Smart phones were created to make modern life
more convenient, but it has only done the opposite. Why can’t people turn them
off? Does the inability to be without phones reflect a certain personality type
or is it solely an addiction to a cellular device? A Japanese study shows that
young children will not make friends with other ‘less tack savvy children’.
Is it advisable to tell people to downgrade to a
simpler phone if they think there is a problem with cell phone dependency? When
does someone cross the line of normal cell phone use to it becoming an
addiction? Is there an inability to enjoy certain events due to a necessity for
an individuals cell phone? Does the compulsive need to check ones phone for
voicemails for texts also support the idea of an addiction?
What if someone runs a business of some type, are
they addicted? Do business owners or people in authoritive positions addicted
to their phone?
I believe that it has developed into a form of OCD. I don’t think there’s any one type of person or personality type that gets good use out of a cell, but someone with a past of being drawn into the social norm of what’s popular and may get enticed by its ability to connect you without really being connected. I don’t think it’s advisable to tell them to downgrade simply because they’ll still have a cell phone to constantly do something with. It may be more helpful to limit their use of it by only letting them have it when it is ok, such as while not eating or working. If the phone is used for work during work then it is completely fine. It’s a tool then for better management. The need to constantly check it though enforces it’s a parallel/type addiction to OCD. This is a difficult concept to grasp though because it’s not directly chemical related not is it a type of addiction that consumes a drug or drug-like for a high of some sort.
ReplyDeleteBradley, you made a very nice parallel between OCD and excessive phone use. Would you consider OCD an addiction or a medical treatment? Provide evidence to support your claim.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, cell phones have just become a habit, not an addiction. Cell phones have made communication much easier and quicker than it had been previously. People are naturally very social and need communication, so I think that they constantly check their phones in order to talk with others and just be social. Limiting cell phone use could be beneficial, but making people downgrade their phones wouldn't change their habits. People should understand that even though cell phones make communication so much easier, there are certaain benefits to face to face communication and payng attention to hte people you are with at the moment.
ReplyDeleteIn what ways do you think that limiting cell phone use would be beneficial?
DeleteI don't know if I would say that people are addicted to cell phones. It seems more like an extreme attachment, almost like a younger child with a favorite toy. They might become very anxious when they can't use their cell phones, but they could definitely survive without them. At the same time, there are some people that are always on their phone due to their jobs, so I think it depends on the situation. If they really can't go five minutes without being on their phone, then maybe they need to place certain limits because it isn't a good habit to have.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, extreme attachment is synonymous with addiction and secondly, becoming very anxious seems to be a withdrawal from not having their cell phone, a clear sign of addiction.
DeleteIn your opinion, what aspect of cell phone use causes anxiety? Isn't anxiety a component of addiction?
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that you can be addicted to your cell phone. I think Bradley made a good connection between over use of a cell phone an OCD. I do not think that OCD is consider an addiction, I know it is google but I looked up OCD and addiction and the first hit was http://www.dualdiagnosis.org/dual-diagnosis-treatment/ocd-addiction and it talks about how OCD has to do more with anxiety and is NOT an addiction.I would have to agree that anxiety could be the underlying reason for the over use of a cell phone. I can relate to leaving my dorm without my cell phone and having a minor panic attack because in this day and age you are used to being connected either through calling, texting, facebook, or twitter and not having the easy access can cause anxiety you almost feel like you're missing out on something.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe in a an addiction to a cell phone. Someone could be attached to a certain person and continuously check to see if they're texting them or trying to call them. This person may also be always on facebook or twitter now with the addition of smart phones. If you think about it, you can do just about anything with a cell phone. It becomes somewhat of a crutch in a way. Whenever I am in awkward situations I find myself looking at my phone as a hope to maybe find a way out of the conversation or situation. It is a way for people to stay socially occupied and in touch with the people not around them at all times.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that people are actually addicted to cellphones, themselves. If anything these people are addicted to the capabilities of smart phones. Because people have the opportunity to constantly be on the internet or be texting someone, it is hard for them to resist. I think that it is not an addiction to cell phones but lack of self control and the ability to resist being connected to everyone at any point in time.
ReplyDeleteI agree that cell phone use is not an addiction, but a compulsive disorder. Some people get anxious if they don't have their phone with them for a long period of time, this anxiety is a symptom of OCD. It's not that people NEED their cell phones with them at all time, it's that they get anxious if they don't.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that cell phone use cannot be categorized as an addiction, but rather i fell it is a gateway to other disorders. For example a person who has anxiety when they don't have their phone to talk to people at times could really have a closure issue, where they need to be in constant contact with people. Or in the case of a person who is always on their phone for work, the core of the problem is probably an addiction to their work or a control issue. These things seem to be much more likely to be the root causes, rather then actually being addicted to cell phone use in itself.
ReplyDeleteI agree that cell phone use is not an addiction, but simply the result of human's desire to have constant contact with the people they are around and live with. Other products of this need are Facebook, Twitter, and video chatting.
ReplyDeleteI do not feel like just because someone uses their cell phone a lot they are addicted to cell phones. I think the comparison to OCD is a great correlation, as I feel many people are constantly checking their phones for fear that they might miss something. I know in my personal experience having a girlfriend back home, our cell phones become our only means of communication so mine gets used a lot. Cell phones today have so many capabilities that you can go from texting someone to checking Twitter and Facebook to playing Words With Friends. I think that while people rely heavily on their cell phones in their everyday life, that does not make them an addict.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found interesting in the piece was that there was an ad in the middle of the piece for a phone company. These piece brings up good point such as that children not only in America are getting "addicted" to cellphone use. I believe that there is certain attachment to cellphones in modern day because of our dependent on staying connected to the world at all times. Like mentioned in above what is "normal" cellphone use and does that include people who have to stay connected like small business owners who need to make sure everything on tract, but even with that they should have down time to spend without their cellphones. People are not so much addicted but have an attachment.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually my secondary source topic. Having addiction to something is that you can't get rid of it and you would think about it all the times. I believe that people can have addiction to cell phone. Sometimes people could not help to check their cell phones times to times even they don't get any messages or emails. They just check it. It is getting obvious that people spend more time on their cell phones either play games or get on the Internet. The wild range of the applications and functions that smart phones provide increase the dependency of people. People start to rely more on cell phones rather than having a notebook around. For me, my schedules and memos are all on my cell phone and I would probably don't remember what to do without my cell phone reminding me.
ReplyDeleteI think that people can become addicted to technology so yes I believe someone can become addicted to the use of their cell phone. I think it is only considered an addiction when the person can no longer have self control over it and constantly uses the phone at inappropriate times without stopping.
ReplyDeleteIf I would say that people are addicted to their cell phones especially smart phones I have to categorize them by their age. I can say that teenagers and young adults are addicted to their ceel phones at least this is what it looks like when they use their cell phone 24/7. I know that a teenager and young adult don't need the cell phone that much. I understand that they use it for their needs, for school , job, personal calls etc., but still fot the times that they used it beyond the normal. I think it starts to be anormal in the moment that they check their cell phones for everything everywhere any time. If we see the mature people that don't use that much their cell phone also they prefer the cell phones that are not complicated such as smart phone because they really use it for work.
ReplyDeleteI think that since the technology is there, people are just so used to it. Why not use a smart phone? It has so many helpful capabilities. As the world grows technologically, I think we should all try and keep or we will just be left behind. I don't think cell phone addiction is a real addiction. People are just using their resources.
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