cell phone addiction solutions essay

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Cell Phone Addiction, Essay Example

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Nowadays, many individuals have become more and more addicted and dependable on phones, specifically smart call phone s. This often happens without these individuals realizing how the excessive and inappropriate use of their cell phones can create several of problems in their social and everyday lives. Because of this, cell phone addiction can easily be denied as an incredibly serious compulsive disorder that has been increasing with newly available technology.            As technology has progressed throughout the years, innovate phones and intriguing apps make it almost impossible and irresistible for individuals to be able to put their phones down in social settings, such as a family dinner. In fact, scientific debates have recently arisen that question whether cell phone addiction, along with gambling, should be added to the new DSM-V addiction list (Choliz, 2010, p. 373). Having said this, it is imperative to make it known that the primary purpose of this research paper cognizant of the actuality that chronic cell phone usage can indeed be a huge problem in society today. This can lead to problems inside one ’ s own family as well as conflicts in the workplace. The result of the excessive cell phone usage creates social, behavioral, and affective problems in the lives of future teenagers all around the world.

Something that must be openly understood is the fact that a teenager ’ s social experience can deeply be affected by the manner in which he or she uses his or her cell phone. For example, for a teenager to be using his or her cell phone during a party makes this certain individual unsocial. This can result in a person only having friends online as opposed to having the real thing of having personal friends to interact with on a daily basis. While this controversy might seem worrisome to many older individuals, people should realize that if a teenager is not able to have a social life, he/she might end up leading a depressed lifestyle. Also, as W.K. Park points out, loneliness is “positively associated with mobile phone addiction” which shows that addicted persons tend to reduce their feelings of loneliness by using mobile devices, such as a cell phone (2005, p. 260).

This kind of behavior would not only affect the teenager, but also the teenager ’ s family members. The fact of the matter is that cell phones have become so addictive nowadays that teenagers do not realize that they are addicted to their cell phones until it is too late and they have already lost the majority of their friends because of the manner in which they have shut everybody out of their lives. It goes without saying that this type of behavior should be stopped immediately because it has a huge impact on the kind of individuals that will grow up to lead the world into a better tomorrow. However, this “ better tomorrow ” will not be able to be made if these teenagers grow up being socially awkward.

A second aspect that must be considered when talking about cell phone addiction is the fact that, due to the fact that cell phones have so many addictive applications on them, teenagers choose to use their cell phones for extended periods of time in order to pass certain levels on a video game. While there is nothing wrong with a teenager playing a simple video game on his or her cell phone, some of these games are extremely violent for young teenagers to be playing. These violent video games are often times difficult for parents to monitor because no teenagers wishes to have his or her parents looking through his or her phone. Without parental supervision, teenagers find it much easier to download violent video games or explicit content unto their phones. This kind of behavior creates grave problems for teenagers, as they lose sense of what is real and what is portrayed in their little phone screen. In order to avoid this type of behavior altogether, it should be considered each child ’ s parents ’ responsibility to monitor what his or her child is watching in his or her cell phone and ensure that nothing inside that cell phone could prove to be detrimental to the teenager ’ s behavior either at home at school.

The reason as to why a cell phone addiction might prove to be increasingly dangerous to some teenagers is because of the fact that some teenagers are not quite ready to know how to keep their social and behavioral life in shape. As a result of this, teenagers often times find it normal to spend unreasonable hours throughout their own respective day looking through their phone and talking to other individuals online. The problem that is brought forth with these kinds of actions is that it is only a matter of time until face-to-face interaction is considered taboo. When society reaches this point, it is a fair statement to say that cell phone addiction will have taken over the majority of society. In order to prevent teenagers from being prone to chronic cell phone addictions is by making sure that the teenager ’ s parents limit the amount of time allowed on the cell phone. Another method that could be used by parents is for them to ask their teenagers to turn in their phones by the end of the night to ensure that their children are getting their necessary sleep and are not spending all of their night on the phone instead.

The result of the excessive cell phone usage creates social, behavioral, and affective problems in the lives of future teenagers all around the world. Despite the fact that there is no definitive manner by which this addiction can be put to a stop once and for all, there are a number of alternatives that could be taken by certain parents in order to ensure that their children do not become prone to the kind of addiction that is often linked to yield unproductive teenagers who do not have much ambition in life. In today ’ s increasingly technological world, it is without a doubt that it would be invariably difficult to put a stop to the kind of addiction that is present in the world today. One way that would help would be for researchers to conduct more studies on cell phone addiction and related addictions through bibliographic databases that refer specifically to Internet, video games, and cell phone addiction ( Carbonell, Guardiola, Beranuy, & Bellés, 2009).

Carbonell, X., Guardiola, E., Beranuy, M., & Bellés, A. (2009). A bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature on Internet, video games, and cell phone addiction . Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, (97) 2, 102-107. Retrieved from http://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2670219

Choliz, M. (2010). Mobile phone addiction: a point of issue. Addiction (105) 2, 373-374.

Grohol, J. (n.d.). Coping with cell phone addiction. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/ lib/coping-with-cell-phone-addiction/

Hersman, D. (2015). Cell phones: A potentially deadly addiction. Retrieved from  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-hersman/cell-phones-a- potentially_b_7161074.html

Murdock, S. (2015). Our addiction to cell phones is costing lives: Here’s how we can stop it. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/09/cell-phone-addiction- driving_n_7543464.html

Park, W. K. (2005). Mobile phone addiction. In R. Ling & P.E. Pedersen (Eds.) Mobile Communications , 253-272. London, UK: Springer.

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What Are the Signs of Phone Addiction?

Warning Signs and How to Help

• Who Is at Risk
• Health Effects
• How to Break It
• When to Seek Help

While cell phones are integral to our daily lives and have numerous benefits, many people have developed what some researchers consider phone addiction symptoms that can have negative effects on well-being. According to some research, roughly 27.9% of young adults are addicted to their cell phones.

Read on to find out more about how cell phone addiction is defined, the risks involved, and how to identify and treat it.

Georgijevic / Getty Images

What Is Phone Addiction?

Cell phone addiction may be categorized as a type of behavioral addiction that presents when a person can't go without their cell phone, their excessive use causes adverse consequences, or they experience symptoms similar to withdrawal when they do.

While cell phone addiction is very real for the people experiencing it, it is not officially recognized as a mental health illness or an addiction in the fifth edition of the " Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders " (DSM-5). However, it does present with similar characteristics as other behavioral addictions, such as gambling .

What Is the DSM-5?

The DSM-5 is the American Psychiatric Association's official handbook that mental health professionals use to assess and diagnose a variety of mental health disorders.

There are reasons why smartphones are hard to put down. The sounds and vibrations catch our attention, and the games, notifications, social media, and messages provide instant gratification.

Smartphones offer a constant source of entertainment and distraction. Companies use persuasive design techniques with features like infinite scrolling, push notifications, and personalized content to keep us engaged and make it harder to disconnect.

Who Is at Risk of Phone Addiction?

The exact number of people addicted to their cell phones isn’t known. This is because it can be hard to quantify and many studies base their data on self-reporting methods.

Although anyone can be at risk for this type of addiction, it is most commonly found among adolescents. Some research indicates that about 20%–30% of adolescents and young adults have a phone addiction. Teens in particular use their phones with high frequency, while cell phone use tends to decrease gradually as a person gets older.

People who get phones at a younger age are also more likely to present with addictive behaviors than those who get them later in life.

Cell Phone Risk Between the Sexes

Both young boys and girls are at a higher risk of developing an addiction to their cell phones, but there may be somewhat different patterns of use. Girls typically use their phones for social interaction, while boys use phones for the same reason in addition to gaming applications. Males also show a higher tendency to use their phones in risky situations.

Social media addiction may go hand in hand with phone addiction. It is associated with poor sleep quality and depression. And, it is also correlated with body perception issues.

What Are the Symptoms of Phone Addiction?

Some new terms have emerged to describe the characteristics of phone addiction:  

• Nomophobia : Fear tied to going without one’s phone
• Textaphrenia : Fear of the inability to receive or send text messages
• Ringxiety : Feeling as though a notification has come through on your phone when it hasn’t
• Textiety : Feeling anxious about receiving and responding to text messages immediately

Some symptoms of phone addiction include:

• You are constantly reaching for your phone.
• You spend much of your time on your phone.
• You wake in the night to check if your phone has any notifications.
• You feel negative emotions such as anger, sadness, or anxiety when you don’t have your phone or can’t check it.
• Using your phone has led to an injury or accident, such as a car crash from texting while driving.
• The amount of time you spend on your phone affects your professional or personal life.
• When you try to limit your phone use, you end up relapsing in a short time.

Signs From Others

While it can be difficult to notice your own phone addiction, one telltale sign you are forming an addiction is if someone in your life mentions your phone overuse to you. They may express concern about how much you are on your phone or your behavior while you are not using it.

What Are the Effects of Phone Addiction?

Studies show that cell phone overuse can have a negative impact on your health in a variety of ways.

Excessive smartphone use has been associated with physical and mental health problems in adolescents and young adults, including:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Alcohol use disorder
• Difficulties in cognitive-emotion regulation
• Impulsivity
• Impaired cognitive function
• Addiction to social networking
• Low self-esteem

Some other effects of phone addiction include:

• Muscle pain and stiffness
• Blurry vision
• Red or irritated eyes
• Auditory illusions (hearing your phone ring or vibrate when it’s not)
• Thumb or wrist pain
• Loss of interest in other activities you once enjoyed
• Insomnia and sleep disturbances
• Worsened school or work performance
• Heightened conflicts with your social group or family
• Feelings of irritability or unease when you don’t have your phone
• An increased risk of developing depression or anxiety
• Putting yourself in dangerous situations by using your phone when you shouldn’t be
• Feelings of guilt, helplessness, or loneliness when you go without your phone

Cell Phone Addiction and Dopamine

Cell phone addiction is similar to other types of addiction because of its effect on dopamine , a chemical in the body that causes feelings of pleasure. Cell phone use has been shown to stimulate the production and release of dopamine, which drives the need to use it more and more.

How to Break the Addiction

Breaking any type of addiction isn’t easy, but it is possible.

First, you must acknowledge the issues it's causing in your life. Once you have determined that you need to break your addiction, you can:

• Identify the reasons : Research has found that people who are on their phones constantly may be trying to escape issues or problems in their lives. By determining if the root cause of your phone addiction is to escape problems, you can address and treat the underlying issues.
• Consider therapy : Certain types of therapy , such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) , have proven effective in helping people overcome addictions. Other types of effective therapies for addictions are contingency management, motivational interviewing , and couples counseling (if it is affecting your relationships).

Tips to Beat Phone Addiction on Your Own

While addictions often require professional help, not all people will want to go that route. If you want to try to get over phone addiction on your own you can:

• Buy a cellphone lockbox that only opens after a set amount of time. This will limit your use.
• Remove apps that take up the majority of your time.
• Eliminate notifications on your phone so you aren’t summoned to check it every time a notification appears.
• Charge your phone in an inaccessible place so it’s harder to get to.
• Try to replace phone use with other activities you enjoy.
• Switch to a non-smartphone.

How to Prevent Phone Addiction

The best prevention method for phone addiction is avoidance. If you have a phone, you can prevent becoming addicted by using it only when necessary. This means deleting any apps that don’t serve a purpose and using your time to connect with people in other ways.

For parents with young children, limit your child's phone use by only allowing them to use it on your terms, or avoid buying them a phone altogether until they are above a certain age. Since children in their teen years are most at risk, you could hold off on buying them a phone until it is absolutely necessary.

If your child must have a phone for safety reasons, consider buying a phone that doesn’t have the ability to download apps that may lead to addiction. This way they will still be able to contact you or their friends if they need to but will not have access to time-consuming apps.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

If you feel as though your phone use has begun to control your life, or your loved ones have mentioned their concerns to you, it may be time to seek out professional help.

You can do this by speaking to your healthcare provider for referrals to a therapist or by signing up for a digital detox—a time when you give up tech devices. 

While not formally recognized by the DSM-5, problematic cell phone use shares many similarities with behavioral addictions. A person with a phone addiction will have difficulty staying off their phone and could lose interest in things they once enjoyed because of excessive phone use. Teens and young adults are most at risk of developing a phone addiction.

Signs of phone addiction include feeling irritable or negative when going without a phone, being unable to go without a phone for long periods, or using a phone so much that it negatively affects physical health or mental health.

While phone addiction does come with negative consequences, there are ways to beat it. A person can seek out professional help through a therapist or practice control techniques that limit phone use.

De-Sola Gutiérrez J, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, Rubio G. Cell-phone addiction: A review . Front Psychiatry. 2016;24(7):175. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00175

American Psychiatric Association.  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Lin YH, Chiang CL, Lin PH, Chang LR, Ko CH, Lee YH, Lin SH. Proposed diagnostic criteria for smartphone addiction . PLoS One. 2016;11(11):e0163010. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163010

Schulz van Endert T, Mohr PNC. Likes and impulsivity: Investigating the relationship between actual smartphone use and delay discounting . Xin B, ed. PLoS ONE. 2020;15(11):e0241383. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241383

Chen X, Hedman A, Distler V, Koenig V. Do persuasive designs make smartphones more addictive? - A mixed-methods study on Chinese university students . Computers in Human Behavior Reports. 2023;10:100299. doi: 10.1016/j.chbr.2023.100299

Pew Research Center. Mobile Fact Sheet 2021 .

Shoukat S. Cell phone addiction and psychological and physiological health in adolescents . EXCLI J. 2019;18:47-50.

yi Lin L, Sidani JE, Shensa A, et al.  Association between social media use and depression among U.S. young adults: research article: social media and depression .  Depress Anxiety . 2016;33(4):323-331. doi:10.1002/da.22466

Çakmak S, Tanrıöver Ö. Is obesity and body perception disturbance related to social media addiction among university students? J Am Coll Health. 2022 Feb 14:1-8. doi:10.1080/07448481.2022.2034832

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Wacks Y, Weinstein AM. Excessive Smartphone Use Is Associated With Health Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults . Front Psychiatry. 2021 May 28;12:669042. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.669042

Chun JW, Choi J, Kim JY, Cho H, Ahn KJ, Nam JH, Choi JS, Kim DJ. Altered brain activity and the effect of personality traits in excessive smartphone use during facial emotion processing . Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):12156. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-08824-y

Roberts JA, Yaya LH, Manolis C. The invisible addiction: cell-phone activities and addiction among male and female college students . J Behav Addict. 2014;3(4):254-265. doi:10.1556/JBA.3.2014.015

Seo HS, Jeong EK, Choi S, Kwon Y, Park HJ, Kim I. Changes of neurotransmitters in youth with internet and smartphone addiction: A comparison with healthy controls and changes after cognitive behavioral therapy . AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2020;41(7):1293-1301. doi:10.3174/ajnr.A6632

By Angelica Bottaro Bottaro has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and an Advanced Diploma in Journalism. She is based in Canada.

9 Ways to Finally Stop Spending So Much Time on Your Phone

“Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything,” Steve Jobs said in 2007, when he introduced the first iPhone . Eleven years later, the question isn’t whether he was right. It’s whether we like the way we’ve changed.

Today, the average American checks his or her phone 47 times a day — many more if they’re younger — and spends about four hours a day staring at its screen. That’s roughly a sixth of our total time alive. Given these numbers, it makes sense that there’s an increasing sense of concern over our relationships with our phones. In January, two of Apple’s biggest shareholders wrote an open letter to Apple requesting that the company provide “more choices and tools” that can help parents set limits on their children’s phone time. In the same month, Facebook announced that it had overhauled the algorithms behind its news feed, to put more emphasis on “meaningful interactions” — i.e., posts from friends and family members, rather than brands. And February saw the launch of the Center for Humane Technology , a coalition of former tech employees who are alarmed about the impact of the technologies they helped create.

Phones, and our relationships with them, are on many peoples’ minds. The question of whether to describe our obsessive phone behaviors as an “addiction” is controversial — but to get too wrapped up in semantics misses the point. An increasing number of us are concluding that, a decade after Jobs’ proclamation, we don’t like the way our phones have changed us. We feel busy but ineffective. Connected but lonely. The same technology that gives us so much freedom also acts like a leash — and the more tethered we become, the more it raises the question of who’s actually in control.

I’ve spent the past two years researching and writing a book about how to create a healthy relationship with your phone without giving it up completely, drawing on research in neuroplasticity, mindfulness and the science behavior change. Here are nine of my top suggestions for changing your relationship with your phone.

Identify what you want your relationship with your phone to look like.

Many people start with a vague goal — “I want to spend less time on my phone” — without specifying what they’re actually trying to change or accomplish, or identifying why they reach for their phones to begin with. Then they try to go cold turkey and feel discouraged and powerless when it doesn’t work.

This is the equivalent of dumping someone because you want a “better relationship” but, when pressed, admitting that you actually have no idea what the better relationship would look like. If you don’t take the time to figure that out, you are highly likely to end up in a relationship that is just as unsatisfying or unhealthy as the one that you just got out of.

So before you do anything else, ask yourself: What things do you do on your phone that make you feel good? Which activities make you feel bad? What behaviors or habits would you like to change?

Figure out how much time you’re currently spending on your phone.

Install a time-tracking app such as Moment or ( OFFTIME ) that will gather data on how much time per day you spend on your phone and how often you pick it up. This information might be depressing at first — but it’s a great way to track your progress and boost your motivation.

Identify some specific things you’d like to do with your reclaimed time.

If you use your phone less, you’ll end up with more free time. Much of this will be in small chunks, such as when you’re riding the elevator or waiting in line. These can be great opportunities to take a deep breath and just do nothing (which can be a surprisingly relaxing and restorative experience).

You’re also likely to find yourself with longer periods of time to fill. In order to keep yourself from reverting to your phone to entertain you, it’s essential that you decide on several activities you’d like to use this time for — and then set up your environment to make it more likely that you’ll stick to these intentions. For example, if you say you want to read more, put a book on your coffee table so when you flop down on the couch at the end of a long day, your book will be within eyesight and reach. If you want to practice playing music, take your instrument out of its case and prop it up in the hall, where it’ll be easy to grab when you have a few spare moments. If you want to spend more time with your family or a particular friend, make plans to do so — and put your phone in your pocket or bag for the duration of your time together.

Use apps to protect yourself from apps.

This may seem like a counterintuitive suggestion, but it’s actually extremely effective. Apps such as Freedom (iOS), ( OFFTIME ) and Flipd allow you to block your access to pre-specified apps and websites. You can enable your app blocker when you’re trying to focus at work, or you can set a schedule for which hours of the day you want to have access to games and other tempting apps. Some versions also allow you to schedule “block” sessions in advance — for example, you could lock yourself out of social media apps for two hours before bedtime — a great tool when you’re trying to change a habit.

Create a reminder to check in with yourself.

A lot of times we find our phones in our hands without knowing how they got there — and then look up 30 minutes later wondering where the time has gone. To prevent these “zombie checks,” create a speed bump for yourself — a small obstacle that forces you to slow down and decide whether you really want to be on your phone. Put a rubber band around it as a tactile prompt, something you have to physically move out of the way in order to get access, or set a lock screen image that reminds you to check in with yourself, asking questions like, “What for? Why now? What else?” (You can download free lock screen images on my website .)

Delete social media apps.

When it comes to time-sucking, social media apps are the worst. That’s not surprising: They’re designed to get us to spend as much time on them as possible. Why? Because it’s profitable. Every minute we spend on social media is another opportunity to show us ads — ads that have been targeted using the detailed personal information that we have voluntarily shared. In other words, we aren’t the customers on social media apps; advertisers are. And our attention is what’s being sold.

This doesn’t mean you can’t use social media if you really want to. But if your goal is to spend less time on your phone, consider limiting yourself to using social media only on your computer.

Set up a text auto-responder.

Many people hesitate to take breaks from their phone because the idea of taking too long to respond to text messages stresses them out. The solution? Set a text message auto-responder telling people that you’re taking a break, and that you’ll respond to them upon your return. If they have an urgent message, they’ll know to find another way to reach you. This is an underutilized tool that makes a surprisingly big difference. Starting with iOS 11, Apple has a “ Do Not Disturb While Driving ” feature that can be customized for any situation (you should obviously use it while you’re driving, too). Android users can use a third party app, such as LilSpace or SMS Auto-Reply Text Message .

Do all the other things you know you’re supposed to do but haven’t yet.

Create a charging station for your phone that you can’t reach from your bed. Disable all notifications except for phone calls, messages and calendar events — you can always re-enable notifications one by one if you miss them; the point is to start with the bare minimum, emphasizing communication from real people trying to reach you directly. Redesign your home screen so that it only displays apps that are useful tools, with tempting time suckers (including email) buried in a folder on an interior screen. Get a watch. Get an alarm clock that’s not your phone, otherwise you’re guaranteeing that your phone will be the first thing you reach for in the morning. Keep your phone off the table during meals and ask others to do the same.

Remember the goal.

One reason that our attempts to spend less time on our phones so often fail is that we frame our efforts in the same way we do diets: as acts of self-deprivation. And who likes feeling deprived? Instead, think of the goal in more positive terms: when we aim to cut back on phone time, we’re trying to resolve discrepancies between how we say we want to live our lives, and how we’re actually living. The closer we get, the happier we’ll be.

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How to Break a Phone Addiction

You can forge a happier relationship with your devices by using them more mindfully.

“ How to Build a Life ” is a weekly column by Arthur Brooks, tackling questions of meaning and happiness. Click here to listen to his new podcast series on all things happiness, How to Build a Happy Life .

B y now, nearly everyone knows we can be addicted to our digital devices. In the words of Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and an addiction specialist at Stanford, “Just about all of us have a digital drug of choice, and it probably involves using a smartphone—the equivalent of the hypodermic needle for a wired generation.”

The data suggest that Lembke’s claim is not hyperbole. For example, the average smartphone user rarely goes two hours without using her device, unlocks her device 50 or more times a day , and swipes or taps on it as many as 2,617 times in the process. The young are particularly afflicted: A 2018 Pew Research Center report found that 44 percent of teens said they often check their devices for messages or notifications as soon as they wake up, 54 percent said they spend too much time on their mobile phone, and 42 percent feel anxiety when they do not have it. Those who compulsively check Facebook , Instagram, or WhatsApp might have felt a version of this anxiety earlier this week, when the apps all vanished from the internet for a few hours.

Listen as Arthur Brooks and psychiatrist Anna Lembke identify how addiction reframes our expectations.

Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google | Pocket Casts

A device addiction is not innocuous. It is associated with depression and anxiety. It disproportionately victimizes lonely people. According to the technology research firm CompareCamp , 26 percent of car accidents in the U.S. today are due to the use of smartphones while driving.

These problems are obvious to almost everyone; the solutions, less so. Some experts propose taxation to help curb digital overuse, similar to the way the government discourages tobacco use. Others say the only way to beat an addiction is to quit cold turkey and go device-free.

From the November 2016 issue: The binge breaker

But in a world of electronic payments, digital documents, and remote work, a truly smartphone-free lifestyle is getting less and less practical. A better—and, for many of us, more plausible—approach is to manage addictive behavior by moderating device use. This isn’t just a matter of setting screen-time limits you can easily break; rather, you can start to develop specific, concrete habits to replace the unhealthy ones that keep sending you back to your phone.

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I n some cases, looking for the “right” amount of an addictive substance or activity can be perilous, and the optimal level of use is zero, forever. That is the case for me with cigarettes. Quitting was one of the hardest things I’d ever done—for three years I dreamed about smoking almost every night, and today I am still drawn to the smell of anything burning, whether incense or a pile of tires.

But that isn’t always true of addictive substances, especially when in moderation they bring important benefits. Carbohydrates are a good example. A lot of research shows that some people tend to develop addictions to this essential macronutrient because the effects of consuming it can mimic the neurochemistry of drugs of abuse. But unlike with drugs of abuse, the right tactic with carbohydrates is definitely not to get rid of all of them; it is to eat them more responsibly and in lower quantities.

Read: The science of choice in addiction

The question, then, is whether digital devices are more like cigs or more like carbs. I believe the answer is the latter: To quit cold turkey would impose an enormous cost on virtually anyone who needs to manage a bank account, communicate with loved ones, call for a ride, work remotely, or perform countless other everyday tasks. So the proper approach is to find the right level to which we should aspire.

One recent study of 2,000 American adults by scholars at Microsoft, Stanford, New York University, and the National Bureau of Economic Research offers a blueprint. The researchers found that people consistently use smartphones more than they plan or want to; this isn’t big news. The authors make a real advance, however, by estimating the amount of use that can be attributed entirely to self-control problems—that is, the amount of time participants spent on their device that they would not choose to if they were not addicted. It comes to 31 percent.

From the September 2017 issue: Have smartphones destroyed a generation?

Your addiction quotient may differ based on your values, how useful your smartphone is to you, and probably also your brain chemistry. But the finding is a helpful baseline with which to set some personal goals: If you use social media more than you want to, your goal—at least to start—can be to reduce the time you spend with it by about a third.

F inding the right goal for cutting back is one thing; actually doing so is another. Some people try therapy , and psychologists have even recommended drugs to help treat related dependencies, such as internet addiction. But for those wishing to find a DIY approach, here are three practices you might find effective.

1. Make time for scrolling.

This may sound counterintuitive, but bear with me. A good deal of device overuse can be blamed on the mindlessness of it—one 2018 study of Australian adults found that 86 percent admitted to using their smartphones “automatically.” You know what I mean: If you have 15 seconds of downtime in an elevator or waiting at a red light, out pops your phone. You may not even realize you’re looking at it; you are basically just killing time.

Read: Stop spending time on things you hate

The best way to counteract mindless scrolling is with mindful scrolling. Set times each day or week to look at your smartphone and really focus on it. Don’t do anything else; be all about the phone for those minutes, as if it were your job. Adapt the Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh’s instruction in The Miracle of Mindfulness : “While washing the dishes one should only be washing the dishes, which means that while washing the dishes one should be completely aware of the fact that one is washing the dishes.” Besides making addiction easier to beat—studies have found mindfulness to be very effective in treating addictions—such a practice might also show you how little you actually enjoy staring at your phone.

2. Turn off your notifications.

Most addictions are associated with a neurotransmitter called dopamine. It governs desire, and spikes when we get environmental cues such as advertisements and reminders to do something pleasurable, like smoke or gamble or check our phone. Smartphones game our dopamine , most crucially through the sounds and banners indicating that someone messaged or mentioned you and you must look right now to satisfy your curiosity.

Derek Thompson: Social media is attention alcohol

The solution is simple: If you have a smartphone, turn off all the notifications, except perhaps the ones you need to stay employed, and the ringer for when your mother calls.

3. Physically separate yourself.

If you’re trying to eat healthier, a common piece of advice you might hear from a nutritionist is to avoid having junk food in the house. The idea is that unhealthy eating, a choice you might otherwise make without thinking, should require effort.

The same idea applies to the phone. Silo off parts of your home where your phone is not physically proximate, such as the dinner table and the bedroom. My personal strategy is to plug in my phone in the kitchen at night before I go upstairs to bed. It’s a habit, and, as a result, I never miss my phone when I am going to sleep. If I wake up during the night, going to check it would take a lot of effort, so I don’t.

Read: Your smartphone reduces your brainpower, even if it’s just sitting there

Some people take this even further. The digital-technology scholar Cal Newport advocates the “phone foyer” method, wherein he leaves his phone by the front door when he walks into his house, and doesn’t put it in his pocket until he leaves again. If he needs to look at it, he does so only in the foyer.

A ddiction is a hateful thing, stripping us of freedom. As the Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus taught in his Discourses , “No man is free who is not master of himself.” Addiction is doubly hateful when its ill effects make a profit for others, whether they be tobacco companies, social-media advertisers, or smartphone makers.

From the November 2021 issue: Facebook is an authoritarian state

Epictetus wasn’t writing about digital subjugation, but he could have been. He also provides the single most important lesson to remember as we seek to shake free of the demon screen: Be alive, right here, right now. “Quit the evasions. Stop giving yourself needless trouble,” he wrote. “It is time to really live; to fully inhabit the situation you happen to be in now.”

​When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.

REVIEW article

Cell-phone addiction: a review.

• 1 Department of Psychobiology, Psychology Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Madrid, Spain
• 2 Clinical Management of Mental Health Unit, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga, Regional University Hospital of Málaga (Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga – IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
• 3 Istituto de Investigación i+12, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

We present a review of the studies that have been published about addiction to cell phones. We analyze the concept of cell-phone addiction as well as its prevalence, study methodologies, psychological features, and associated psychiatric comorbidities. Research in this field has generally evolved from a global view of the cell phone as a device to its analysis via applications and contents. The diversity of criteria and methodological approaches that have been used is notable, as is a certain lack of conceptual delimitation that has resulted in a broad spread of prevalent data. There is a consensus about the existence of cell-phone addiction, but the delimitation and criteria used by various researchers vary. Cell-phone addiction shows a distinct user profile that differentiates it from Internet addiction. Without evidence pointing to the influence of cultural level and socioeconomic status, the pattern of abuse is greatest among young people, primarily females. Intercultural and geographical differences have not been sufficiently studied. The problematic use of cell phones has been associated with personality variables, such as extraversion, neuroticism, self-esteem, impulsivity, self-identity, and self-image. Similarly, sleep disturbance, anxiety, stress, and, to a lesser extent, depression, which are also associated with Internet abuse, have been associated with problematic cell-phone use. In addition, the present review reveals the coexistence relationship between problematic cell-phone use and substance use such as tobacco and alcohol.

Introduction

Since the appearance of the cell phone, the anomalous use of this device has called into question whether the abuse of its use could lead to addiction. This problem is identical to the one regarding the existence of behavioral addictions as opposed to substance addictions ( 1 ). The existence of cell-phone addiction, as opposed to it being the manifestation of an impulsivity disorder, has been questioned without necessarily considering the concept of addiction ( 2 , 3 ). To date, the DSM-5 has only recognized compulsive gambling as a behavioral addiction, considering the rest of these types of abuse as impulse disorders, and the clinical world has not done much more than proclaim that many of them are true addictions that affect patients’ lives.

Prior to the arrival of the cell phone, abundant research had been conducted on behavioral addictions to videogames ( 4 ), exercise ( 5 ), online sex ( 6 ), food ( 7 ), shopping ( 8 , 9 ), work ( 10 ), and the Internet ( 11 – 15 ). Indeed, for several authors, a large number of behaviors are potentially addictive ( 16 ) if there is a concurrence of negative consequences and physical and psychological reinforcements in a specific context ( 17 ).

Before reviewing the characteristics of cell-phone addiction, it is important to highlight the uniqueness of behavioral addiction in relation to drug or substance addiction. In substance addiction, with the exception of alcohol that shows a more dimensional course profile, there is a clear moment at which changes in and interferences with daily life can be observed. In the case of behavior, it is difficult to determine whether problems result from problematic behavior, personality traits, or psychiatric comorbidities. However, the existence of an underlying biological sub-layer, which can manifest itself through pharmacological procedures, is indubitable. Thus, administering specific dopamine agonists can activate previously non-existent behaviors, such as compulsive gambling, compulsive eating, hypersexuality, and compulsive shopping ( 18 – 21 ).

An increasing number of studies have focused on the most important body of behavioral addictions today – the Internet, videogames, and cell phones. Historically, Internet use could present as either a global addiction or interaction with addictive contents and activities. In this sense, Young ( 12 ) studied five different forms of addictive behavior on the Internet: (1) the computer itself, (2) the search for information, (3) interaction compulsions, including contact with the web through online games, shopping, etc., (4) cybersexuality, and (5) cybercontacts. Subsequently, Young solely studied games, online sexual contacts, and text messaging ( 14 ).

If the Internet was initially the technological addiction par excellence, the cell phone soon emerged as a source of potentially addictive behavior, particularly since the arrival of smartphone devices ( 22 , 23 ), along with the evolution from a global approach to a progressive differentiation of addictions by contents and concrete applications. Whether the problem is the cell phone itself or its contents and applications ( 24 ) is a topic of current debate, similar to previous debates with respect to the Internet ( 25 , 26 ).

From this perspective, the cell phone offers activities that can lead to problematic use ( 3 , 27 ). There is evidence that the smartphone, with its breadth of applications and uses, tends to induce greater abuse than regular cell phones ( 28 ).

In general, Brown ( 29 ) and Griffiths ( 17 , 30 ) note that an addiction entails abuse without control, alterations in mood, tolerance, abstinence, and personal harm or conflicts in the environment, as well as a tendency to relapse. Sussman and Sussman ( 31 ) profile addiction, in its broadest sense, as the capacity to get “hooked” on reinforcing behaviors, excessive worry about consumption or behaviors with high positive reinforcement, tolerance, loss of control, and difficulty in avoiding said behavior, despite its negative consequences. Specifically, Echeburua et al. ( 32 ) noted as defining elements of behavioral addictions the loss of control, the establishment of a dependent relationship, tolerance, the need for progressively more time and dedication, and severe interference with daily life. Cía ( 33 ) highlights the automatism by which these behaviors lead to uncontrollable use, in addition to feelings of intense desire or irresistible need, loss of control, inattention to usual activities, the focalization of interests on the behavior or activity of interest, the persistence of the behavior despite its negative effects, and the irritability and malaise associated with abstinence.

Following the criteria of Hooper and Zhou ( 34 ), O’Guinn and Faber ( 8 ), and Hanley and Wilhelm ( 35 ) regarding motivations of use, Shambare et al. ( 36 ) consider cell-phone addiction to be one of the greatest addictions of the current century. They highlight six types of behavior, habitual (habits performed with little mental awareness), mandatory (officially required o parentally mandated), voluntary (reasoned and conducted for specific motivations), dependent (motivated by the attached importance of social norms), compulsive (strong urge to continuously perform the behavior), and addictive, or behavior defined by the user’s progressive exclusion of other activities, causing physical, mental, and social harm, while attempting to control the user’s dysphoric feelings. Therefore, excessive attention and uncontrolled dedication to one’s cell phone is an addiction.

In any case, the research and literature on Internet, videogame, and cell-phone use are ever-increasing. One bibliometric study ( 37 ) indicated a progressive and growing body of research, with the Internet being the most highly studied area, followed by videogames and then cell phones. In recent years, research interest in cell-phone use has notably increased.

Cell-Phone Addiction

In April 2015, the number of cell-phone lines exceeded 53.6 million in Spain, which was1.4% higher than that of the previous year, with a penetration of 108.5% [National Commission of Markets and Competence ( 38 )]. This amounts to slightly greater than one cell phone per person, and 81% of these cell-phone lines were associated with smartphones in 2014 [Telephonic Foundation ( 39 )]. The age of cell phone initiation is becoming increasingly younger: 30% of 10-year-old Spanish children have a cell phone; the rate increases to nearly 70% at age 12 and 83% at age 14. Furthermore, starting at the age of 2–3 years, Spanish children habitually access their parents’ devices ( 40 ).

These data imply that the cell phone enables behavioral problems and disorders, particularly in adolescents. This fact has become more and more evident in communications media, inspiring new pathologies, such as “Nomophobia” (No-Mobile-Phobia), “FOMO” (Fear Of Missing Out) – the fear of being without a cell phone, disconnected or off the Internet, “Textaphrenia” and “Ringxiety” – the false sensation of having received a text message or call that leads to constantly checking the device, and “Textiety” – the anxiety of receiving and responding immediately to text messages ( 28 ).

Physical and psychological problems have reportedly resulted from cell-phone abuse, including rigidity and muscle pain, ocular afflictions resulting from Computer Vision Syndrome reflected in fatigue, dryness, blurry vision, irritation, or ocular redness ( 41 ), auditory and tactile illusions – the sensation of having heard a ring or felt a vibration of a cell phone ( 42 , 43 ), and pain and weakness in the thumbs and wrists leading to an increased number of cases of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis ( 44 ).

In broader behavioral terms, the following problematic manifestations have also been noted, frequently compared to and corroborated by the diagnostic criteria of the DSM (see Table 1 ):

– Problematic and conscious use in dangerous situations or prohibited contexts ( 45 ) with social and familial conflicts and confrontations, as well as loss of interest in other activities ( 46 – 49 ). A continuation of the behavior is observed despite the negative effects or the personal malaise caused ( 50 , 51 ).

– Harm, repeated physical, mental, social, work, or familial interruptions, preferring the cell phone to personal contact ( 52 – 54 ); frequent and constant consultations in brief periods ( 3 ) with insomnia and sleep disturbances ( 55 , 56 ) .

– Excessive use, urgency, abstinence, tolerance, dependence, difficulty controlling, craving, increasing use to achieve satisfaction or relaxation or to counteract a dysphoric mood ( 34 , 57 , 58 ), the need to be connected, feelings of irritability or of being lost if separated from the phone or of sending and viewing messages with feelings of unease when unable to use it ( 54 , 59 – 61 ).

– Anxiety and loneliness when unable to send a message or receive an immediate response ( 62 ); stress and changes in mood due to the need to respond immediately to messages ( 55 , 63 ).

Table 1. Symptomatology of problematic cell-phone use vs. DSM-5 criteria for compulsive gambling and substance use .

Chóliz ( 65 ), supporting his theory using the DSM-IV-TR for substance addiction, mentioned four factors that define addiction and dependence in students: abstinence, lack of control, tolerance , and abuse and interference with other activities ( 59 , 66 ). Similarly, in a recent longitudinal study on student smartphone use, addictive behavior was related to the downloading and use of specific applications along with compulsive consultation and writing. That is, a non-addicted user can spend the identical amount of time on the cell phone as an addicted user, but the non-addicted user’s time is constant, more focused on concrete tasks and less disperse ( 3 ).

There exists, however, a broad spectrum of positions taken by researchers, ranging from the absolute existence of addiction to a broader interpretation of these symptoms, as the result of an impulse control disorder or of problematic or psychopathological personality traits, which offer a greater range of behavioral possibilities beyond addiction itself. In this sense, Sansone and Sansone ( 55 ) note that the delineations between abuse, misuse, dependence, and addiction have yet to be clearly defined. Toda et al. ( 67 ) note that cell-phone abuse can also be seen as a behavior congruent with a certain lifestyle.

However, considering the general profiles of addiction indicated, the symptoms and specific predicament observed, and analyzing its correspondence to the criteria for pathological gambling in the DSM-5 and substance addiction – a fundamental comparative medium for many researchers evaluating phone addiction – an important parallelism can be appreciated, which requires the consideration of its existence without excluding other potentially problematic behaviors.

Finally, there is a known vulnerability or “breeding ground” associated with the development of substance addiction in general, and for behavioral addictions in particular, that is defined by low self-esteem, difficulty with conflict, impulsivity and sensation seeking, intolerance of pain and sadness, and/or a tendency toward depressive or dysphoric states ( 33 ). This could explain the frequent coexistence of problematic cell-phone behavior and problematic traits or psychiatric comorbidities, as seen below.

Sizeable prevalence data (see Table 2 ) have been generated in response to specific addiction criteria, dependence, problematic use, excessive use, and risky behavior. Within each criterion, broad percentage ranges are supported by various methodologies, instruments, and samples, making comparisons difficult.

Table 2. Prevalence data .

It is known that self-reported questionnaires differ in self-implication and sincerity depending on whether they are administered in person or by correspondence. In fact, certain behaviors tend to be minimized in self-reports ( 105 ). Taking into account that several studies on cell-phone addiction have used the self-attribution or self-perception of the interviewee ( 89 ), Beranuy Fargues et al. ( 68 ) observed that in this sense, 22.1% of adolescents and 27.9% of young people were considered to be cell-phone addicts, although only 5.35% and 5.26% of them exhibited dangerous or harmful behaviors. Billieux et al. ( 45 ) also found that certain dimensions of impulsivity, such as impatience, low perseverance, and length of cell-phone possession, were predictors of greater self-attribution of addiction.

Therefore, self-attribution results in high prevalence data and leads to a greater subjective sensation of addiction, which is decreased when using objective or validated criteria beyond subjective self-perception ( 50 ).

The prevalence samples are generally based on young students and adolescents, which means that prevalence essentially refers to this population without the consistent availability of exact ages. Although we know that cell-phone abuse can be truly problematic in young students and adolescents, we lack a broader understanding of the problem with respect to the general population. It is important to evaluate the differences between the adolescent and adult populations and observe the effects of cell-phone use on each of them ( 106 ). In addition, relevant inter-geographical and intercultural differences have not been sufficiently studied to date, although some studies have noted a greater prevalence in Middle East (Iran) and East Asian populations, specifically in Korea where university students showed a greater level of dependence (11.15%) than the Americans (6.36%) ( 85 ).

Methodological Problems with the Study of Cell-Phone Addiction

Methodology and evaluation instruments (see Table 3 ) are determined by their base criteria of origin. Essentially, there is one line of inquiry that considers addiction to be an extensive concept, not limited to substances, that has a foundation in its neurobiologic basis ( 1 , 107 , 108 ). This concept has been used in the criteria of pathological gambling ( 26 , 57 , 72 , 75 ) and substance addiction [Yen et al. ( 90 ), Chóliz and Villanueva ( 66 ), Chóliz and Villanueva ( 61 ), Chóliz ( 54 ), Labrador Encinas and Villadangos González ( 49 ), Merlo et al. ( 98 ), Kwon et al. ( 60 ), Roberts et al. ( 27 ), and among others]. Some authors have based their research on the criteria of Internet addiction or general behavioral addiction, which had a clear support on the criteria established from substance abuse research ( 34 , 80 , 85 , 88 , 91 , 95 , 96 , 102 ).

Table 3. Instruments and methodologies .

Another line of research accepts the concept of cell-phone addiction, broadening the possibilities and defining the behavior, together with the term “addiction” related to compulsive behavior ( 109 ), dependent behavior ( 34 , 45 , 67 , 85 , 87 ), and problematic, excessive, or pathological use ( 62 , 80 , 88 ), which leads to evaluation instruments with relatively broad behavioral ranges. This research line is characterized by an emphasis on the coexistence of lack of impulse control and addiction. From this perspective, lack of control is the result of, or coexists with, other pathologies in which impulsivity plays a relevant role ( 110 , 111 ). Therefore, the fact that cell-phone use is reinforcing could lead to problematic behaviors without necessarily needing to label them as addictions ( 2 , 3 , 69 ).

Methodologically, the majority of these studies are cross-sectional and based on questionnaires using students and samples of convenience that typically contain only one sample point, although several recent studies have been based on longitudinal telematic registries. Currently, the following lines of inquiry are most salient:

– Research using questionnaires based on self-described addiction [Beranuy Fargues et al. ( 68 ); Chen ( 112 ); Perry and Lee ( 70 ); Halayem et al. ( 77 ); Hashem ( 113 ), among others] – the concept of addictionis presupposed from the start, and a personal self-evaluation is requested from the interviewee. They generally produce high prevalence data, as mentioned earlier.

– Research using questionnaires about problematic behaviors, classifying users as a function of their use ( 2 , 45 , 62 , 69 , 90 ) without necessarily addressing the concept of addiction – addiction in this case is validated by external criteria, such as the DSM-IV-TR or DSM-5, taking dangerous, problematic, or dependent use as behaviors into account [Hooper and Zhou ( 34 ), Leung ( 57 ), Leung ( 72 ), Igarashi et al. ( 89 ), Chóliz and Villanueva ( 66 ), Chóliz and Villanueva ( 61 ), Chóliz ( 54 ), Koo ( 73 ), Walsh et al. ( 91 ), Martinotti et al. ( 80 ), Pawlowska and Potembska ( 26 ), Merlo et al. ( 98 ), Kwon et al. ( 60 ), and among others].

– Longitudinal studies with behavior-registering devices using software installed on the cell phones of the participants where the specific use of each participant was registered continuously – this is the most recent methodology, and relatively small samples are used to register content, usage time, and frequency of consultation. One such study showed that the total perceived usage time reported on the questionnaires was higher than the actual registered data ( 3 , 23 , 114 , 115 ), meaning that the self-perception of the time dedicated to the content reported in the questionnaires was less than the actual time registered by the application, indicating a clear underestimation of usage ( 115 ).

– Qualitative studies that seek the direct experience of the users ( 109 , 116 , 117 ) – these are based on personal and group interviews, offering direct information that is very useful for the design of quantitative research instruments, as well as for the evaluation and analysis of the results obtained.

In general, these instruments and studies have evolved from the study of global cell-phone use behavior toward specific behaviors, such as using smartphones ( 60 , 102 ), mobile Internet ( 85 ), social networks in general ( 27 , 118 , 119 ), Facebook in particular ( 27 , 95 ), text messages ( 88 , 89 ), and WhatsApp ( 63 ) or the consequences of such behaviors, i.e., nomophobia ( 99 ). Therefore, in addition to the study of the behavior associated with the device itself, relevance is given to its use and differentiation via specific activities, applications, and consequences. In this sense, Lin et al. ( 102 ) suggest that the smartphone may have given rise to a new type of addictive behavior defined as a multidimensional construct, as well as for the Internet addiction.

Sociodemographic Differences

There is great diversity in the data and studies on problematic cell-phone use, although the majority of them essentially analyze age and sex differences, with the evaluation of educational level and economic status being more or less conclusive. Although the studies we reviewed had very diverse geographical origins, an analysis of cultural geographical diversity is lacking in the literature.

Differences by Age

The youngest group, particularly adolescents, is the most highly affected by and at risk for both substance and behavioral addiction ( 120 ), which has led the majority of studies to address these age groups.

In general, the data show that the total time spent on cell phones decreases with age, with the highest times reported for people less than 20 years old, principally adolescents, approximately 14 years old ( 50 , 61 , 75 , 78 , 82 , 83 , 121 ). This fact is related to the decreased self-control found in this age group ( 2 ). Specifically, the most frequent use of their time is spent on text messaging ( 22 , 58 , 79 ), with other forms of contact increasing over time ( 122 ).

Cell-phone use in adolescents is so important that some adolescents never turn off their cell phones at night, fostering vigilance behavior that makes rest difficult ( 59 ). Specifically, 27% of young people between 11 and 14 years of age admit that they never turn off their cell phones, a behavior that increases with age such that between 13–14 years old, one out of every three young people never turns off his/her device ( 40 ).

The age of possession of one’s first cell phone is also relevant: the younger age at which this occurs, the greater the probability of problematic use in the future. In particular, Sahin et al. ( 56 ) found that the greatest indices of problematic use or addiction are found when one’s first phone is obtained at an age younger than 13 years.

Differences by Gender

Virtually all the studies indicate that females have higher levels of dependence and problematic use than males ( 69 , 74 , 75 , 81 ). Female cell-phone use is typically related to sociability ( 2 ), interpersonal relationships and the creation, and maintenance of contacts and indirect communication, and texting and instant messaging are their most frequently used applications ( 67 , 122 ). In addition, a cell phone can be used to avoid unpleasant moods ( 59 , 61 ), which leads to impatient and uneasy behavior associated with conscious self-control and spending difficulties ( 49 , 78 ).

For males, cell-phone use is simultaneously based on text messages, voice conversations ( 45 , 123 ), and gaming applications ( 24 , 124 ), and they show a higher tendency than females to use their cell phone in risky situations ( 45 ). A study carried out by Roberts et al. ( 27 ) found that the most problematic applications are voice calls, text messages, and social networks. The differences between males and females are based on usage time rather than utilization. Females spend more time than males on each of these applications, which leads to behavior oriented toward intense and close social relationships, whereas males use their time in a more practical and instrumental way.

For females, therefore, the cell phone is a means of social contact, in which messaging and social networks play a relevant role, while for males, a more diversified type of usage is observed. This differs from Internet use, which shows the inverse profile: problematic behavior is observed more frequently in males ( 125 ). Cell-phone abuse thus responds to a pattern of greater lack of impulse control ( 126 ); similarly, being female could be a protective factor for problematic Internet use ( 78 ).

Education, Cultural Level, and Economic Status Differences

Despite the lack of evidence of educational and economic level differences in usage ( 127 ), Mazaheri and Najarkolaei ( 83 ) found that students from families with higher cultural and economic levels have higher levels of dependence, a fact they relate to the isolation and loneliness felt when studying far from home; here, the cell phone is a tool for contact. In the same sense, Tavakolizadeh et al. ( 84 ) confirmed a direct relationship between education level and problematic use, which they attributed to the time spent away from home and the isolation caused by extended periods of study. Sanchez Martinez and Otero ( 74 ) confirmed a relationship between students and problematic cell-phone use, negative family relationships, and parents with a high level of education without economic difficulties. They explain that this relationship is due to the need to maintain compensatory social relationships.

Sahin et al. ( 56 ), on the contrary, found that the level of cell-phone addiction is greater in students from families with lower versus higher incomes. Lopez-Fernandez et al. ( 81 ) also observed a significant relationship between student cell-phone use and their parents’ level of education. The higher the level of education of the father or mother was, the less problematic the cell-phone use; if the parents had university degrees, the exclusive technological entertainment of their children decreased. In the same direction, Leung ( 57 ) found a relationship between low socioeconomic and educational levels and problematic cell-phone use.

In terms of family education, Zhou et al. ( 100 ) also observed a significant relationship between parents’ abuse of and dependence on cell phones and children’s addiction to the Internet and other technologies, which they interpreted as the result of affective abandonment.

Geographical and Cultural Differences

It is logical to assume that geographical and cultural differences exist regarding problematic cell-phone use; however, scarce conclusive geographical data are available on the topic. It appears that greater cell-phone dependence exists in East Asian countries, such as Korea, which can be explained by their sizeable cell-phone offerings and high technological penetration among the youngest strata. Shin ( 85 ) carried out a comparative study evaluating the degree of mobile Internet dependence of university students in the United States and Korea. Their data confirmed that the Koreans showed a greater level of dependence (11.15%) than the Americans (6.36%).

Personality and Psychological Variables

Essentially, problematic cell-phone studies aim to detect the variables or personality traits that coexist with problematic or addictive behavior. In this sense, one can also talk about vulnerability, insofar as some of these traits can be precursors to or predictors of addiction to either drugs or certain behaviors ( 33 ).Specifically, they have focused on the five-factor model (FFM) of personality as well as on self-esteem, self-concept, self-identity, and impulsivity.

Five-Factor Model

The “Big Five PersonalityTraits,” also known as the FFM, has been used in research on both cell phone and substance addiction ( 128 ).The FFM establishes five dimensions of personality (extraversion, openness to experience or change, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism or emotional instability).

Takao ( 129 ), using the NEO five-factor inventory ( 130 ), observed that being female, extrovert, neurotic, and low opened to experience predict 13.5% of cases of problematic cell-phone use. Neuroticism is related to low self-esteem and the need for social approval, while low openness to experience implies a tendency to avoid disagreeable emotional states.

Kuss and Griffiths ( 118 ) found that extraverts use social networks to make and improve contacts, whereas introverts use them to compensate for their difficulties in relating to people. Both extraverts and introverts are potential addicts, particularly extraverts with low scores in conscientiousness and introverts with high scores in neuroticism and narcissism. Giota and Kleftaras ( 119 ) observed that the problematic use of social networks is related to neuroticism and agreeableness as well as to depression, particularly in females.

Lane and Manner ( 22 ) confirmed that extraversion is a potent predictor of smartphone possession, with text messages and instant messaging being the most frequently used applications. At the same time, a high agreeableness score predicts higher phone calling than texting, which suggests that social contact is supported by direct communication.

Similarly, Bianchi and Phillips ( 2 ) studied problematic cell-phone use as a function of age, extraversion, and low self-esteem. Specifically, extraversion was associated with the need for more frequent self-stimulation via texts than direct contact. In their study, neuroticism was not a predictive variable; however, they observed that low self-esteem predicted problematic use insofar as it determined an indirect messaging style of communication. Notably, self-esteem can change according to context and time and can be considered to be a state ( 131 ) that is amenable to contextual cell-phone use ( 127 ). This suggests that problematic cell-phone use related to low self-esteem might be situational in nature.

Igarashi et al. ( 89 ) studied the problematic use of text messages vis-à-vis direct personal relationships. They found that dependence and excessive use are explained, on the one hand, by extraversion, which reflects the need and desire to maintain communication with others and establish new relationships, while on the other hand, text messaging to address a need for security and compensate for the fear of social loss can be explained by neuroticism.

Andreassen et al. ( 95 ) focused their study on Facebook to develop the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS). They found that the BFAS is positively correlated not only with the Addictive Tendencies Scale ( 132 ) but also with neuroticism and extraversion and is negatively correlated with conscientiousness. Two perspectives can be appreciated here: extraversion maintains a direct relationship with problematic cell-phone use, whereas this relationship is inverse with respect to the Internet ( 133 ). Thus, Facebook can be addictive, and the extraversion profile can be either direct or inverse, depending on whether Facebook is used via a cell phone or computer.

In general, the abuse of sending text messages is associated with a strong tendency for extraversion and low self-esteem. In social networks, in addition to extraversion, neuroticism is a likely factor because individuals with high levels of anxiety and insecurity can use social networks for support and security ( 134 ). Comparatively, the use of social media on a computer reflects a tendency for evasion, social phobia, shyness, introversion, neuroticism, low levels of self-esteem, and self-sufficiency, in addition to sensation seeking ( 135 ).

Impulsivity and Sensation Seeking

Impulsivity is another traditionally considered predictive dimension of cell-phone abuse, and we have previously analyzed its role as a precursor or vulnerability factor for behavioral addictions ( 136 , 137 ). In particular, Billieux et al. ( 45 ) analyzed the role of impulsivity according to the four components of the UPPS [Urgency, (lack of) Premeditation, (lack of) Perseverance and Sensation seeking] reference scale ( 138 ). They found that urgency, lack of premeditation, and lack of perseverance are inversely related to self-control. However, urgency, defined as the tendency to experience strong impulses that cannot be postponed as a result of negative affective states, is the component that best predicts problematic cell-phone use. Thus, a high urgency score relates to an increased number of calls, duration, and number of text messages sent. Urgency is similarly related to inadequate strategies for emotional self-regulation, such as ruminating thoughts that provoke and maintain negative affective states. Problematic cell-phone use in this case reflects an attempt to control these negative emotional states. On the other hand, lack of perseverance can be reflected in the number and duration of cell-phone calls as well as in associated economic problems, while lack of premeditation entails its use in dangerous or prohibited situations, which is related to sensation seeking ( 127 ).

Sensation seeking is a personality trait that entails the dimensions of thrill and adventure seeking, lack of inhibition, experience seeking, and sensitivity to boredom ( 139 , 140 ). It is characterized by the need for new experiences that are uncommon, varied, and intense, with accompanying physical, social, legal, and/or financial risks, and frequently coexists with impulsivity in addictive behavior ( 141 ). Previous studies have found a relationship between leisure boredom and self-esteem; Leung ( 57 , 72 ) confirmed that boredom, measured by the Leisure Boredom Scale ( 142 ), sensation seeking, using the Adventure subscale ( 143 ), and self-esteem through the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale ( 144 ) are significant predictors of problematic cell-phone use.

Self-esteem, Self-identity, Self-control, and Social Environment

Concepts such as self-esteem, self-control or social self-vigilance, and dependence on the environment are found in the majority of studies on problematic cell-phone use. Takao et al. ( 145 ) observed that problematic cell-phone use is a function of the need for social approval and self-control but is unrelated to loneliness. The latter, on the contrary, is related to Internet abuse ( 146 ). Given that loneliness coexists with introversion, it can be concluded that differentially, these variables are predictors of Internet addiction but not necessarily cell-phone addiction. Nevertheless, Bhardwaj and Ashok ( 147 ) found a correlation between cell-phone addiction and loneliness. The need for social approval, expressed in the time dedicated to writing and reading messages, has also been associated with low self-esteem ( 148 ).

Park et al. ( 149 ) found that imitation of others, low self-esteem, and social anxiety contributed to cell-phone abuse. However, as in other studies, it is not necessarily voice conversations but rather the number of text messages that is frequently the result of problematic use.

Walsh et al. ( 91 ) differentiated the frequency of cell-phone use from personal implication or dependence as measured by the Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ). They considered that self-identity, or the perceived value of the cell phone for self-concept and others’ approval, would be a predictor of frequency of use, while self-identity and others’ approval would determine dependence or implication. That is, they considered cell-phone dependence to be related to dependence on the social environment. Later, Walsh et al. ( 93 ) found that self-identity at an early age predicts frequency of use, while dependence or personal implication with the cell phone maintains important relationships with being female, youth, self-identity, and group norms.

Similarly, self-esteem is a commonly examined trait in problematic cell-phone use studies. Cell-phone abuse and addiction has even been explained using Attachment Theory ( 150 ), which establishes that new-borns, from birth, must develop a close relationship with at least one principal caretaker in synchrony with their needs and emotional states for healthy social and emotional development. There is evidence that insecure attachment styles are associated with low self-esteem ( 151 , 152 ) and, therefore, potential predictors of problematic cell-phone use ( 127 ).

Finally, Billieux ( 127 ) summarized the current open lines of inquiry, indicating four groups in the problematic cell-phone use research: (a) impulsivity, from its limited capacity for self-control and emotional regulation, (b) relationship maintenance, which portrays cell-phone abuse as a means to obtain security in affective relationships and is characterized by low self-esteem and high levels of neuroticism, (c) extraversion, which associates excessive use with sociability and the intense desire to maintain relationships, and (d) Cyberaddiction in consonance with smartphone technology, which allows access to diverse utilities and applications online. The latter explains abusive use as a result of this technological environment’s attraction. From this viewpoint, addiction could lead to other harmful behaviors, such as Internet or videogame abuse.

Psychological Problems and Psychiatric Comorbidities

With respect to the psychological problems derived from cell-phone abuse, the research focuses on sleep interference and its coexistence with using substances such as alcohol and tobacco and with symptomatology and psychiatric comorbidities, particularly anxiety, stress, and depression.

Interference with Sleep

The sleep interference problem has essentially been observed in adolescence, where in cell-phone abuse can interfere with healthy activities and habits, specifically affecting sleep time and quality. In particular, Sahin et al. ( 56 ) observed that the higher students’ points are for problematic use on the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS) ( 2 ), the greater the deterioration in their sleep quality, measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality scale ( 153 ).

Along the same lines, Jenaro et al. ( 69 ) found that student cell-phone abuse is associated with anxiety and insomnia, particularly in females. Thomée et al. ( 154 , 155 ) also observed a relationship between the number of calls and messages and sleep difficulties as well as with the tendency to use the phone during the night ( 59 ). Similarly, personal stress is thought to be derived from cell-phone abuse insofar as it maintains a state of alertness and interferes with sleep ( 55 ).

With respect to social networks, high marks on the BFAS ( 95 ) are related to the duration and interruption of sleep during the week, confirming that excessive Facebook use interferes with sleep, decreasing the number of hours slept, and increasing interruptions.

Substance Use

Substance use in relation to cell phones is often encapsulated within broader research that considers the user’s inability to maintain healthy lifestyle habits, together with symptomatology and psychiatric comorbidities.

In effect, personality problems and psychiatric symptoms coexist with substance and behavioral abuse. If we include the psychological and neurobiological bases of addictions, be they related to substances or behaviors ( 1 , 2 , 107 , 108 , 148 , 156 , 157 ), it is natural to observe the coexistence of both, as found in research on the Internet ( 125 ). In particular, Lee et al. ( 158 ) demonstrated the existence of a neurobiological pattern of common EEG registers for Internet use and depression.

In a study with students, Sanchez Martinez and Otero ( 74 ) found a significant relationship between cell-phone abuse, school failure, depressive symptomatology, smoking and consuming cannabis, and other drugs. Similarly, Toda et al. ( 67 ) also observed a relationship between cell-phone use and smoking, solely in males, without alcohol consumption, likely due to its lower penetration in their Japanese sample. Social networks have also been shown to coexist with substance use ( 118 ).

Therefore, there is a coexistence relationship between substance use and behavioral addiction. In fact, neuroticism predicts the consumption of tobacco, cocaine, and heroin and openness to experience predicts the consumption of marijuana; all of these impulsive behaviors attempt to control internal dysphoric states ( 128 ) in a context very similar to cell-phone abuse. However, these types of studies tend to be found within broader research, and there have been few studies specifically focused on the coexistence of problematic cell-phone use and substance use.

Associated Personality and Psychiatric Problems

Research into psychiatric problems and symptoms is more abundant for the Internet than for cell phones. In the latter, anxiety, depression, and stress are observed, as well as problems with sleep and loneliness. The vast majority of studies have been carried out using students and with diagnostic evaluations that are not always supported by validated or regulated diagnostic instruments.

Augner and Hacker ( 159 ) discovered significant relationships between cell-phone abuse, chronic stress, emotional stability, and depression in young women. Tavakolizadeh et al. ( 84 ) also observed a coexistence relationship between one’s mental health state – the tendency toward somatization, anxiety, and depression – and excessive cell-phone use.

As previously noted, there are differences between the psychopathological manifestations of problematic cell phone and Internet use, with Internet use demonstrating a majority profile of introversion and loneliness ( 24 ). Depression appears to be more consubstantial with Internet use, while anxiety seems to be more consubstantial with problematic cell-phone use, specifically via text messaging ( 79 ). This indicates that the Internet responds to different psychological behavioral patterns than cell phones.

Social network psychopathological variables tend to be similarly related to the context of the Internet, where problematic use is related to depression and neuroticism, particularly in females ( 119 ). The potential differential profile of comorbidities associated with problematic cell-phone use related to applications, such as social networks and instant messaging, needs a thorough revision.

An inverse relationship is apparent between mental health and problematic cell-phone use. In particular, students with lower levels of mental health and psychological stability are more susceptible to developing addictive tendencies to cell phones. These students search for a reduction of tension and dysphoria through social contact, although the existence of manifestations of addiction among healthy students is not excluded with regard to specific or contextual needs ( 160 ). Hooper and Zhou ( 34 ) indicate, on the contrary, that stress in students with addiction could be the result of problems derived from problematic cell-phone use. Chen ( 161 ) also observed a relationship between depression and cell-phone addiction, a coexistence that Young and Rodgers ( 162 ) had previously demonstrated, nevertheless indicating that depressive symptoms are associated with many manifestations of alcohol and drug addiction. Therefore, it is unsurprising to find this relationship with respect to the Internet, although it is unknown whether depression points to a vulnerability or consequence.

We have reviewed problematic cell-phone use with criteria similar to those established for substance addiction or pathological gambling. While we have clearly shown that problematic cell-phone use is an emerging problem that is tightly linked to technological development, there is a lack of coherence and uniformity in the criteria for studying it that requires caution in accepting many of the conclusions indicated.

Undoubtedly, the greatest roadblock to research in cell-phone abuse is the diversity of terms, criteria, and constructs available in the field. Some researchers are convinced that we are facing an addiction unlike any other. In addition, a prudent attitude exists toward the classification of addiction. However, there is an almost indistinguishable or scantly differentiated use of the terms addiction, problematic use, and abuse in the literature. This only adds to the confusion and explains the great diversity of prevalence data in the field and lack of comparability; above all, this diversity of perspectives and lack of conceptual definition has led to studies with very diverse methodologies using samples of convenience, typically consisting of students of very limited size and number of sample points.

In effect, whether or not it is an addiction, cell phones give rise to problems that increasingly affect daily life, for the most part without the risk of uncontrolled spending with the establishment of flat rates or free Wi-Fi access and unlimited use. If we observe the equivalence of its symptoms with the criteria for substance addiction or pathological gambling, a great parallelism is confirmed, corroborated by its coexistence with substance use. We consider that, in effect, we are facing an addiction that is surely not as widespread as some researchers posit. There is a need for a useful conceptualization of the term and a limitation of the boundaries between abuse and addiction and the weight of psychiatric comorbidities, where it is difficult to determine whether problematic use coexists with or is a consequence of them, which becomes more complicated in combined behavioral and substance use addictions.

On the other hand, the majority of the studies have focused on the adolescent and student populations, a period of life where impulsivity and sensation seeking play an important role. Thus, we consider that the concept of cell-phone addiction cannot be extended to the population as a whole until additional data and studies on the adult population are available.

Within the diversity of methodologies, self-reporting is the most frequently used instrument, with all the problems and advantages it entails with respect to the different forms of administration used (mail, email, or phone surveys applied in classes, establishments, street cafés, or university campuses). We know that the context of the application influences a study’s results. Thus, it makes sense to use broad, randomized samples with a controlled context of administration to enable efforts to validate and control the reliability of the questionnaires. Longitudinal studies are novel and are typically completed with cross-sectional questionnaires, but they still suffer from insufficient sample size.

Regarding user profiles, cell-phone use is clearly not an extension of computer use; they are two behaviors with different motivations and user profiles. In both cases, greater impact is found in the young and adolescent population; in the case of the Internet, the users have a wider age range and tend to be more masculine, with a greater presence of introversion and social isolation. Cell-phone abuse, on the contrary, presents a younger, more feminine profile with greater extraversion focused on instant messaging and social networks. Both Internet and cell-phone abuse are associated with problems of self-esteem, self-concept, and neuroticism.

Additional clear identifiers with regards to the problematic cell user profile are lacking. We have previously seen that the data on the socioeconomic levels of the parents and users are not yet consistent. Important cultural and geographic differences are suspected; however, rather than becoming objects of study, these differences have supposed biases that hinder comparability.

With respect to the psychological and psychiatric problems associated with problematic cell-phone use, there is an inverse relationship between mental health, healthy habits, and cell-phone addiction. Comorbidities reported include sleep affectations, anxiety, stress (and depression, to a lesser extent), and consumption of substances, such as alcohol or tobacco, particularly in adolescents. In addition, coexistence with certain psychiatric pathologies, in which lack of impulse control is shared, is also evident.

In summary, there is still much work to be done in this field in light of the limitation of its concepts, criteria, and methodologies. It is highly probable that we may regard the cell phone as an object of easy addiction for vulnerable, addictive, or problematic personalities while allowing for problematic and compulsory use in specific situations and contexts. In addition, it is necessary to broaden the range of analysis in this field to the adult population, with the aim of obtaining a global consideration of the use and abuse of the cell phone. Although the cell phone certainly entails risks for young people and adolescents, problematic consumption indubitably exists in adults as well.

Author Contributions

Dr. Gabriel Rubio and Dr. Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca designed the strategy for the present review and selected the topics to be discussed. Prof. José de Sola Gutiérrez searched for the references, read the manuscripts, and wrote the first outline of the review. The three authors reviewed the manuscript and helped with the final writing. Dr. Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca obtained the financial support.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

This work was financed by the Network of Addictive Disorders (Red de Trastornos Adictivos), the Carlos III Health Institute (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) and EU-ERDF (Sub-programme RETICS RD12/0028/0001).

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Keywords: addiction, behavioral addiction, cell-phone addiction, dependence, internet addiction

Citation: De-Sola Gutiérrez J, Rodríguez de Fonseca F and Rubio G (2016) Cell-Phone Addiction: A Review. Front. Psychiatry 7:175. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00175

Received: 27 June 2016; Accepted: 06 October 2016; Published: 24 October 2016

Reviewed by:

Copyright: © 2016 De-Sola Gutiérrez, Rodríguez de Fonseca and Rubio. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: José De-Sola Gutiérrez, jsola@ccee.ucm.es ; Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca, fernando.rodriguez@ibima.eu ; Gabriel Rubio, gabrielrubio@med.ucm.es

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Cell Phone Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, And Treatment

What Is Cell Phone Addiction?

Is cell phone addiction real.

• Signs Of Smartphone Addiction

Cell Phone Addiction And Mental Health

Cell phone addiction and substance abuse.

• Cell Phone Addiction Vs. Drug Addiction
• Risk Factors
• Recommended Treatment Options
• Find Treatment For Cell Phone Addiction

Cell phone addiction is a nonmedical term used to describe a pattern of excessive phone use that can result in significant impairment or distress. People with this issue may also struggle with other types of addictions, such as drug or alcohol addiction.

According to Pew Research Center, 97 percent of Americans own a cell phone. Mobile phones, particularly smartphones, have become for many an essential tool for daily life.

Unfortunately, for some people, cell phone use can become a compulsive habit that can lead to excessive use, negative health consequences, and interference with general way of life.

Find out more about the causes and treatment options for behavioral addictions

Cell phone addiction, also known as smartphone addiction, is a nonclinical term used to describe problematic phone use, or excessive phone use that interferes with health or daily life.

According to some research, an estimated 10 to 20 percent of people report feeling addicted to their phones, and experiencing distress or impairment as a result.

Terms related to cell phone addiction include:

• compulsive phone use: when a person feels compelled to use their cell phone in excess
• nomophobia: fear of going without your phone
• textaphrenia: fear of being unable to receive or send texts

The existence of cell phone addiction is a topic that has been hotly debated by mental health and addiction experts.

Cell phone addiction is not currently recognized as a type of disorder or addiction. However, there are reports of compulsive cell phone use, particularly with smartphones.

Cell phone addiction is a colloquial term used to describe problematic phone use, compulsive phone use, or a type of technological addiction.

Signs And Symptoms Of Smartphone Addiction

Being addicted to a cell phone is not the same as using it very often.

People who have an addiction—such as addiction to alcohol or drugs—experience significant distress as a result of their behavior, and generally feel unable to control or limit it.

You might have a cell phone problem if you:

• spend the majority of time on your phone (outside of work or academic use)
• experience significant distress or impairment as a result of your phone use
• have unsuccessfully tried to limit phone use
• neglect friends, family, and other relationships due to phone use
• frequently feel your phone alerting you when it’s not (i.e. phantom vibrations)
• continue to use your phone in excess despite negative effects on health, work, academic performance, or relationships
• feel unable to reduce or control phone use

Get Started On The Road To Recovery.

Get Confidential Help 24/7. Call Today!

Research shows that problematic phone use can often co-occur with various mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and stress.

People who have underlying mental health issues may use their smartphone as a sort of coping tool, to numb, escape, or manage mental health symptoms.

This is common with substance addictions and behavioral addictions. With co-occurring mental health concerns, it may be helpful to seek mental health counseling or psychiatric services.

Substance abuse, formally diagnosed as substance use disorders, affects more than 20 million Americans.

It’s not uncommon for people with a drug or drinking problem to also have a behavioral addiction, including an addiction to gambling, the internet, or technologies like smartphones.

Is Cell Phone Addiction Like Drug Addiction?

Behavioral addictions, also known as process addictions, are often influenced by biological, environmental, and interpersonal vulnerabilities—similar to drug and alcohol addiction.

Substances like drugs or alcohol can affect the brain in ways that can reinforce repetitive substance use, even to the detriment of a person’s health, relationships, and way of life.

Some research shows that cell phones may affect the brain in similar ways, by boosting “feel good” hormones like dopamine.

Unlike drug addiction, excessive phone use is unlikely to cause physical dependence or withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, vomiting, or heart complications with stopped use.

Risk Factors For Cell Phone Addiction

Research has found that some people, particularly teens and young adults, may be at a higher risk of developing a cell phone addiction than others.

Cell phone addiction is more common in people with:

• low self-esteem
• high impulsivity
• extraversion

Effects Of Cell Phone Addiction

Becoming addicted to an object or behavior can have harmful consequences. If a person is experiencing consequences related to their phone use, this can be a sign of a problem.

Consequences of smartphone addiction might include:

• social withdrawal
• difficulty sleeping
• family conflict (especially with teens)
• relationship troubles
• financial problems
• reduced work or academic performance
• motor vehicle accidents

Behavioral addictions are often progressive. This means that the consequences of a problematic behavior—such as excessive phone use—may get worse over time.

Excessive phone use may disrupt someone’s social life, their relationships with loved ones, mental health, and potentially cause signs of physical distress, such as headaches or stomach pain—both common signs of stress and anxiety.

Recommended Treatment Options For Cell Phone Addiction

Using a cell phone excessively or compulsively can become a way to escape reality, fill a void, or manage stress or anxiety.

Using a smartphone in this way may indicate an underlying mental health concern, and can be a risk factor for turning to drugs or alcohol to cope.

For these concerns, a doctor may recommend behavioral therapy, mental health counseling, or family therapy for teens and young adults. Self-help groups may also be beneficial.

Dual Diagnosis Rehab For Cell Phone Addiction And Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is a serious health problem that may require additional treatment. When substance abuse co-occurs with another addiction, this may be referred to as a dual diagnosis.

Dual diagnosis is also a term used to describe a type of treatment for people who have two or more mental health and substance use disorders.

Dual diagnosis treatment may involve:

• detoxification
• inpatient rehabilitation
• behavioral therapy
• motivational interviewing
• dual diagnosis group therapy
• mindfulness techniques

Dual diagnosis treatment is the most effective way to treat co-occurring mental health and substance use issues. This can help a person heal physically, mentally, and psychologically.

Find Treatment For Cell Phone Addiction Today

If you’re concerned about a loved one’s cell phone or substance use, we may be able to help.

Call our helpline today to learn more about treatment for cell phone addiction and how to find a dual diagnosis program for substance abuse and cell phone addiction.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff

Addiction Resource aims to provide only the most current, accurate information in regards to addiction and addiction treatment, which means we only reference the most credible sources available.

These include peer-reviewed journals, government entities and academic institutions, and leaders in addiction healthcare and advocacy. Learn more about how we safeguard our content by viewing our editorial policy.

• American Psychological Association—Cell-phone addiction: A review https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-59781-001
• Pew Research Center—Demographics of Mobile Device Ownership and Adoption in the United States https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/
• U.S. National Library of Medicine—Cell phone addiction and psychological and physiological health in adolescents https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6449671/
• U.S. National Library of Medicine—Is smartphone addiction really an addiction? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6174603/
• U.S. National Library of Medicine—NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PHoBIA https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6510111/
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Essay Example on Cell Phone Addiction

Cell phones have taken the world by storm. It began with the first iPhone, in 2007 with a small 3 1/2 inch screen and only 16GB of storage. Released by Apple, this phone became the foundation for the modern smartphone that has greatly impacted how the world works. Thanks to the rapid advancements in this technology, people are now more connected than ever, but with this comes negative drawbacks. One of these drawbacks is cell phone addiction. Cell phone addiction is a major problem that mostly affects the younger generation, specifically teens, and can lead to both psychological and physical issues. This can greatly affect the future of not only the teens but the world as a whole.

Why are teens so addicted to their phones? Teens get addicted to cell phones partly because of their intrinsic value, but also it’s availability. In 2016, there was an estimated amount of 3.668 billion cell phone users in the world. This number has almost doubled within the last 5 years with 6.378 billion cell phone users as of right now, meaning that cell phones fill the pockets of 80% of the world’s population. Cell phones not only are everywhere, but they are a way for teens to get away from all of the stressors in their lives. Whether it be an upcoming presentation, or just meeting someone new, it provides an outlet for all of the pent-up stress and anger that teens tend to build up. This is a good thing for teens until they start to overuse this outlet. Teens use their phones to go on apps to do things like watch videos, playing video games, and go on social media. Every one of these is designed to keep giving constant rushes of dopamine, a hormone that regulates a person’s pleasure and desire. This causes the person to get distracted and spend more and more time on that app. Teens are the most affected by this because, in high school, stress becomes an everyday thing, almost everyone has a phone, and in order to communicate effectively for school, many use social media.

As technology, social media, and other variables advance, teens will only get more addicted to cell phones and their effects, more damaging. These effects can be split into 2 parts, psychological effects, and physical effects. To start off, some of the psychological effects of obsessive cell phone use are nomophobia, depression, anxiety, stress, and attention disorders. Nomophobia is the fear of not having a cell phone and it causes unnecessary stress and anxiety when a phone isn’t present. Depression is another effect, and it really targets teens because, in high school, everyone is comparing themselves to one another, trying to stand out so colleges would want them. As teens look at social media, all people see is how others are succeeding while they might not be. This causes depression and the teen, may start to think bad of themselves. Along with this, the constant buzzing, pings, and beeps can cause attention disorders, causing the teens to be unable to focus. Cell phone addiction also affects teens’ physical health. Looking at a screen before going to sleep, makes it harder for the brain to rest, due to the blue light coming off of the devices. In all, for teens, having depression, along with stress, anxiety, lack of rest, and no focus, really can affect their potential and hurt their future.

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Essay on Mobile Phone Addiction

Students are often asked to write an essay on Mobile Phone Addiction in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Mobile Phone Addiction

Introduction.

Mobile phones, once a luxury, are now a necessity. They are fantastic tools for communication, learning, and entertainment. However, excessive use can lead to addiction.

Understanding Mobile Phone Addiction

Mobile phone addiction is a dependence on your phone. It’s when you can’t stop checking it, even when it disrupts your life.

Effects of Addiction

This addiction can affect your mental health, leading to anxiety and depression. It can also impact your physical health, causing poor posture and eye strain.

It’s essential to balance phone use with other activities. This way, you can enjoy the benefits without the addiction.

250 Words Essay on Mobile Phone Addiction

Mobile phone addiction, a contemporary issue, is becoming increasingly prevalent, especially among college students. The phenomenon, a manifestation of behavioral addiction, is characterized by excessive or compulsive use of mobile phones, interfering with daily activities.

The Psychology Behind the Addiction

The addiction stems from various psychological factors. Firstly, the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) drives the urge to stay constantly connected. Secondly, the dopamine-induced pleasure from receiving notifications or likes contributes to the addictive behavior.

Impacts of Mobile Phone Addiction

Mobile phone addiction can lead to serious consequences. It negatively affects mental health, causing anxiety and depression. It also leads to physical health issues like poor posture and eye strain. Furthermore, it can hamper academic performance and social relationships.

Addressing the Issue

Addressing this issue requires a multi-faceted approach. Self-regulation, digital detox, and mindfulness can help manage the addiction. Additionally, educational institutions can play a crucial role by promoting digital literacy and healthy technology use.

While mobile phones have become an indispensable part of our lives, it is essential to maintain a balance. Recognizing and addressing mobile phone addiction is crucial to ensure our well-being and productivity. It is not about completely eliminating the use of mobile phones, but about using them responsibly and mindfully.

500 Words Essay on Mobile Phone Addiction

The advent of mobile phones has undeniably brought about significant convenience and connectivity in our lives. However, the ubiquity of these devices has given rise to a contemporary issue – mobile phone addiction. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent among the younger generation, including college students, who are increasingly becoming reliant on their mobile devices for a wide range of activities.

Mobile phone addiction, also known as nomophobia, is characterized by an excessive and compulsive use of mobile phones, leading to a dependency that can interfere with daily life. It is a multifaceted problem, with roots in psychological, social, and technological aspects. The addictive nature of social media, games, and other applications, coupled with the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), fuels this addiction.

The Impact of Mobile Phone Addiction

The impact of mobile phone addiction is manifold, with both psychological and physical consequences. Psychologically, it can lead to anxiety, depression, and stress, often resulting from the pressure to be constantly available and responsive. Physically, excessive screen time can lead to vision problems, sleep disorders, and even physical discomfort like neck and back pain.

The Social Aspect

Mobile phone addiction also has a significant social impact. It can lead to isolation, as individuals may prefer virtual interactions over real-life socializing. This addiction can also hamper interpersonal relationships, as excessive phone use can be perceived as disrespectful and can cause misunderstandings.

Addressing mobile phone addiction requires a multi-pronged approach. Firstly, awareness about the issue is crucial. Educational institutions can play a vital role in this by conducting workshops and seminars on the topic. Secondly, self-regulation strategies, such as setting screen time limits and having phone-free periods, can be beneficial. Therapy and counseling may also be necessary in severe cases.

Role of Technology Companies

Technology companies also have a role to play in curbing mobile phone addiction. By designing apps and features that promote digital wellbeing, such as screen time trackers and ‘do not disturb’ modes, they can help users manage their phone usage better.

In conclusion, while mobile phones have revolutionized the way we communicate and access information, their excessive use has led to the emergence of mobile phone addiction. This issue, though complex, is not insurmountable. With concerted efforts from individuals, educational institutions, and technology companies, we can address this problem and promote healthier digital habits.

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Internet and Cell Phone Addiction

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