Serious Problems Cause by Using Smartphone

Serious Problems Cause By Using
SmartPhone
A Serious Addiction
Despite what some may think, smartphone addiction is a very real phenomenon.
It has been found that female college students spend an average of ten hours a day on their
cellphones, surfing the internet and sending 100+ messages. That’s more time than spent
with friends.
Another survey found that three out of five US smartphone users can’t go more than 60
minutes without checking their phones.
So what makes us so eager to play with our phones instead of engaging in real life?
Experts say our brains get a hit of dopamine and serotonin – the chemicals linked to
happiness – when our phones beep or ring. These are the same chemicals that give drug
users their ‘high’!
We aren’t oblivious to our very real problem either – a recent opinion poll shows that 82% of
the American public believe that smartphone addiction exists.
In fact, nomophobia (the fear of being without your mobile device) is now recognized as a
serious issue – with rehab facilities available to help you deal with your problem!
Health Problems:
Are you constantly hunched over your phone, engrossed in your Facebook feed? You could
be putting your back under pressure if you are!
The British Chiropractic Association say that the number of young people with back
problems has risen dramatically over the last number of years, thanks to smartphone use.
According to 2015 statistics, 45% of young people aged 16 to 24 now suffer from back pain
as their spinal disks are put under pressure. That’s a 60% rise from 2014!
This pain isn’t just occasional either, with 25% of those young people suffering on a daily
basis.
But it’s small wonder that texting can cause such pain…a 2014 study, published in Surgical
Technology International, found that texting can add up to 50 pounds of pressure on a
person’s spine, depending on the angle at which the person is texting.
That’s a similar weight to a seven year old child!
Anxiety & Depression

Spending so much time staring at a screen can lead to anxiety and even depression as
people expect constant updates and interaction from friends, and worry when these aren’t
received.
For every minute you’re playing Candy Crush, you’re missing out on a minute of exercise, of
cooking healthy meals, of walking the dog and of real-life human interaction – all of which
are important for good mental health.
A study from Northwestern University revealed that the more time people spend on their
phones, the more likely they are to be depressed.
The average daily use for a depressed person was 68 minutes, compared to just 17
minutes for someone who has better mental health.
Disrupted Sleep
63% of smartphone users age 18 to 29 fall asleep with a cellphone, smartphone or tablet in
their bed, says a 2013 survey.
Around 30% of users aged 30 to 64 do the same thing.
What’s really worrying is that, according to a study published in September 2015, the
amount of caffeine in a double espresso has less of an effect on sleep schedule than bright
light exposure at night!
While most of us wouldn’t bring a double espresso to bed, we happily bring our phones.
The light exposure can actually push back sleep time twice as long as coffee does, thanks
to its ability to suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps with sleep timing.
When Harvard researchers looked at the effect of 6.5 hours of exposure to blue light, and to
green light, they found that the blue light suppressed melatonin for twice as long as the
green did.
In fact, simply the presence of a cell phone is said to be distracting, especially when in
social settings.
Social Effects
Instead of making us more connected, our smartphones could be making us more isolated.
Not only are we more distracted and less ‘present’ in social scenarios thanks to our
cellphones, we’re also becoming less connected to our peers on a deeper level.
Researchers from the University of Essex found that people who discussed personally
meaningful topics when a cellphone was nearby (even if they weren’t being used) reported
lower relationship quality and less trust in their partner.
They also felt their partner was less empathic to their concerns.
Smartphone use is also likely to make us more selfish, and less likely to engage in
‘prosocial’ behavior, says University of Maryland research.
Prosocial behavior is defined as an action intended to benefit another person or society as a

whole – like volunteering or simply helping out someone in need.

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Serious Problems Cause By Using

That’s a similar weight to a seven year old child!

Anxiety & Depression

Around 30% of users aged 30 to 64 do the same thing.

Prosocial behavior is defined as an action intended to benefit another person or society as a

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