Turned Off: Smartphones,

A Harmful Addiction

B y : : J u l i a L i m

Photo:  Pam  Culver  (via  Flickr)  

The smartphone is quite the �impressive gadget.

Some consider it to be the electronic version of

a “Jack-of-all-trades”.

Photo:  voxtheory  (via  Flickr)  

But how much is too much? �And when does appreciation become �

an addiction?

Photo:  Vanessa  Naylon  (via  Flickr)  

In 2006, Webster’s New World College Dictionary recognized Crackberry as the Word-of-the-Year.

Source:  Ken  Wheaton,  “Dubious  DisBncBon:  Crackberry  Is  Word  of  the  Year”  

Photo:  Jason  Hoang  (via  Flickr)  

1 in 10 people say they are addicted to

their smartphone. Photo:  BuzzFarmers  (via  Flickr)  

Source:  Lynsey  Hope,  “Help  ,we’re  addicted  to  our  smartphones”        

So it’s no wonder that today….

This addiction is also known as nomophobia - the fear of

being out of mobile contact. Source:  Richard  Alleyne,  “Mobile  phone  addicBon  ruining  relaBonships  ”         Photo:  Geoff  R  (via  Flickr)  

Experiencing feelings of anxiety and withdrawal when phoneless are all signs of…

Source:  Richard  Alleyne,  “Mobile  phone  addicBon  ruining  relaBonships  ”        

Photo:  Homeless  Hub  (via  Flickr)  

Young people are now so addicted to their smartphones it feels like they have

l o s t a l i m b when they are without them.

Source:  Richard  Alleyne,  “Mobile  phone  addicBon  ruining  relaBonships  ”        

Photo:  Leonie  (via  Flickr)  

Not having their phone raises the heart rate and signs of panic.

Source:  Richard  Alleyne,  “Mobile  phone  addicBon  ruining  relaBonships  ”        

Photo:  Thirteen  of  Clubs  (via  Flickr)  

…and these symptoms are almost identical to alcoholism or addiction to gambling and drugs.

Source:  Paul  McMillan,  “One  in  ten  people  ‘addicted’  to  their  smartphone”      

Photo:  Seemann  (via  MorgueFile)  

A smartphone addiction, � like a drug addiction, � can be destructive to a person’s �social life and personal relationships.

Photo:  epSos.de  (via  Flickr)  

A study revealed that young adults (aged 18-29) send on average 109.5 texts per day, or approximately 3200 texts per month.

Photo:  munozgo  (via  MorgueFile)  

Source:  Richard  Alleyne,  “Mobile  phone  addicBon  ruining  relaBonships  ”        

…and check their phones

60 times in a typical day.

Photo:  Jorge  Quinteros  (via  Flickr)  

Source:  Richard  Alleyne,  “Mobile  phone  addicBon  ruining  relaBonships  ”        

This can be extremely annoying to those around them.

Photo:  brixton  (via  Flickr)   ...especially at the dinner table.

…or even during sex.

Photo:  Santos  Gonzalez  (via  Flickr)  

10% of Americans under 25 think it’s acceptable to text during sex. Source:  Denise  Ryan,  “Smartphone  addicBon  disrupts  Canadians’  lives”        

Photo:  Eugene  Zemlyanskiy  (via  Flickr)  

A smartphone addiction, like a disease, can lead to serious health concerns.

Photo:  Nisa  Yeh  (via  Flickr)  

3 in 4 people sleep beside their smartphone. Source:  Lynsey  Hope,  “Help  ,we’re  addicted  to  our  smartphones”        

“I found myself sneaking on

Facebook at night.” – Sophia Cheng

Source:  Denise  Ryan,  “Smartphone  addicBon  disrupts  Canadians’  lives”        

…which causes poor sleep health

Photo:  Moe  M  (via  Flickr)  

…as exposure to the gadget’s bright light before bed d i s r u p t s people’s slumber. Source:  Julia  Belluz,  “Can  your  smartphone  make  you  sick?”        

Smartphones are also a dangerous distraction.

Photo:  William  Ward  (via  Flickr)  

Texting pedestrians took 1.87 extra seconds to cross an average intersection and were 4 times more likely to ignore lights or

forget to look both ways before crossing. Source:  “5  Shocking  Ways  Your  Cell  Phone  Is  HurBng  Your  Health”,  Fitness  Magazine  

And perhaps it’s these distractions �that prevent us from seeing…

Photo:  Anssi  Koskinen  (via  Flickr)  

the layers of filth found on smartphones.

A University of Arizona study revealed that the

average phone has �up to 10 times the �

amount of bacteria �found in the bathroom.

Photo:  Anssi  Koskinen  (via  Flickr)  

Source:  “5  Shocking  Ways  Your  Cell  Phone  Is  HurBng  Your  Health”,  Fitness  Magazine  

Photo:  abcdlish  (via  Flickr)  

A smartphone addiction, like an unhealthy obsession, can result in negative psychological consequences…

Photo:  Dennis  Larson  (via  Flickr)  

…to even the youngest of

smartphone users.

Photo:  Dennis  Larson  (via  Flickr)  

“If adolescents get addicted to smartphones… there will be changes in brain function. It will affect the frontal lobe

function and can cause negative effects on judgment making, emotional controlling, and impulse controlling.”

– Choi Jung-seok, Seoul National University Source:  “2.5  smartphone  addicts  in  South  Korea”,  Astro  Awani  

Photo:  Dave  Lawler  (via  Flickr)  

…the overdependence on smartphones have become a

major problem in today’s society.

Clearly...

Photo:  Geoff  R(via  Flickr)  

And like any other form of addiction, there comes a time to

quit.

Image Credits

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license.

Photo:  RcasBllon  (via  MorgueFile)