Modern civilization has brought a range of handy things that make our lives easier. Yet, every medal has two sides and blessings of civilization are not an exception. If previously we were afraid of darkness and spiders, then modern fears make us think about risks and benefits of new technologies. One of the modern phobias is nomophobia which is a fear of being without your phone. Let’s have a closer look at this kind of obsession and sort out how to stop being addicted to your phone.
Why are we so addicted to smartphones?
Can you imagine modern life without smartphones? Strange as it may seem, some people can easily go without them. But they are few in number. For most leaving phone at home in the morning is a real disaster. A day without a smartphone is treated as wasted, to say nothing of missed calls and gossip passed by.
No less embarrassment is caused by a dead battery. No contact with the world – what could be worse? The phone is always at hand: on the way in your pocket, under the pillow while sleeping, in the kitchen during lunch, and even in the bathroom and in the toilet. And to be found outside coverage is a disaster that might result in a nervous breakdown.
What are the reasons of phone addiction?
Fear of helplessness and isolation from the outside world. As soon as a telephone booth became a thing of the past, smartphones got to be our everyday companions. And if previously the absence of connection with the world was quite natural, today it may lead us to panic: no chance for the emergency call, no connection with relatives and friends, to say nothing of the social media.
Advertising. Adults are still able to face the flood of unnecessary information, while children aren’t able to eliminate irrelevant stuff. Moreover, even decent advertising in movies and cartoons make children think that life’s impossible without a phone. As for adults, they are manipulated by numerous sales, discounts, fashion trends, etc.
The fear of solitude. The phenomenon of self-sufficiency gradually passes into oblivion. And the modern generation mistakes self-sufficiency for the ability to be alone for a long time surrounded by mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. Are there people who could easily manage at least a day without modern means of communication? No more than 10% will survive in that kind of “hell.” Why? What is wrong with spending a day in a real life without any gadgets? It turns out you receive no messages, no calls, no e-mails, no chats on Skype and Facebook. And you become redundant and feel emptiness as if you were on a desert island.
The illusion of sociality and impunity. In real life, a person might have no friends, be reserved, have complexes. A phone gives the possibilities to feel needed and ignore any barriers of real life. On the Internet you can be anyone you want, ignore decency, not to restrain your temper, not to feel guilty. Using texts or chat rooms people have a romance, break relationships, cross the boundaries that they have in real life.
How to stop being addicted to your smartphone?
Phone addiction is a kind of addiction similar to alcoholism, drug addiction, and gambling. Of course, it won’t injure your health like alcohol but its “toxicity” affects human consciousness and relations with the world.
It’s not easy to admit that your device takes much of your time. But it is necessary. Remember your recent meeting with friends where no one could take off the screen. Or when you were not able to enjoy a beautiful landscape without snapping a shot for Instagram or attended a concert and could not but record a video.
You may even not suspect how much you are dependent on your phone. Run a quick test to find it out.
Tips to help you resolve the issue
- Ask yourself if you need your phone to such extent so that you can’t manage even 20 minutes without the device. Most likely, the Earth won’t stop circling if you occasionally leave the phone at home.
- Start with small: stop carrying the phone around anywhere you go. You’ll be surprised, but if you go over to the store without a cell phone, there won’t be hundreds of missed calls so there’s no reason to worry about.
- It’s a bad idea to sleep with a phone under the pillow. First, your brain needs some rest before sleep. Second, mobile phone radiation will do no good for you. Take care of your health.
- Turn the phone off while having a rest. It’s time for relaxing, family dinner, watching a comedy etc. When on vacation, use your phone only in exceptional cases. Let your eyes have a rest from the screen and prevent your brain from getting distracted by social media and news feed. And let the whole world wait!
- Don’t put it off. Smartphones have become integral companions of people who are inclined to procrastination. There’s no way you can postpone struggle with addiction. Have a small self-victory by gadget abandonment for at least a day. Use it only for basic phone functions and task solving.
- Don’t buy phones for small children. Don’t deprive them of their childhood and the joy of communication with the world. Accustom kids to real life and real communication. Encourage them to read books, not blogs on the internet. Prepare them to solve problems in the real world, not in the virtual game.The absence of a smartphone, tablet or laptop with the network connection often cuts the ground from a modern city dweller’s feet. But think only 20 years ago children didn’t learn reading and writing using mobile apps, teens killed their time playing football at the school stadium, and the appointment could also be made without notification in the messenger. So why not try it right now? Go for a park stroll leaving the fear of “lagging behind the trends”. Call on your relatives instead of having a Skype call. Play board games instead of computer ones with your child.There are a number of other methods to stop being addicted to your phone. Just remember the world’s amazing even without modern technologies. And though it doesn’t seem quite possible for a city-dweller to manage without a phone, still at least we can try to use them less.
