Smartphone-Related Addiction and Its Effects on Physical and Mental Health
Modern digital devices have become vital to the daily lives of many people, and there is none more significant than the smartphone. A 2014 survey of smartphone owners found that 46% claimed their smartphones to be devices that they couldn’t consider living without. Far from the days of the primitive Nokia or business-only Blackberry, today’s phones inform almost every aspect of the world and its population. When, however, does commitment to smartphones go too far?
While the phrase “smartphone addiction” might seem to be just a casual term, it is actually considered a legitimate issue by the American Psychological Association. This organization describes the addiction in relation to the brain’s reward system. It might seem drastic to lump cell phones in with addictive substances such as alcohol and opioids, but the preoccupation of the population with their mobile devices has potentially damaging effects on physical well-being. With the increasing contemporary relevance of smartphones, numerous studies have been launched to examine the relationship between phones and human wellness, especially with regards to mental health.
A recent study conducted at San Francisco State University explored likely causes of people’s fixation with digital devices such as smartphones as well as its psychological effects on interactions with others and self-perception. The authors stated that one of the major reasons that phones are so addictive is that they prey upon people’s evolutionary instincts and tendencies. For example, cellular notifications stimulate neurological pathways that are usually activated in response to the event of a surprise or sudden danger. Even if a person sees a cell phone screen’s light out of the corner of his eye, this brief distraction still consumes his attention because people are naturally programmed to be alert against sudden activity, whether that is auditory or visual. In addition, using smartphones stimulates human’s reward pathways. This is similar to how other addiction-causing substances, such as nicotine, affect the cortical and sub-cortical regions of the brain, areas related to advanced thought and action, to provoke a rewarding motivation cycle.
While the phrase “smartphone addiction” might seem to be just a casual term, it is actually considered a legitimate issue by the American Psychological Association. This organization describes the addiction in relation to the brain’s reward system. It might seem drastic to lump cell phones in with addictive substances such as alcohol and opioids, but the preoccupation of the population with their mobile devices has potentially damaging effects on physical well-being. With the increasing contemporary relevance of smartphones, numerous studies have been launched to examine the relationship between phones and human wellness, especially with regards to mental health.
A recent study conducted at San Francisco State University explored likely causes of people’s fixation with digital devices such as smartphones as well as its psychological effects on interactions with others and self-perception. The authors stated that one of the major reasons that phones are so addictive is that they prey upon people’s evolutionary instincts and tendencies. For example, cellular notifications stimulate neurological pathways that are usually activated in response to the event of a surprise or sudden danger. Even if a person sees a cell phone screen’s light out of the corner of his eye, this brief distraction still consumes his attention because people are naturally programmed to be alert against sudden activity, whether that is auditory or visual. In addition, using smartphones stimulates human’s reward pathways. This is similar to how other addiction-causing substances, such as nicotine, affect the cortical and sub-cortical regions of the brain, areas related to advanced thought and action, to provoke a rewarding motivation cycle.
Image Source: Benjamin Torode
As part of this study, 135 university students were surveyed regarding their mental and emotional states. Feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety were reported to be higher in students who used their phones more often. Minimal effects of such issues may include loneliness, but the perception of social isolation that might result from these symptoms can increase mortality by an average of 30%. In other words, those who feel more socially detached from their peers (whether due to smartphones or other causes) were 30% more likely to die earlier. However, in their paper, the researchers emphasized coping plans to help deal with symptoms of digital addiction and to reduce consequences. For instance, silencing notifications and placing devices out of peripheral vision can be beneficial to prevent distractions. In addition, conscious effort is required on part of the individual to monitor cell phone usage.
Smartphones are a double-edged sword; they are massively beneficial in terms of convenience to everyday lives, but studies on their effects on mental and physical health demonstrate that it is important to be aware of how often they are being used in order to prevent the negative side effects of digital addiction. In order to communicate with the world, sometimes it is necessary to put the phone down.
Smartphones are a double-edged sword; they are massively beneficial in terms of convenience to everyday lives, but studies on their effects on mental and physical health demonstrate that it is important to be aware of how often they are being used in order to prevent the negative side effects of digital addiction. In order to communicate with the world, sometimes it is necessary to put the phone down.
Featured Image Source: KristopherK
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