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What is telephone addiction?
Phone addiction is the obsessive use of a smartphone. Behavioral addiction is often called “nomophobia” or the fear of not having a mobile device. There are more than 3.8 billion smartphone users in the world. A study published by Virgin Mobile found that these billions of smartphone users receive 427% more messages and notifications than ten years ago. They also send 278% more texts. Increased phone use seems a natural necessity for modern life, but it is also worrisome. Intensive use of these devices causes consumers to question their cellular habits. According to Google Trends, searches for “mobile phone addiction” have increased since 2004.
Designed to be addictive
Access to a smartphone can make life easier by providing information. Still, comfort comes at a price. The devices are carefully designed to be difficult to place. Through its colors, sounds and vibrations, technology keeps its users involved on purpose. According to former Google designer Tristan Harris, features like “pull to refresh” were inspired by slot machines and other casino games. Designers and engineers meticulously develop every aspect of the device to create fanatical users.
Negative effects of telephone addiction
Chronic phone use is a newly developed form of addiction. The American Psychiatric Association does not officially recognize the disease. However, many medical professionals and researchers around the world recognize it as a behavioral addiction. According to several studies, over time, dedicated use of smartphones can alter and negatively affect a person, such as gambling.
Phone addiction can lead to:
- Sound deficit
- Lower concentration
- Creativity blocks
- Aggravated Attention Deficit Disorders
- Anxiety
- Decreased deep thinking and processing
- Stress
- Solitude
- Insecurity
- Deterioration of the parent-child relationship
- Poor academic performance
- Psychological disorders
Chronic phone use can also cause other physical dysfunctions, which are closely related to substance use disorders such as GABA dysfunction and gray matter loss.
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GABA dysfunction
Excessive use of chronic phones is shown to chemically change the reward circuits of the brain. One of the major deformed neurotransmitters is gabapentin (GABA). GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that produces a calming or euphoric effect. It can even control fear and anxiety. The inhibitor plays an important role in addiction in rewarding substance use and reinforcing addictive behaviors.
Research shows that chronic phone use can increase or decrease GABA production. Disorders in the GABA system have been shown to be a warning sign of addiction. In a study by the Radiological Society of North America, intensive telephone use was linked to a disturbing relationship of GABA with other neurotransmitters. When adolescent test subjects received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the disorder, their brain chemistry returned to a non-addictive proportion.
Decreased gray matter
Gray matter is a part of the central nervous system responsible for allowing individuals to control movement, memory, and emotions. A recent study analyzed participants ’brains with a phone addiction and found a change in the gray matter of their brain. According to the researchers, the physical shape and size of their brains resembled that of drug users. The volume of gray matter among people addicted to their phones decreased in critical areas, a condition similarly observed in people struggling with a substance addiction.
Suicide
It is important to note that there has also been an increase in depression and suicide among teens in recent years, along with telephone addiction. Adolescents are especially susceptible to risk. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2010-2015, the suicide rate increased by 65%. At the same time, the rate of severe depression among girls increased by 58%. Many researchers believe the rise in suicides is a direct reflection of the negative effects of phone addiction.
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Signs and symptoms of phone addiction
There is a fine line between healthy and compulsive mobile use. Being overly dependent on a device can lead to cell phone addiction. An academic journal published by the National Library of Medicine reports that 6.3% of the general population is addicted to their smartphone. The pattern of abuse is highest among those under 30, with an average of 16% of addicted adolescents. While chronic phone use is common, how can you distinguish between “normal” phone use and phone addiction?
Here are some ways to tell if someone is fighting a phone addiction:
- Concealment of telephone use.
- Lying about using your smartphone for others.
- Loved ones who express concern about their phone use.
- Leave or have trouble completing tasks at work, school, or home due to chatting, scrolling, browsing, texting, or playing mobile games.
- Ghost vibrations (you think the phone rings when it doesn’t).
- Checking people profiles repeatedly due to anxiety.
- Accidents or injuries due to telephone use.
- Work later to complete tasks.
- Weak or non-existent social life.
- Isolation of loved ones.
- A feeling of lack of connection.
- Angry or irritated if your phone is interrupted or inaccessible.
- Get up at night to check your phone.
- Feeling scared or panicked if the phone stays at home or the battery dies.
- Arriving on the phone the moment they are alone or bored.
- More and more time using a phone.
- Limiting phone use is difficult.
- Desiring access to your smartphone or other device.
It is essential to remember that there is no specific amount of time, frequency, or messages sent that indicate phone addiction. However, the accumulation of the above warning signs is an indicator of an underlying phone usage issue.
Treatment of telephone addiction
Phone addiction is widespread. Still, there are ways to combat and treat the disorder. There are specialized addiction treatment centers that can help you. Some of these detox centers offer a variety of programs to help their patients eliminate digital addiction.
Here are some treatments that facilities use to treat telephone addiction:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Group therapy
- Marriage or couple counseling
- Group support (for example: Internet Tech Addiction Anonymous)
- Psychotherapy
- Motivational interviews
- Drug-assisted treatment
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Treatment of telephone addiction
While smartphones are an excellent resource, they are also dangerous tools, especially for children and young adults. The extent of the problems arising from excessive phone use is not yet fully understood. However, as science continues to link health issues to cell phone use, it is essential to be proactive.
If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, help is available. Don’t let your phone waste your life. Take a powerful step toward recovery by contacting a treatment provider today.
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