MOBILE ADDICTION: SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, TREATMENT - ARTE - 2024

The addiction mobile or smartphone is dependent syndrome that occurs with increasing frequency among a large number of users of these devices. The symptoms of this problem are very similar to those that appear in the case of some pathologies, such as those related to substance abuse.

Some of the most common symptoms of mobile addiction are anxiety when you cannot access the Internet or an instant messaging application, excessive use of the smartphone, or its use in situations in which it is considered socially unacceptable to do so.

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Experts disagree on whether cell phone addiction should be classified as a psychological disorder or not; However, many of the people who suffer from it experience all kinds of adverse consequences due to this problem.

Some of the most serious are difficulties in maintaining satisfactory social relationships or great problems when carrying out the tasks that are proposed.

Due to this, more and more research is being carried out on this subject, which allows us to understand why mobile addiction occurs and what we can do about it. In this article we tell you everything you need to know about this new disease of the 21st century.

Symptoms of mobile addiction

Today, it is practically impossible to live a normal life without having a smartphone. We all own one of these devices, and we spend much of our day immersed in its screen. So it can sometimes be difficult to draw the line between what is problematic behavior and what is not.

However, there are a series of symptoms that can indicate that a person has gone beyond what would be considered a healthy use of their mobile, and has entered the realm of a true addiction. Here we will see some of the most common.

Problems derived from excessive mobile use

Do you have problems completing what you propose on time? Do you put aside tasks and obligations because you are constantly looking at your mobile? Is surfing the net, chatting or playing video games affecting your ability to fulfill your duties? Then you are probably addicted to the smartphone.

The first symptom that someone is developing this pathology is that they begin to fail in certain daily tasks due to spending too much time glued to their mobile.

Being so stimulating, there is always something to do with your smartphone; and addicted people find it very difficult to separate from him to carry out more unpleasant tasks.

The areas that tend to suffer the most in this regard are work, personal projects, housework, and hobbies. These are areas that are more complicated than simply using the mobile, and that is why many times the person seeks to "escape" from them by getting lost in their device.

Difficulty maintaining relationships

Many people use their mobile as a substitute for their social life. Instead of going out to meet other people, or meeting their friends, family, or partner, they prefer to spend time at home glued to the screen of their smartphone. In general, this ends up causing all kinds of problems in this area.

As if this were not enough, on many occasions, when they meet people, they cannot avoid checking their mobile phone every few minutes. This habit prevents real conversations from taking place, and usually ends up annoying the companions of the individual with addiction symptoms.

The problem is that in general we do not realize that we are acting in this way. If you think you may be addicted to mobile phones, ask yourself: Has anyone expressed their concern to you because you use your smartphone too much? Do you feel that only your online friends understand you?

Hide phone usage

Many of the people with cell phone addiction realize they have a problem. However, they know that changing it is going to cost them a lot of work; and since they do not want to be judged, they try to hide the use of their device.

When you are with other people, do you hide so you can reply to your messages without being disturbed? Have you lied about the time you spend online when asked about it? Do you feel annoyed or irritated if someone "catches you" using your mobile at a time when it is not appropriate to do so?

Scared of missing something

The fear of missing out (translated into Spanish as "fear of missing something") is a constant concern to be connected and find out about everything that happens, either in the world or in general or in the lives of certain close people. It is caused by the fear of being excluded from an important situation.

What does fear of missing out translate into in the life of a mobile addict? Usually, you will spend the time checking your social networks, such as Instagram or Facebook, to see what your friends and family are doing. Also, you will tend to compare yourself to them, feeling good if you feel that your life is more interesting than everyone else's, and vice versa.

Sometimes this fear can go to extremes such as getting up in the middle of the night to check the cell phone, elevated anxiety, or symptoms of depression when the person believes that his life is worse than that of those with whom he is compared.

Some individuals even claim to feel "phantom vibrations", that is, they feel their mobile vibrate as if they had received a notification when in fact they have none. According to experts, this is caused by an exaggerated desire to stay connected and informed at all times.

Withdrawal symptoms

When they try to reduce the use of the mobile, or when for some reason they cannot use it for a while, people with addiction can experience symptoms similar to those of someone trying to stop abusing a substance.

The most common are restlessness, anger, concentration problems, difficulty sleeping, and an extreme desire to have access to the mobile. In general, these withdrawal symptoms make it very difficult for a person to carry out any task normally.

Causes

Although it is possible to experience some of the symptoms described above with a computer or tablet, the key that makes mobile phones so addictive is the fact that we carry them with us all the time. In many cases, literally.

The problem is that receiving a notification, browsing the Internet or checking our social networks is something that temporarily makes us feel very good. According to studies carried out on the effects of mobiles on the brain, all these situations cause a spike in dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure.

This substance is the same one that is involved in very serious addictions, such as drugs or alcohol. In addition, our brain generates tolerance to it very quickly, so we need a greater stimulus every time to feel just as good.

On the other hand, when we have an addiction that increases our resistance to dopamine, most of the things we do seem unstimulating in comparison. Due to this, an addict increasingly depends on his mobile to feel positive emotions.

Other hidden causes

Often times, people addicted to their smartphone also have other psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, stress or strong feelings of loneliness. These may be the cause of the pathology developing in the first place, but will usually be aggravated by it as well.

Thus, a person can look at his mobile when he is in the company of others because he feels misunderstood or alone; But doing so will exacerbate the problem, and in the long run will worsen your relationships and your ability to create new ones. Therefore, it is a coping strategy that brings many problems in the long term.

Consequences

How exactly can mobile addiction affect people who suffer from it? Next we will see the most common complications that occur in individuals who develop this pathology.

Feelings of loneliness and depression

As we have already seen, being aware of the mobile all the time prevents the person from creating true connections with those around him. The problem is that, while the smartphone is being used, emotions such as loneliness and boredom evaporate; but as soon as you stop using it, they come back more intensely.

A study carried out in 2014 found a strong correlation between frequent use of social networks and instant messaging services with high levels of depression and anxiety.

Users, especially the youngest, tend to compare themselves excessively with other people they follow on their social networks, and end up feeling lonely, sad and disconnected from the rest.

High levels of anxiety and stress

It seems that being always connected can destroy our peace of mind. Several studies on the effects of mobiles in work environments suggest that simply carrying a smartphone causes workers to perform their tasks worse, have higher levels of anxiety, and feel more stressed.

In addition, the fact of always carrying our mobile phone makes it very difficult for us to separate work from our personal life. Therefore, our mind never rests, and it is much easier for us to develop problems such as burnout syndrome.

Loss of ability to concentrate

Mobile phones provide us with an endless series of stimuli, which constantly draw our attention. So when we try to focus on a single task, we find it very difficult: we are used to going from one activity to the next in a matter of minutes.

Several studies have found that people with a serious addiction to smartphones have serious problems concentrating on tasks such as reading, work or study; and in general, they are unable to do nothing, always feeling the need to look at their mobile to check their notifications.

Sleeping problems

The blue light from our mobiles can alter our circadian rhythm, creating serious difficulties for us to fall asleep and maintain it properly.

This has all kinds of negative consequences in our life, from a general lack of energy to memory problems or in our cognitive ability.

Appearance of narcissistic behaviors

Publishing everything we do on social media and receiving constant attention can cause us to focus too much on ourselves, according to some research.

This leads us to believe that we need to be the center of attention, to be less tolerant of others, and to need constant approval from others.

In general, this constant search for attention can bring us serious problems with self-esteem and when it comes to interacting in a healthy way with others.

Treatment

Since most experts still do not consider cell phone addiction a real pathology, there is no generalized treatment that is followed in all cases in which it appears.

However, the consequences of this problem are very real. For this reason, in recent years several techniques have been developed that can help you if you think you have developed an addiction to your smartphone.

Tips to eliminate your addiction by yourself

The first thing you should do is realize how much time a day you use your mobile. You can achieve this simply by reflecting on your habits; But if you want to be more exact, you can time the time you spend glued to your device.

Once you know it, set small goals to reduce your usage time. For example, if you find that you are constantly interrupting what you do to check your social networks, you can limit yourself to doing it once every 15 minutes, and increase the time to 30 when you feel more comfortable.

You can also set a few fixed hours a day in which to check your networks, and commit to doing it at those times. To achieve this, it can help to remove the applications of those that you check most regularly from your phone, so that you can only see them from your computer.

Finally, compulsive mobile use is often made because there is nothing better to do. If you think this may be the case for you, try to fill your day with stimulating activities, such as hanging out with people you care about or getting into a hobby. Only with this, you will notice that your need to check your smartphone is greatly reduced.

References

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4. "Smartphones & Mental health" in: Neurocore. Retrieved on: October 09, 2018 from Neurocore: neurocorecenters.com.
5. "Mobile phone overuse" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: October 09, 2018 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org.