Phone addiction - how to get rid of the phone habit, what is the name of the disease of phone addiction, how to overcome it and stop being addicted

Technologies designed to help us often prevent people from leading full lives. And it’s the smartphone that brings more problems. Many cannot part with it even for a second, checking email or even just turning on the screen. And so, when the need arises to constantly hold the gadget in your hands, this becomes the first bell of a serious situation. I will tell you below what addiction to a mobile phone and the Internet is called and how to get rid of the disease.

Nomophobia - a disease of the 21st century

Communications appeared in Russia about 15 years ago and immediately replaced landline options from general use. Today it is not just the ability to send a message or make a call at any time. The devices are used as entertainment and a way to live a public life. Thanks to such popular social networks as Instagram, Vkontakte, Telegram, people can find out the latest news, follow the events that happened with friends and acquaintances. This was the reason for such a takeover of all users by smartphones. And as a result of this, the emergence of telephone addiction.

This is not an invented illness, but a significant disease, which is included by experts in the list next to addiction to alcohol and games. Psychologists have called nomophobia a disease of the 21st century. After all, it greatly influences the behavior of the individual and does not allow her to live normally.

Maria Dubovik explains how technostress manifests itself

Our brain processes incoming information from the environment, although not everything reaches the level of consciousness. It’s not for nothing that norms for working hours have been established - our thinking organ has a certain reserve of working capacity.

For example, if we ran three kilometers and are exhausted, then we stop training and relax our muscles. After three hours of work, we also realize that we are tired.

But if we scroll through the news feed or play games on our phone as a form of relaxation, we are not giving our brain a break.

Technostress occurs - a negative mental state due to the use of information technology. We strive to be included in the process and monitor updated information. We need to constantly be involved in habitual multitasking.

We never let go of our smartphone and are constantly exposed to technostress.

Psychology of concepts

The term appeared not so long ago and originates from the English phrase “no mobile phobia”. Experts use it to indicate a state of anxiety, often reaching the point of panic, that occurs in an individual who has lost the way to maintain contact through a gadget. At first glance, these seem to be common manifestations when the charger runs out, communication is lost, or funds on the balance are lost. 53% of people addicted to their phones are afraid of being lonely. Every second person does not turn off their device even for a second, and the tenth person is always in touch due to their profession.

It is realistic to compare nomophobia with alcoholism: after all, deprivation of a gadget provokes withdrawal syndrome. And despite the fact that dependence on a smartphone does not pose a health risk, its impact on everyday life is quite significant.

Fear of being left without a phone: the danger of the condition

The consequences of drug addiction and nomophobia are reflected in all areas of life.

Work: Worry itself prevents you from focusing on a task, and the desire to distract yourself with your phone turns into hours of mindless Internet surfing.
Health: Your eyes become strained, your neck hurts, your sleep is disrupted, not to mention that staring at a screen can cause you to get into an accident or get injured.
The general emotional state worsens, leading to the development of depression.
Finances: Uncontrollable spending and impulse purchases online drain your wallet and plunge you into debt. According to App Annie, smartphone users spend $120 billion a year on apps and in-app purchases. This may also include buying an expensive phone simply to increase your status in the eyes of others and endlessly “customizing” it - accessories, new ringtones, wallpapers, settings.

Manifestations of addiction

The annoyance that you will have to listen to the teacher during lectures and not communicate on social networks, or that you may be left without your favorite game at work, is not a sign of illness. A phobia is an irrational reaction to specific events. So, addicted people start to panic if there is no device nearby. They cannot concentrate on activities, become irritable, feel uncomfortable and lost. In illness, all these characteristics are expressed quite clearly. Other signs are also present: sweating, chills, confusion in thoughts, rapid heartbeat. A few more manifestations:

Depends on the appearance of the device. I want to decorate my smartphone in a special way, buy a new model and thus emphasize my position in society or stand out from the crowd.
The desire for information. The individual turns the bag upside down, looking for a gadget so as not to miss a new message or news.
Sound hallucinations. It begins to seem as if a call is being heard, although in fact there was none.

In addition, nomophobia can be called a condition where even the thought of losing an electronic friend can cause a panic attack. Therefore, it is known to divide the disease into degrees: from weak to strong.

What is nomophobia?

The word “nomophobia” (eng. nomophobia = phobia of not having a mobile phone) is familiar to few, but not to the phenomenon that it describes. This term refers to a strong fear of being without a mobile phone, accompanied by a whole range of unpleasant sensations when it is impossible to use it.

At the same time, this concept is not identical to the concept of “smartphone addiction”, because it is, first of all, an anxiety disorder, and not just an addiction to a smartphone. However, smartphone syndrome is undoubtedly characterized by signs of addiction. Currently, this disorder is not included in the official register of diseases and is not codified, which, however, does not diminish the seriousness of the problem.

Signs of phone addiction

You don’t put your device down for a second; you take it even when going to the store. You feel safer when your smartphone is in sight or in your pocket.
The gadget is constantly in your hands. You spend a lot of money on purchasing various updates and programs.
When you sleep, the device lies directly under the pillow or on a table next to the bed.
Communication on the device takes precedence over meetings.
Unlike conversations on the phone, during a conversation in person, stiffness arises and words are lost.
You are afraid of loss and constantly check if the gadget is nearby.
A lot of time is spent taking selfies, posting on Instagram and other social networks. You think it is important for people to see that you are dressed presentably and have perfect makeup, even if in reality your appearance is not so good.

If these symptoms have already appeared, efforts must be made to overcome phone addiction, as it has already begun to gain momentum.

Psychologist Daria Milai

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Stages of nomophobia

The fear of being left without a phone at first glance seems like a harmless weakness, but over time it can turn into a serious dependence on a tablet or other gadgets, which is characterized by the following symptoms:

A person experiences an obsessive, irresistible, uncontrollable desire to hold the phone in his hands all the time, constantly checks for updates, and the thought of turning off the gadget (on an airplane or theater) seems unbearable to him;
Telephone communication and spending time in phone applications begins to prevail over other interests, hobbies and daily activities;
The disease progresses, the person spends more and more time on his smartphone, losing contacts and connections with the real world.
A person is completely confined to communicating via a smartphone and loses most of his social skills.
Subsequently, anxiety increases. There have been real cases of people attempting suicide due to the loss of their smartphone.

How does it arise

The reason for this is not the desire to have fun. This is a way to relieve stress, cope or distract from pressing problems: loneliness or the inability to make your life better. It doesn’t matter how a person copes with internal tension: whether he plays games or resorts to drugs. From the point of view of physiological factors, behavioral and drug addiction have quite a lot of similarities.

The frantic rhythm of the day, a huge number of things to do and tasks create a stressful state. The phone, it seems to most people, saves from this. He comes to the rescue when we are sad or bored. However, this is not a healthy way to cope with negative emotions, because over time the problem becomes deeper, and the question of how to stop being addicted to the phone becomes more acute.

Reasons for appearance

Fear of loneliness. The Internet and the device create the appearance that the person is needed. They give confidence and make you feel indispensable.
Intrusive adware. Messages about the appearance of new models, social networks and applications are everywhere. And while adults can still filter out this information, it is much more difficult for a child to do this. He, like a sponge, absorbs such data and really begins to consider smartphones as the most necessary items.
Communication with the outside world. Today, many are surprised how just 20 years ago people lived without the ability to call or write to a loved one at any time or communicate with them almost around the clock. But earlier there were more reasons for meetings, whereas now part of the relationship is transferred to correspondence.
Work mode. With the advent of such professions as a programmer or an advertiser, much more time is spent working in these areas. Some people work almost around the clock, while they do not have a minute left for their personal life. Because of this, they are forced to sit on the phone to compensate for this loss.

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At what age are people susceptible to nomophobia?

It may seem that nomophobia affects mainly young people who simply “live on their phones.” However, our expert thinks differently.

“Nomophobia can affect a person of any age. It is a mistake to think that teenagers are primarily susceptible to it. They are at risk only because they are more willing to use devices than people of older generations. But the smartphone itself is not evil - the source of addiction is always located within the person himself and his experiences,” says Daria Shibankova.

Does a smartphone affect you?

Absolutely yes. And this influence can hardly be called positive:

Communication skills are lost. People are so accustomed to correspondence that when they meet in person, they look lost, confused in thoughts and words.
You don't know what's going on around you. After all, all your attention is attached to the screen, and the surrounding reality, meanwhile, passes you by.
It is no longer possible to fall asleep quickly and sleep well. When a smartphone is constantly nearby, it causes disturbances in the deep phase of sleep, which is associated with the body resting and recuperating.

This does not mean that gadgets are completely evil. They were created to help people. Today it's easy to find a great coffee shop or make a purchase without leaving your home. But abuse of such opportunities leads to similar consequences.

Negative effects of continuous smartphone use

Like any other addiction, nomophobia (telephone addiction) has serious risks of developing negative consequences for both the physical and mental health of a person.

Loss of communication abilities
No matter how much we would like it, virtual communication cannot completely replace the real one. An addicted person loses the skills of communication and conversation in ordinary life, cannot behave naturally, does not find how to answer a sudden question, in any awkward situation he “goes” into a gadget, starts writing messages, calls someone, checks mail, or does appearance - hiding behind the phone as if behind a shield.
He loses the desire to communicate in reality in general, because it is not superior to virtuality in any way, but only brings chaos to his ordered “friends” feed, where anyone can be excluded, banned or simply ignored if it seems that something has gone wrong .

Quote “Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both are determined by the dose"

Paracelsus

Insomnia
The blue light emitted by the screens of all gadgets disrupts circadian rhythms and inhibits the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. If a person does not part with his phone until he goes to bed, he is guaranteed insomnia.
Harvard researchers conducted an experiment comparing the effects of exposure to blue and green light of similar brightness for 6.5 hours. It turned out that blue light suppressed the release of melatonin twice as long as green light and shifted circadian rhythms twice as much (three hours versus one and a half).
Risk of obesity and certain types of cancer
Recent studies have also shown that permanently disrupting melatonin production increases the risk of obesity and certain types of cancer.
Myopia, headaches
Artificial blue light, such as that emitted by LED devices, occupies a region of the spectrum with a wavelength between 380-500 nm. The most harmful light is with a wavelength of 415-455 nm, the so-called HEV radiation (high-frequency high-energy light of the visible spectrum).
Laptops, tablets and mobile phones work in this gap; This is the kind of light that sunglasses and welding masks protect against.

Please note: In 2016-2017, a person spent an average of ten and a half hours a day behind a screen, and this time is increasing every year.

This is why many people experience computer vision syndrome: visual acuity is lost, the eyes become dry and itchy, and the head begins to hurt.

Distraction of attention, loss of the ability to fully devote oneself to a task
Constant information noise leads to the fact that a person is unable to concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes. The consequences are especially terrible for children; they do not yet have the habit and ability to concentrate, and having mastered the Internet with millions of stimuli early, they risk becoming dependent on games and gadgets, and never develop this skill.
Loss of ability to be fully present in real life
Virtual reality is like a dream in which we can feel smarter - thanks to Wikipedia; more beautiful and younger - thanks to Instagram filters; bolder and more successful - hello, online, where there is anonymity. Over time, a rejection of gray reality and a reluctance to be in it may arise.

How to deal with phone addiction

If you begin to notice that you are constantly looking for your smartphone with your hand, checking your email 20 times a day and cannot live for a second without writing to your friends on VKontakte, but at the same time you want to get rid of this illness, then there is a way out. At my consultation, I am ready to help you overcome a disease that is preventing you from leading a full life. In the meantime, I will give a couple of recommendations on how to take the first steps.

Adviсe

Obviously, you can wean yourself off gadgets only if you stop using them. It sounds quite simple, but in reality it takes a lot of effort. Psychologists recommend that you first stop wearing the device, at least around the house.
A simple way to wean yourself off your phone is to put it in an inaccessible place, for example, on a closet. Try to turn it on only when really necessary.
Use your computer to access the Internet. After all, you won’t turn it on to check notifications on social networks, it will take too much time.
When going for a walk or to the store, leave the device in the apartment and visit areas where there is no WI-FI.
Help yourself stop. So you go to Telegram to reply to a message, and don’t notice that an hour and a half has already passed. While we are scrolling through the updates, new letters arrive. And so on in a circle. This is a “loop game”, because this condition usually occurs while playing entertainment machines. So set a timer, and when the signal rings, put the device down.

Advice from psychologists

Experts often compare the craving for gadgets with alcohol and drug addiction and gambling addiction. This is a less harmful, but one way or another escape from reality into the virtual world of applications, the life of strangers and fictional characters.

Psychologists advise asking yourself what exactly I am avoiding when I immerse myself in my smartphone. Maybe it's a tool for procrastination that delays doing things that are not very pleasant for you. There is an opinion that constantly scrolling through social media feeds indicates that a person cannot cope with the uncertainty in his life and is constantly stressed.

Just in case, I recommend reading about how to cope with stress. It might come in handy.

We are not talking about those cases when you need your phone to call a taxi, listen to your favorite playlist, or look on the map where the nearest shoe store is. We are talking about uncontrolled immersion in the gadget screen, which takes a lot of time and does not provide any practical benefit.

Let's find out how you can get rid of a bad habit or at least reduce the craving for the phone:

Try to figure out what the cause of your addiction is. If this is how you try to entertain yourself, then find an interesting hobby. If this is a reason to put things off, then procrastinate with benefit, for example, do exercises or a head massage.
Understand that resting in front of a smartphone screen is only justified after long physical work. If you have been mentally tense, then this method of relaxation will only make the situation worse, because the brain continues to process a huge amount of varied information and, in fact, does not rest, but continues to experience stress. It's like studying.
Get rid of habitual behavior patterns. Is your phone always at hand? Then it will not be difficult for you to take it at any time and unlock the screen. Remove the gadget at least from visibility: hide it behind your laptop or put it at a distance beyond arm's length.
Track the moment when you picked up your phone again. What do you feel? Perhaps you feel uncomfortable sitting, you are emotionally pinched, embarrassed. Or you're just bored. By catching yourself in certain sensations, you can understand what exactly leads you to the same action.
Imagine spaces without phones. Let’s say you shouldn’t go into the bathroom or bedroom with gadgets, and you shouldn’t use them before bed. Give yourself a strict ban on picking up your phone in the company of friends or colleagues. After all, it’s at least not very pleasant when someone in your company is covered with a smartphone screen and falls out of the dialogue.
Take note of the one screen rule. If your TV is on, do not pick up your smartphone. If you read a feed on a social network, then turn off the TV. Multitasking is tiring. It may seem like the TV is just talking in the background, but your brain perceives and processes all the noise. You don't notice how overload occurs.
Be careful with endless scrolling of the feed. This is a very clever trick that helps draw you into the phone. Experts even compare it to slot machines. We don't know what information we will come across in the next second. This creates an effect of surprise that hooks us into constantly updating the feed, which can be difficult to wean off.
Use concentration techniques. When scrolling through news or videos, bring yourself back to the present moment often. Look at your watch, look around the space around you. Perhaps it’s high time to start some task or you need to leave the house soon for an important matter.
Give yourself punishment for not following your own rules. For example, if you sit on your phone for more than 10 minutes or pick it up again, do 20 squats. Following muscle fatigue, the craving for a smartphone may also disappear. You can also use it as a “whip” to do household chores, such as washing dishes or dusting.
Bet with a friend or colleague who can last longer without a phone. Any application that tracks the time spent on a smartphone will help you monitor compliance with the conditions on both sides. We talked about them in previous paragraphs. The spirit of competition will help you control yourself. The main thing is that the prize must be worth fighting for.

Should you give up your smartphone forever?

In today's fast-paced world, such an act would be irrational. After all, the gadget helps in any situation: call a taxi, order food, call loved ones, look at a map and much more. The tips on how to wean yourself from telephone addiction given above do not encourage you to sell your device. On the contrary, they teach you to control your behavior and value a temporary resource, which today is worth its weight in gold.

In fact, coping with this problem is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. But only on condition that this is not an advanced stage of the disease. In the case when the mere thought that the device is not nearby makes you sweat and panic begins, it is better to turn to specialists.