Forget your friends, because if you are wondering who your best friend is, it is most certainly the phone you are reading this from. We know that you are a phone addict that gets a little impatient when your phone is so far away. No joke.
Phone addiction is the obsessive use of a smartphone. The behavioural addiction is often given a name to “nomophobia,” or the fear of being without a mobile device.
Okay, let’s not jump to conclusions, check the list below and check whether you fit the bill.
- Tormenting over phone cases to use on your phone.
- The way you start eyeing the new model of phone when it comes out.
- The sadness when you leave your phone for many hours and no one has messaged you.
- The way your heart beat when you receive notification.
- How you rush to charge your phone when it is below 5%.
- It is in your hands even when you are in the toilet.
- Your phone is the very first thing you do when you wake up in the morning.
- You need your phone with you when you about to take your bath.
- How can you relax when you phone is far away from you.
1. Tormenting over phone cases to use on your phone:
Should I choose black or pink? Which one? This is one of the ways you are addicted to your phone.
2. The way you start eyeing the new model of your phone when it comes out
Lol!!, this is one of the most hilarious ways of knowing you are addicted to your phone. It is just like touching the hem of the garment of a new iPhone.
3. The sadness when you leave your phone for many hours and no one has messaged you
Countless studies have shown that phone activity causes the release of dopamine in our brains, making us feel aroused, motivated, and happy.
4. The way you heart beat when you receive notification
It is the work of a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good. Our brains are designed to release dopamine when we do something that meets a survival need, like eating or having sex.
5. How you would rush to charge your phone when it is below 5%
Research has shown that the mere presence of a phone in a workplace tends to make people more anxious and perform poorly on given tasks. This is possibly seen when you are in your workplace.
6. It is in your hands even when you are in the toilet
Many people believe that they can multitask and use their phones while defecating, but this causes significant impairment and puts the individual on a higher risk.
7. Your phone is the very first thing you touch when you wake up in the morning
Waking up in the morning and the first thing you ever touch is your phone has always been one of the ways to know if you are addicted to your phone.
Researchers also believe that smartphone addiction can lead to an imbalance in brain chemistry that triggers depression and anxiety.
8. You need your phone with you when you about to take your bath
Excessive use of phones can disrupt your sleep, which can have a serious impact on your overall mental health. It can affect your memory, affect your ability to think clearly and reduce your cognitive and learning skills.
9. How can you relax when your phone is far away from you
This includes feeling irritable or negative when going without a phone, being unable to go without a phone for long periods of time, or using a phone so much that it negatively affects physical health or mental health.
How do I break from my phone addiction?
Experts believe that adults should limit screen time outside of work to less than two hours per day. If you are concerned that your phone use is affecting on your work or relationships, there are steps you can take to manage time on your phone.
- Set boundaries with your phone’s help.
- Identify your triggers.
- Put your phone away at night.
- Reduce your notifications.
- Try cognitive behavioural therapy or mindfulness.
Conclusion
Finally, a lot of activities are embedded in our phones making us so addictive. But, you can prioritise your limitations in handling it.
