Sep
Is it possible for you to read these words on the screen of your phone? If you replied “yes,” then you have a lot of other people to talk to about it. According to figures that were published in 2017 by the media analytics company Comscore, the typical amount of time spent on a smartphone by an adult in the United States in 2016 was around 2 hours and 51 minutes each day.
such who, everytime they use Instagram, have emotions of anxiety may now have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that such sensations are an indication of a true addiction.
Pick up a copy of Catherine Price’s How to Break Up with Your Phone, which was authored by her in 2018 and won an award for best health writing. Doing so will help you take the first step toward recovery.
This brief but information-packed volume serves as both an introduction to the detrimental consequences of excessive smartphone use on our mental and physical health and as a practical guide for a 30-day reset that will assist you in getting back on the path to using your device in a more moderate manner.
Price did an outstanding job with her research, and her book contains startling statistics and anecdotes on almost every page that are intended to act as a frightening wake-up call to the reader. In the event that you aren’t yet convinced that the information pertains to you, the following is a list of seven facts and some straightforward advice that may be of assistance if you believe you have an issue with being addicted to your smartphone.
There’s a Test for Cell Phone Addiction
This is it: The Smartphone Compulsion Test was developed by David Greenfield, PhD, who is affiliated with the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. According to Greenfield, if a person responds “yes” to more than five of the poll’s 15 questions, it’s likely that they have a connectivity issue with their mobile device. The survey had a total of 15 questions. Give it a go, but make sure you’re prepared for the consequences first. To paraphrase what Price had to say about it, “the only way to score below a 5 on this test is to not have a smartphone.”
“Phubbing” Is a Thing
You are aware that your close friend will frequently sneak glances at her text messages when you are having a serious talk with her, right? Phubbing, which is short for “phone-snubbing,” is a term that perfectly defines this behavior since it is so pervasive.
Social Media Apps Are Designed To Hook You
Do you find that you automatically grab for your phone frequently? You could also choose to refresh your feeds when you have actually just finished checking your social media accounts. Put an end to being so critical of yourself. Almost single app on your phone was painstakingly designed from the ground up by individuals who are well-versed in the science of manipulating brain chemistry in order to incite addictive behaviors.
As an example, Price stated, “Instagram has created code that deliberately holds back on showing users new ‘likes,’ so that it can deliver a bunch of them in a sudden rush at the most effective moment possible—meaning the moment in which seeing new likes will discourage you from closing the app.” In other words, Instagram wants to offer a load of new likes at the moment in which seeing new likes will encourage you to keep using the program.
Smartphones and Slot Machines Have Something in Common
You are used to experiencing that familiar rush of excitement each time you pick up the phone to make a call. The expression “intermittent rewards” comes from the field of psychology and refers to the exhilarating experience of being surprised. Which additional well-known technologies take advantage of the fascination with the unknown to encourage obsessive behavior, and what are these technologies? Equipment used in gambling. Price, in response to a question on mobile phones, compared them to portable slot machines.
Our Phones Are Altering Our Brains
Do you have trouble concentrating on a single job for an extended period of time? Have you discovered that your memory for the things you read has significantly worsened as a result of the fact that you spend so much time reading online? You are not making these things up in your head. According to Price, when we consume digital media, we enter what he calls “an intensely focused state of distraction.” This is caused by the chaotic environment created by links and advertisements, as well as the quick bursts of concentration that are required by scrolling, swiping, and tweeting.
This distraction can seem to have a brief lifespan, but it actually has chilling repercussions that persist for a very long time. According to Price, a “frequent, focused distraction” is particularly successful in generating long-term modifications in people’s brains. He explains this phenomenon in the following way.
Apps Are Selling the Most Valuable Thing We Have
Sure, social networking may be a lot of laughs, but as Price pointed out, there’s more to these applications than just posting selfies. Inquiringly, “Have you ever wondered why all social media apps are free?” she probed. The reason for this is because the social media platform itself is not the product, and that users are not the target market. Instead, it is the advertising who are the customers. And we, the audience, are the commodity being sold….Due to the irreplaceable nature of our time and focus, this is a major development. When we choose what to focus on at any given time, we are really deciding how we want to live.
There’s a Good Reason Tech Innovators Don’t Let Their Kids Have Devices
According to Price’s observations, many of the most influential people in the field of digital technology have made the decision, in terms of their private life, to protect their family from the effects of technology for as long as is practically feasible. Consider the following: The late Apple CEO Steve Jobs did not permit his children to use the iPad. Additionally, Bill and Melinda Gates waited until their children were 14 years old before allowing them to get cell phones.
Fear Not
There is still some good news, and that is that all of us have the opportunity to change our trajectory, alter the addictive behaviors that we have developed, and discover a connection with our phones that is not destructive but rather constructive and positive. Where do we even begin? Price included a full outline of the approach in the book, but if you’re wanting to get started right now, there are plenty of baby steps you can begin right away.
First things first, you need to get into your phone’s settings and turn off all of the notifications. Next, you should get a monitoring software, such as IOS Screen Time for iPhone or Digital Wellbeing for Android, which will help you get a better idea of how much of your waking life you actually spend gazing at that little screen. These apps can offer you a reality check about how much time you spend staring at screens.
Finally, remove your smartphone from the bedroom entirely and invest in a proper alarm clock for yourself. Also, keep in mind that the day after tomorrow is a fresh start.
