We have all heard family members from much older generations start a story with “back in my day,” which was followed by an endless list of ways things have changed since then. Life has completely transformed over the last 50 years. New technology has been invented. Medical care has improved. One of the major shifts is that barely anyone owns a house phone, even though it was a necessity 50 years ago. We interact completely differently; back in the 1960s, if you wanted to get in touch with someone, you rang them up on a landline phone and asked how they were doing. Now, we don’t even have to check in to know what’s going on. Thanks to social media, we’re able to know everything going on in the world. Everyone now owns smartphones, which have become a necessity. In many countries, over half of the population use mobile phones, and tech companies are growing rapidly. Saudi Arabia ranks first amongst the countries of the Gulf region in terms of the highest population of mobile users, while Oman ranked second, followed by Kuwait and the UAE. Centuries ago, the idea of having a tiny computer in your pocket seemed like an outrageous sci-fi movie, but look at us now!
What is phone addiction?
Cell phones are a very powerful and flexible tool that many people’s lives depend on – if they don’t have their cellphones nearby, they can break down and not know what to do. Over 2.5 billion people own a smartphone. Phone addiction is a disorder involving overusing our mobile phones. It has introduced new terminology such as nomophobia (the fear of going without your phone) and phantom vibrations (feeling that your phone is vibrating, when in reality it isn’t). There is no doubt that uncontrolled cell phone use can lead to huge problems for many people, but there is a debate on whether this disorder is an addiction or an impulse control issue.
Why are phones so addictive?
There are many reasons why phones are so addictive, but the main reason is that using them releases dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in the brain that acts as a chemical messenger between your neurons. This releases a chemical when your brain is expecting a reward, leading you to feel good about yourself temporarily. Dopamine can be released by social interactions, so it becomes part of their routine to constantly check social media and other apps for this hit of dopamine.
Were phones made to be intentionally addictive?
Think about the things that make phones really hard to put down or attract you to them. The buzzing of notifications, the red bubbles on your apps, the endless feed, recommended content – the perfect storm of distractions. So yes, phones are designed to be addictive. In fact, every detail and feature of your phone is made to grab all your attention instead of benefiting you, and this brings me to the reason why I chose to write about this particular subject. I chose it so I can promote awareness about how tech companies make profit by simply using a viewer’s attention, and to hopefully help you form a healthier relationship with your phone. If you look closer, you will realise your phone has coordinated everything for you, from the minute you wake up, to the minute you’re asleep. It’s like a game: they try to grab users’ attention for as much time as possible, like a child running after candy without knowing the consequences.
How can I reduce phone addiction?
- Turn off non-human notifications
One of the most obvious addictive features is non-human push notifications. This type of notification is designed to simulate the feeling of social interaction so you spend more time on a particular app. Facebook is a great example for this. When Facebook sends you a push notification – like when your friend posts a new picture, or when it’s a friend’s birthday – they are using your desire for social interaction so that you use their app for longer. Surprisingly, when notifications were invented in 2003 (for email in Blackberries) they had the opposite function: to reduce your screen time since you can easily see text messages or emails rather than opening your phone to refresh an inbox. The pulling-to-refresh feature is also clearly addictive. Apps with this feature are usually capable of continuously providing new and updated content. You see, the reason it’s addictive is because that pull action itself creates an addictive illusion of control.
- Have your home screen only provide everyday tools
Make your home screen only have your everyday essential apps, like maps, calendar, clock, etc. None of these apps are going to lead you to getting sucked into a bottomless vortex. Unlike pagination, where users have to click on numbers to load new content (such as Google, for instance) “bottomless vortex” apps provide infinite scrolling with no clear endpoint. Video autoplay works the same way; these features create frictionless environments and create a sense of control for the users, making it even more challenging to stop. Research has shown that people rely on visual cues, rather than internal cues, to stop consumption. A study taken in 2005 shows that individuals who ate self-refilling soap ate 73% more than individuals who ate out of a bowl filled up by servants. However, the first individuals didn’t feel any more satisfied. Visual cues, like endpoints, are better since they tell you the right time to stop, rather than your satisfaction. And because numerous apps do not have this endpoint, we have to build our home screen with a less distracting environment.
- Grayscale your screen
The simplest way of attracting your eye is through colour. Human eyes are very sensitive when it comes to warm colours – especially bright red. This is the main reason apps have redesigned their logo to make it bolder, warmer, and more colourful. It is also the reason why the notification bubbles are bright red: to grab your attention. By neutralising these bright colors by selecting grayscale on your phone settings, you trick your brain into believing that social media is not as important as being productive.
What can you experience when you’re a phone addict?
When you’re a phone addict, you would experience many dangerous physical and physiological effects such as:
- Increased risk of brain tumours
- Digital eye strain
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Poor academic performance
- Increased loneliness
- Increased stress
- Lowered ability to concentrate and think deeply and creatively
Bibliography
Health.com. (2019). 7 Scary Things You Never Knew About Cell Phone Addiction. [online] Available at: https://www.health.com/condition/anxiety/cell-phone-addiction? [Accessed 5 Nov. 2020].
HelpGuide.org. (2019). HelpGuide.org. [online] Available at: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/smartphone-addiction.htm.
Joy, R. (2019). How to Tell If You Could Be Addicted to Your Phone. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/cell-phone-addiction#about-phone-addiction.
PsychGuides.com. (2013). PsychGuides.com. [online] Available at: https://www.psychguides.com/behavioral-disorders/cell-phone-addiction/signs-and-symptoms/.
WhatIs.com. (2018). What is smartphone addiction (cell phone addiction)? – Definition from WhatIs.com. [online] Available at: https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/smartphone-addiction-cell-phone-addiction? [Accessed 4 Nov. 2020].
