Explaining Smartphone Addiction
According to PsychGuides, it refers to the excessive use of smartphones to the point that it causes impairment and distress in one’s daily life. Some may call the condition “Nomophobia,” which means the fear of losing your phone.
Why can’t people put their phones away?
The increased level of dopamine is the reason why many get addicted to their phones. Companies make their apps similar to slot machines. So, you are always anticipating something unpredictably satisfying to pop out. And therefore, you keep scrolling down your social media to the point that you cannot stop.
In gambling, this is called the Dark Flow effect. The slot machine players claim to forget about everything else in their lives when using the machine. The same thing is true for smartphone addicts.
Am I Addicted to My Phone?
Withdrawal symptoms such as feeling anxious, uneased, and physically distressed when your cell phone is away indicates you are addicted to technology. Other symptoms of addiction are losing the sense of time, feeling euphoric when receiving notifications, prioritizing checking your messages/notifications over important tasks, and having people complaining about your excessive smartphone usage.
2 Ways to Find Out If You Are an Addict
Use the following methods to get an answer if you still ask, “Am I addicted to my phone?”
Method #1: Taking a Phone Addiction Test
A genuine test like the one on this page analyzes all symptoms of nomophobia to decide if you are addicted or not. It is the most reliable way to make sure you are not a technology slave—YET.
Our questionnaire has 20 self-report items that reveal how badly your gadgets hook you. More on this below.
Method #2: Live without Your Phone for 24h (Dopamine Fasting)
You are probably NOT a dependent user if you can spend a day or two without constantly checking your phone. However, you ARE a technology-dependent person if you feel uneasy, stressed, or bored without your cell phone.
What Are the Test Results Like and What Do They Mean?
We create a Phone Addiction Test that determines how severe your dependency is. The following terms might pop up in your results. And here is what you should know about each.
· Phubber
It is probably the least intense phone addiction type. A phubber uses their smartphone during social interaction. Such a person might do so unintentionally. But it results in a kind of sub.
· Nomophobic
Nomophobia is the fear of losing or not having your cell phone. Although it sounds unusual, this is the most common result people receive after taking the test.
· Smombie
The term means “Smartphone Zombie.” People with this condition usually do not even ask, “Am I addicted to my phone?” They are sucked up into social media, games, and media. So bad that they cannot even have a normal life.
· Not an Addict
The most satisfying result in the Phone Addiction Test is “you are not a phone-head.” It is becoming a rare condition, though. According to a recent study by REVIEWS.ORG, 19% of users find themselves very addicted to their cell phones.
Side-Effects of Being a Cell Phone Zombie
According to the American Psychology Association, “Too much social media use can make you depressed.” Studies show that mental illness rates are higher in countries with more avid smartphone users. (Other side-effects of excessive technology usage are listed below).
Culture of envy
Seeing the luxurious, ultra-happy lives of other people on social media adds to the culture of envy. According to ChildMind, “Evidence is mounting that there is a link between social media and depression.”
Reduced dopamine receptors
Scientists suggest that notifications, messages, and game achievements trigger dopamine production in the brain. However, the excessive presence of the said chemical in the brain weakens its receptors. So, each time, you will need a higher dose of dopamine to feel satisfied. If not, you will feel sad, emotionally numb, or extremely bored and depressed.
Fake socialization
Simon Sinek, author, and inspirational speaker, believes phones do not let kids learn proper social skills. And that is why they feel most of their friendships are superficial. Social media allows fake socialization. So, you eventually become unable to trust people—since you do not know how they feel about you.
How to Stop Being a Smartphone Addict – Expert Advice
Ross Sleight is a digital marketing expert with 20+ years of experience. Ross suggested five steps to “stop looking down, and start looking up,” in his TEDx talk,
1. Find out how and why you use your cell phone.
Ross says = apps like Moment and Quality Time give you insights into how you use your gadgets. You can use the information they give you to spot the issues and deal with them.
2. Do not use it during social interaction.
The second step to stop phone addiction is putting it away when interacting with people. Ross says, “do not put it on the table either.”
3. Ask others to interact with you instead of their phones.
Communication is a two-way road. You need to have actual people around you rather than Smombies. So, ask others to talk to you and have eye contact instead of staring at the screens.
4. Do NOT sleep with your phone.
As Ross suggests, leave your gadget outside the bedroom. And stop using it for at least three hours before going to bed.
5. Turn off non-human notifications.
Those little buzzes are one of the primary reasons you are distracted. So, go to your settings and turn them off unless they are from real humans.
Expert tip: you can turn on a grayscale mode for our screen. It will remove every color of your screen, making it less interesting for you to scroll it down pointlessly.
Some Eye-Opening Facts
We want you to be aware of these shocking facts before taking the Phone Addiction Test.
- Almost 54 in every 100 Americans think they have nomophobia.
- 17 in every 100 parents admit to spending more time on social media than with their kids.
- 7 in every 100 drivers “ALWAYS” check their phones while driving.
- 45 person in every 100 prefers cell phone over sex.
- 34 couples in every 100 believe they spend more time on their cell phone than with their lover.
