Is Texting/Cell Phone Use Addictive?

With ever changing technologies in today’s world, phone usage is increasingly becoming like a necessity. This is particularly in the world of teenagers and young adults. Teenagers want to maintain a given perception about their social lives by interacting with others through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. I believe that phone usage through internet access and texting is addictive. In this context, addiction is defined as unhealthy behaviors or uncontrollable habits formed. A key characteristic identified with addiction is that of withdrawal just in the same way drug addicts and alcohol addicts withdraw. Many phone users in today’s world show withdrawal by developing feelings of detachment or anxiety when they do not have their phones or when their phone batteries are running low (Kowalski, 2014).

There are several elements that have been scientifically associated with phone addiction. Some of the elements include tolerance, withdrawal, inability to reduce usage and engaging in risky behaviors and those with negative consequences (Hyman, 2013). For instance, phone usage such as through texting has been reported to be a major cause of road accidents. In addition to this, people in schools and work places sometimes show inability to reduce phone usage through constantly engaging in internet use and texting even in inappropriate situations. The effects have been reduced concentration levels in schools and workplaces. It has also been reported that many people are attached to their phones emotionally to the extent of considering them as a form of personal identity. Phone addiction can adversely affect the normal way of life of an individual leading to dire consequences including death. Preventive measures such as turning off mobile phones at the right times should be taken to prevent the impacts of phone addiction.

References

Hyman, I.E. (2013). Are You Addicted to Your Cell Phone? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mental-mishaps/201303/are-you-addicted-your-cell-phone.

Kowalski, K. (2014). Watch out: Cell Phone can be addictive. Retrieved from https://student.societyforscience.org/article/watch-out-cell-phones-can-be-addictive.

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