less time procrastinating).” Norton UK Blog. Oct. 6 2015, https://uk.norton.com/norton-blog/2015/10/13_ways_to_breakup.html. Accessed December 16 2017.