Let cell phone be a part of your life

I can’t spend even an hour without my cell phone. I spend all my time texting, chatting and playing games. My mom is pretty irritated with my habit. Please tell me the negative effects of it and how do I get rid of this habit.
- Anurag, Ameerpet.

Cell phones, mobile e-mail, and all the other cool and slick gadgets can cause massive losses in our creative output and overall productivity
- Robin S. Sharma

The rise of modern telecommunications has transformed the way people communicate, especially the younger generation. Mobile phones have become an essential part of the daily lives of teenagers after 90s. Recent surveys show that 96 per cent of undergraduates own smartphones. For college students, text messaging remains the single most popular way of communicating and many students view it as a key part of social life.

Teenagers who use mobile phones regularly may develop psychological disorders, says a study that advices 'a reasonable use' for positive effects. According to Lopez Torrecillas, a lecturer in University of Granada, mobile addicts can be seriously affected at a psychological level but as they do not show any physical symptoms, their disorder goes unnoticed by others. They often develop low self-esteem; have problems with developing social relations and feel the urge to be constantly connected and in contact with friends. Mobile addicts tend to drift away from family. Switching off their phones causes anxiety, irritability; sleep disorders or sleeplessness unusual shivering and digestive problems.

Harmful Effects

Mobile phone use has several potential costs: financial, academic, social, and health.

• Sleep: Using a cell phone late in the night can seriously mess with your sleep patterns and habits, potentially leaving you with a sleep disorder. Late night use is also associated with stress and depressive symptoms.
• Depression: A Swedish study found that participants who felt the need to have their cell phones constantly accessible were more likely to report depressive mental health symptoms.

• Addiction. Several studies have actually suggested that the brains of technology users develop a certain pattern of change over time.

• Bullying: Text messaging is increasingly used by bullies to torment their victims. Cyberbullying, psychological harassment in text or instant messaging is perpetrated by boys/girls and initiate inappropriate messages or spread damaging gossip.

• Incivility: Research has shown that with the ascent of Internet and technology use, rudeness and incivility on social media sites has also increased which is in turn affecting the behaviours of teenagers.

• Anxiety. Social media on our gadgets can give us anxiety about everything including fear that our life is not ‘interesting’ enough. Social media can also cause anxiety such as fear of not being successful enough or smart enough with use of sites like Facebook and Twitter.

How to cope with the addiction Track your cell phone use. Yes, it’s a pain to do, but the more you keep track of the time you spend messaging or talking on your cell phone, the better you’ll be able to control it.

Start the weaning. When you know how much time you are spending on cell phone, it’s time to start cutting back. Take it slow and start with the least important activity you use your phone for. Commit to reducing the time spent on that phone activity just 10 per cent the first week. So if you’re spending 10 hours a week on messaging, aim for 9 hours the next week. That means being more conscious each time you’re using the phone for that activity, and trying to cut things short sooner rather than later.

Commit to being in the moment. Commit to turning the cell phone off or at least putting it off your sight, when engaged in a face-to-face conversation with another person. It’s not only helpful to your addiction, it’s far less rude and you may be surprised to learn you’ll regain these people’s respect.

You don’t need that kind of connection. So many people spend so much time on their cell phones because they believe it is a necessary part of their connections with others or with their ability to be reached and respond instantly to any and all kinds of communications. But if you need such hyperactive connectivity, that suggests something isn’t healthy with some of those relationships to begin with. Quality social and interpersonal relationships aren’t built by texting or chatting. Though it’s fun for a time, it’s not going to lead to a higher-quality relationship or a better, more enjoyable life.

Turn it off. There’s nothing you need to do in the middle of the night that the cell phone will alert you to that won’t be there in the morning. If you feel that your friend may need your help in the night, you can give your land line number or any other alternative number.

Set aside specific times of the day or evening you will use your cell phone, for instance, rather than checking it every moment you get.
Cell phone addiction doesn’t have to ruin your life, your studies, or your relationships with others. If these tips still don’t help, it might be a sign that cell phone addiction is more of an issue in your life than you realised. A psychologist who has experience in treating addictions can often help and it is a treatment you should explore if you can’t reduce cell phone use on your own.