It has become almost necessary for each one of use to at lest own a phone; be it a feature (foolish) phone or smartphone. Of course, with a smartphone comes greater capabilities; that thing gives you more power inside your pocket than it took to land the first man to the moon; if at all it happened.
Never in the history of humanity has a person been able to communicate so easily and fast with family and friends at a distance. But smartphones are not just for communication anymore. These days, they are replacing so many other devices; from a camera, gaming console, desktop computer, torch, radio, TV, a measuring tape, hell even a compass (the list goes on and on). It is little wonder we keep our eyeballs glued to the small device all day than anything else in the world.
Motorola, in partnership with Dr. Nancy Etcoff from Harvard and the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, did a study on the levels of people’s addiction to their phones. The study asked a series of question to 4,418 participants from across the U.S., Brazil, France, and India. All the participants owned smartphones and aged between 16 and 65.
The mission of the study was to gauge how the average users use and interact with their phone. Well, some of the results are outright shocking, they depict a level of reliance you would expect a junkie to have on their regular fix. The results were as follows:
| 33% of the respondents would rather spend time using their phone instead of having a face-to-face conversation with a friend |
| 53% of respondents under the Generation Z bracket consider their phones to be their ‘best friends.’ |
| 44% of the respondents say they are constantly feeling compelled to check their phone |
| 29% of the respondents are “thinking about using it or planning the next time I can use it” whenever they find themselves without their phones |
The Good News
The good thing is that most of the respondents (60%) are aware of their addiction to their phones and say they would be willing to change. 60% said they want to have a meaningful life away from their phones, while 61% say they want to get the most out of their time while using the phone, and most out of life when they are not.
Take the Survey to gauge where you stand
From the research findings, Motorola came up with a list of 10 short questions that could help anyone establish whether or not they are addicted to their phones. You can take the quiz at this link.
Phone addiction is not a joking matter, as prolonged staring into screens (computers, tablets, smartphones, TVs) can lead to serious health complication in the long run. Especially when used at night or in a darkened room for an extended period. You should try your best to limit their use when it is not a must you use them.