The past decade introduced a boom in portable digital technology that many fear is becoming too intrusive in our lives. The youngest generation of Americans are natives in the land of mobile technology, and social networking. There are concerns that “cell phone addiction,” is an all-too-real pandemic in modern society. Here are some signs you may be addicted.
You Use it in the Bathroom
The porcelain throne was once considered the final frontier for a person's private time, in which a man or a woman could brood over life's most profound moments — an excretory meditation, if you will. Forgoing this sacred “me time” in favor of texting, sending emails, or playing Candy Crush is not only gross, but a tell-tale sign you and 75% of Americans may need to kick the habit.
Your Battery is Dead at the End of Each Day
An iPhone 5 can last for a little over nine days if left on standby, and can sustain 8-to-10 hours of rigorous internet use before the battery depletes entirely. But if you're loosing your charge at the end of every day, that may be a sign you're using your phone way too frequently. Just think about it — eight to ten hours of use? That's like having a second job. Is your phone worth that extra effort?
You have Nomophobia
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Back in 2008, a group of British researchers coined the term “Nomophobia” as a way to describe people who feared being without their cell phones. A 2012 study, showed that out of 1,000 people polled, 66% showed signs of being nomophobic. Tell-tale signs include typical addiction symptoms such as withdrawals without use, inability to cut back, constant/repetitive behaviors, and mild manic tendencies. Drug detox centers around the world are now developing programs for those with debilitating nomophobia.
You Spend More Money on Accessories than Your Phone Costs
Having a cell phone is one thing, but buying an excessive number of accessories, and add-ons is another. Some people treat their phones like a small child, constantly buying it the latest gadgets, and trendy knickknacks. If you have multiple chargers, headphone pairs, docks, headsets, car-adapters, exercise armbands, dashboard mounts, and cases, you may very well have a cell phone addiction problem.
Your Budget is Determined by Your Cell Phone
Image via Flickr by oskay
Some data plans for cell phones can go as high as $1,200 a year, but if you're in the habit of constantly buying new apps, and upgrades for those apps, you could see your monthly bill skyrocket. If your monthly budget is ultimately determined by your copious cell phone usage, you're probably addicted. If you see yourself buying nothing but cheap fast food and ramen to compensate for the money you throw-down on your phone, again, you're probably addicted.
Many Americans now believe cell phones are a necessary tool for everyday life. They miss out on life's little wonders when they're constantly burying their noses in texts and tweets. We might have laughed at the idea of cell phone addiction ten years ago, but now it appears to be a serious problem many Americans must come to terms with.
Featured Image via Flickr by weishaupt cycles
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