Mobile Addiction creating fissures in mental & physical health and relationships.
One of the aftermaths of COVID-19, although less talked about, is the immense intrusion of smartphones in our lives and now it has attained the monstrous shape of addiction. Digital addiction is a serious mental health issue impacting lakhs of people all over the world. From poor sleep quality to heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression smartphone addiction can take a huge toll. Users need to be aware of the potential issues associated with the use of smartphones so that they can identify, manage, and overcome when any compulsive habit pattern develops.
Launched as merely being a thing that facilitates our communication needs, mobile phones, especially after the introduction of smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. In today’s digital age, smartphones provide us with instant connectivity, access to information, and endless entertainment possibilities. As per the latest data, an Indian spends close to 5 hours a day on his mobile phones regularly as per the ‘State of Mobile 2023’ report by data.ai (formerly App Annie). However, the increasing use of mobile phones has raised concerns about their impact on the physical and mental health of the individuals. This amount of time being spent on mobile phones is alarming as thousands of people are falling into the trap of mobile addiction.
The heavy users get so addicted that they suffer from what is known as NOMOPHOBIA (no mobile phone phobia), a psychological condition when people have a fear of being detached from their mobile phones. In my interaction with clients, I found if people are kept away from their mobile phones for a long, they often manifest anxiety, restlessness, and even aggressive behavioral patterns; harming others and self. One of the major reasons for any addiction is the relentless pursuit of pleasure and we live in a culture that encourages us to pursue it by offering a humongous amount of choice and novelty. For anyone who gets hooked, the aim is to get a dopamine (a neurotransmitter in the brain that activates pleasure) hit, however, when it reaches saturation, one keeps on increasing the dosage of addiction, in the case of mobile phones screen time on mobile phones keeps on enhancing. However, ultimately the person ends up feeling mentally dejected and physically worn out.
During the counseling sessions, it has also been observed that heavy mobile usage is found to be the tipping point for individuals who are hooked on too much to their mobile phones- they exhibit other forms of extremely compulsive behaviour like online shopping, indulgence in gambling, news overdose, watching pornography, spending hours on social media and video games.
Youth is primarily affected, however, housewives, businessmen, the working class, and even children are found to be confronting severe device addiction. Children as young as 5 years old show aggressive behaviour if they are deprived of mobile phones. Parents often leniently allow their kids to use smartphones so that they are not disturbed by their child and this leads to gradual addiction. The electromagnetic waves affect the child’s physical health – loss of eyesight and appetite, irritation, loneliness, headache, and memory loss.
Mobile addiction is also negatively impacting the network of human relationships. People are spending more time surfing on their mobile phones which is disturbing closeness and warmth in family ties. Engagement in smartphones is snatching away quality time from us that we can spend with our near ones.
Common Physical effects
| Muscle pain |
| Stiffness on the neck, hands and fingers |
| Insomnia and Headache |
| Lack of Self Confidence |
| Memory loss |
| Irritation and Aggression |
| Loneliness |
| Emotional Imbalance |
| Loss of eyesight |
Ways to Curb the Addiction
| Pursuing Hobbies |
| Doing Yoga and or physical work out regime |
| Socializing offline; personal meetings |
| Involving oneself in endeavour to contribute to the society |
| Parents should help children with homework |
| Communicate one’s feelings with family and friends |
| Maintain a routine lifestyle |
| Don’t start or end your day using smart phones |
| Encourage children to play outdoor games |
| Exploring new places – Travelling |
| Seeking professional help from a Counselor |
Mobile phones are not all evil; the key to not getting addicted lies in regulating its usage and keeping a track on the time spent on it.
Subroto Biswas.
Mind Trainer & Wellness Guide.
Website: lifeismostprecious.com
Brief about me
A career spanning over 2 decades that includes working for top Media houses of the country, reputed Educational Institutions, and Global Spiritual organization, I use my varied experience coupled with a blend of the timeless wisdom of the scriptures and techniques from the field of Psychology, to awaken people realize the magical power of our divine engineering. And this deep realization inside aids people to be more productive in their endeavours and relish a richer and more fulfilling experience of life.