Changing How We Look at Cell-Phone Addiction

Portable technology is still a pretty new concept. In my life time we have moved from clunky computers that had to be plugged into the wall to 15 inch computers that you can rest on your lap. We have come from cell phones with the capability to make phone calls and takes 10 minutes to type a text out on, to a phone that one can have a face to face conversation with someone on the other side of the world on. For people that did not grow up with this technology it can be daunting, quite frankly it is daunting to me. There are still a lot of unknowns with the technology that we carry with us every day. This technology has become our primary source of human communication but is definitely used for much more than that. It is unfair of older generations to reprimand us for being so attached to this technology. It has become apart of our society and at this point not being attached to it could cost you more than the over use.

From a young age I was exposed to technology. I remember being five years old and waiting for the computer to boot up and then waiting for the dial-up internet to connect. Technology has obviously come a long way in just the 15 years I can remember. It was not until the last five or so years that people have had such a large issue with the growing usage of technology. This has come from the increasing mobility that technology has. Take a cell phone, they used to be able to make phone calls and that’s about it. You were really cool if you had Tetris on your phone. Now if your phone doesn’t speak back to you when you ask it a question, you are behind the times. Millennials are milking these capabilities for everything it is. I personally do not leave the room without my cell phone, for two reasons. One being if someone needs something in an emergency, they expect me to have my phone in my hand and to respond almost instantaneously. Reason number two being that it is a source of entertainment. I can keep up with friends across the world, play games, listen to music and watch my favorite TV shows.

            With the new iPhone update, the phone tracks how much you use your phone, for what and for how long. Looking at this is very eye opening. I definitely did not think that I used my phone as much as I do. It’s actually a little scary. I average 4 hours and 32 minutes per day on my phone last week and that is down 34% from the week before. Comparing this to my other peers, I do not have the highest usage by far. I am sure if I compared my usage to that of people still in high school it would be even lower.

            Knowing myself and comparing myself to my younger siblings, I use my phone the least amount. My 14-year-old sister uses social media completely differently than my brother, who is 17, would ever think of doing. It is not just a place to share the fun things she is doing but she creates quizzes and photo montages of absolutely nothing, almost like the chain emails everyone would send around in middle school. The way the younger generations uses technology changes from age group to age group.

            It is also important to point out that my age group was probably the last group of children to ever have to entertain themselves without the use of technology. The most technologically advanced toy I had as a kid was my LeapPad that had a special pen attached and when I’d touch a word it would say it out loud. Now, my three-year old sister cries for 30 minutes and my parents hand her the iPad because what else are they going to do? She knows if she cries long enough she will get it.

I do agree that there is an addiction with phones. It is scientifically proven that taking a phone away from someone in my generation, enacts the same chemical reaction as taking cocaine away from a cocaine addict. Researchers at the University of Maryland International Centre for Media and the Public Agenda conducted a study that resulted in a condition called Deprivation Disorder. They took all forms of communication away from a group of people for 24 hours. “The study findings revealed that when not allowed to check their texts or emails, or connect to digital technology in any way, participants developed withdrawal symptoms typically seen in people addicted to cigarettes or other substances. Many study participants said they felt like they were trying to kick a hard drug habit or going on a strict diet. This condition has been described by experts as Information Deprivation Disorder.” They found that the same surge of dopamine one would get from taking cocaine can be found when people that are addicted to their phones, use their phones. As a generation we have been able to become addicted to something that never even enters our bodies physically.

This is grounds for saying that people in younger generations have a problem. I would agree in this scenario. The issue arises when people assume that everyone in younger generations are addicted to their phones and when addiction to one’s phone turns into an addiction to all technology. Many teachers do not allow students to use their phones in class because they become a distraction. While this is valid, it does not teach students not to use technology properly. In my experience telling students they cannot use their phones or laptops in class only increases a students want for their cell phone or computer. A study performed at the University of Winnipeg by the Department of Psychology found, “It was hypothesized that anxiety, as measured using self-report questionnaires, would increase upon having access to one's cell phone limited for high frequency users. However, anxiety only increased when participants had their cell phone sitting in front of them and were instructed not to use them.” Instead of telling students that they cannot use their technology, I think it would be more effective to teach students how to manage their desire for technology.

Now that we have established that this is an issue, the next step we have to take is addressing it. Just like we know that taking drugs away from addict and expecting them to just “get over it,” the same will not work for people addicted to their phones. We have to work towards being able to balance social interaction through technology and in person. Limiting ourselves to one of the other is unrealistic and only going to create growing anxieties for people that have already developed an addiction. I would not say that I am addicted to my phone but the four plus hours I spend a day using it indicates otherwise. I do not like that I am so dependent on it and have started to work towards being able to handle social interactions in person more often, but in order for this to work, others have to do that same. After all I cannot have a conversation by myself.