What is smartphone addiction?
Smartphone
addiction, sometimes colloquially known as “nomophobia” (fear of being without
a mobile phone), is often fueled by an Internet overuse problem or Internet
addiction disorder. After all, it’s rarely the phone or tablet itself that
creates the compulsion, but rather the games, apps, and online worlds it
connects us to.
General warning signs of smartphone
addiction
- Trouble completing tasks at work or home. Do
you find laundry piling up and little food in the house for dinner because
you’ve been busy chatting online, texting, or playing video games? Perhaps
you find yourself working late more often because you can’t complete your
work on time.
- Isolation from family and friends. Is your
social life suffering because of all the time you spend on your phone or
other device? If you’re in a meeting or chatting with friends, do you lose
track of what’s being said because you’re checking messages or updates on
your phone? Have friends and family expressed concern about the amount of
time you spend on your phone? Do you feel like no one in your “real”
life—even your spouse—understands you like your online friends?
- Concealing your smartphone use. Do you sneak
off to a quiet place to use your smartphone? Do you hide your smartphone
use or lie to your boss and family about the amount of time you spend
online? Do you get irritated or cranky if your online time is interrupted?
- Have a fear of missing out. Do you hate to
feel out of the loop or think you’re missing out on important news or
information if you don’t check you phone regularly? Do you need to
compulsively check social media because you’re anxious that others are
having a better time, making more money, or leading a more exciting life
than you? Do you get up at night to check your phone?
- Feeling of dread, anxiety or panic if you
leave your smartphone at home, the battery runs down or the operating
system crashes. Or you feel a phantom vibration—you feel your phone
vibrating but when you check, there are no new messages or updates.
Withdrawal symptoms from smartphone addiction
A common warning sign of smartphone
or Internet addiction is experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you try to cut
back on your smartphone use. These may include:
- Restlessness
- Anger or irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep problems
- Craving access to your smartphone or other device
Self-help
tips for smartphone addiction
There are a number
of steps you can take to get your smartphone use under control. While you can
initiate many of these measures yourself, an addiction is hard to beat on your
own, especially when temptation is always within easy reach. It can be all too
easy to slip back into old patterns of usage. Look for outside support, whether
it’s from family, friends, or a professional therapist.
To help you
identify your problem areas, keep a log of when and how much you use your
smartphone for non-work or non-essential activities. There are specific apps
that can help with this, enabling you to track the time you spend on your phone
(see the Resources section below). Are there times of day that you use your
phone more? Are there other things you could be doing instead? The more you
understand your smartphone use, the easier it will be to curb your habits and
regain control of your time.
- Recognize
the triggers that make you reach for your phone. Is it
when you’re lonely or bored? If you are struggling with depression,
stress, or anxiety, for example, your excessive smartphone use might be a
way to self-soothe rocky moods. Instead, find healthier and more effective
ways of managing your moods, such as practicing relaxation techniques or
using HelpGuide’s free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit.
- Understand
the difference between interacting in-person and online. Human
beings are social creatures. We’re not meant to be isolated or to rely on
technology for human interaction. The inner ear, face, and heart are wired
together in the brain, so socially interacting with another person
face-to-face—making eye contact, responding to body language, listening,
talking—can make you feel calm, safe, and understood, and quickly put the
brakes on stress. Interacting through text, email or messaging may feel
important but it bypasses these nonverbal cues so can never have the same
effect on your emotional well-being. Besides, online friends can't hug you
when a crisis hits, visit you when you're sick, or celebrate a happy
occasion with you.
- Strengthen
your support network. Set aside dedicated time each week for friends and family. If you
are shy, there are ways to overcome social awkwardness and make lasting
friends without relying on social media or the Internet. To find people
with similar interests, try reaching out to colleagues at work, joining a
sports team or book club, enrolling in an education class, or volunteering
for a good cause. You’ll be able to interact with others like you, let
relationships develop naturally, and form friendships that will enhance
your life and strengthen your health.
- Build
your coping skills. Perhaps tweeting, texting or blogging is your way of coping with
stress or angry feelings. Or maybe you have trouble relating to others, or
are excessively shy with people in real life and find it easier to
communicate with people online. Building skills in these areas will help
you weather the stresses and strains of daily life without relying on your
smartphone.
- Recognize
any underlying problems that may support your compulsive behavior. Have
you had problems with alcohol or drugs in the past? Does anything about
your smartphone use remind you of how you used to drink or use drugs to
numb or distract yourself? Recognize if you need to address treatment in
these areas or return to group support meetings.
Modify your smartphone use,
step-by-step
For most people,
getting control over their smartphone use isn’t a case of quitting cold turkey.
Think of it more like going on a diet. Just as you still need to eat, you
probably still need to use your phone for work, school or to stay in touch with
friends. Your goal should be to cut back to more healthy levels of use.
- Set goals for when you can use your
smartphone. For example, you might schedule use for certain times of day,
or you could reward yourself with a certain amount of time on your phone
once you’ve completed a homework assignment or finished a chore, for
instance.
- Turn off your phone at certain times of the
day, such as when you’re driving, in a meeting, at the gym, having dinner,
or playing with your kids.
- Don’t bring your phone or tablet to bed. The
blue light emitted by the screens can disrupt your sleep if used within
two hours of bedtime. Turn devices off and leave them in another room
overnight to charge. Instead of reading eBooks on your phone or tablet at
night, pick up a book. You’ll not only sleep better but research shows
you’ll also remember more of what you’ve read.
- Replace your smartphone use with healthier
activities. If you are bored and lonely, resisting the urge to use your
smartphone to play games or check social media can be very difficult. Have
a plan for other ways to fill the time, such as meditating, reading a
book, or chatting with friends face to face.
- Spending time with other smartphone addicts?
Play the “phone stack” game. When you’re having lunch, dinner, or drinks
together, have everyone place their smartphones face down on the table.
Even as the phones buzz and beep, no one is allowed to grab his or her
device. If someone can’t resist checking their phone, that person has to
pick up the check for everyone.
- Remove social media apps from your phone so
you can only check Facebook, Twitter and the like from your computer. What
you see of others on social media is rarely an accurate reflection of
their lives—people exaggerate the positive aspects of their lives,
brushing over the doubts and disappointments that we all experience.
Spending less time comparing yourself unfavorably to these stylized
representations can help to boost your mood and sense of self-worth.
- Limit checks. If you compulsively check your
phone every few minutes, wean yourself off by limiting your checks to once
every 15 minutes. Then once every 30 minutes, then once an hour. If you
need help, there are apps that can automatically limit when you’re able to
access your phone.
- Curb your fear of missing out. Accept that by
limiting your smartphone use, you’re likely going to miss out on certain
invitations, breaking news, or new gossip. There is so much information
available on the Internet, it’s almost impossible to stay on top of
everything, anyway. Accepting this can be liberating and help break your
reliance on technology.
Helping a child or teen with smartphone addiction
- Be a good role model. Children have a strong impulse to imitate, so it’s important you manage your own smartphone and Internet use. It’s no good asking your child to unplug at the dinner table while you’re staring at your own phone or tablet. Try not to let your own smartphone use distract from parent-child interactions.
- Use apps to monitor and limit your child’s smartphone use. There are a number of apps available that can limit your child’s data usage or restrict his or her texting and web browsing to certain times of the day to enforce technology breaks. Other apps can eliminate messaging capabilities while in motion, so you can prevent your teen using a smartphone while driving.
- Create “phone-free” zones. Restrict the use of smartphones or tablets to a common area of the house where you can keep an eye on your child's activity and limit time online. Ban phones from the dinner table and bedrooms and insist they’re turned off after a certain time at night.
- Encourage other interests and social activities. Get your child out from behind the phone or computer screen. Expose kids to other hobbies and activities, such as team sports, Scouts, and afterschool clubs. Spend time as a family unplugged.
- Talk to your child about underlying issues. Compulsive smartphone use can be the sign of deeper problems. Is your child having problems fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress? Is your child suffering with other issues at school or home?
- Get help. Teenagers often rebel against their parents, but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try a sports coach, doctor, or respected family friend. Don’t be afraid to seek professional counseling if you are concerned about your child’s smartphone use.
