Expert Pitch
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- With an ever-expanding range of functions and transportability, cell phones have become a staple for many American teens -- and adults. Both are susceptible to cell phone addiction. While useful, cell phones can interfere in the lives of those who feel anxious about turning them off, especially those who refuse to turn them off at all.
"Cell phones have become a necessary part of our daily lives. Still, it is important to remember when to silence or turn them off -- like during meals and while studying or on the Internet," said Courtney Stewart, research associate at the Indiana Prevention Resource Center. "Too much information can overwhelm our senses and leave us feeling depleted. So put the phone down and spend some time talking with your friends face to face or better yet, take a walk with your friends if you want to connect and get some mood-boosting exercise."
Unlike alcohol, drug and gambling addictions, cell phone addiction can be hard to define. Feelings of withdrawal if one does not have his or her phone, compulsive checking of the phone, and using it to feel good characterize cell phone addiction. Consequences can be real.
"Students and others could experience the inability to concentrate on the task at hand, be it school work, your job or an important conversation," Stewart said. "School work may suffer, deadlines are not met, and many instructors and employers now ban the use of cell phones while in class or on the job. Failure to comply with these rules can result in declining grades, removal from the classroom and losing your job."
Addictive cell phone behaviors can even put an individual's life at risk, Stewart said, because of distractive driving or walking. Looking down at a phone for just 5 seconds while driving at 55 mph is the same as driving the distance of a football field without eyes on the road. In 2011, about 1.3 million automobile accidents involved cell phone use. In Indiana, talking on a cell phone while driving is legal; however, texting and driving is not.
Although frequent cell phone use is not uncommon, anyone who cannot sit through a dinner or movie without checking a cell phone might need to take a step back and consider how often during a day he or she does not have a phone handy.
Reducing cell phone usage can help address compulsive cell phone habits:
*Turn your phone off (not just silenced) while in the movie theater, or leave your phone in the car.
*Do not bring a phone to the dinner table. Engage in meaningful conversations face to face.
*Turn your phone off while doing homework or in a meeting.
*Resist the urge to tweet or update a Facebook status while at work.
*Go on a walk, whether it is with a partner, child or pet, and leave the phone at home.
*Trade in a mobile game for a game with others in person.
*Look up directions before getting in the car to avoid looking at a GPS while driving.
*Never text while driving.
If the thought of doing one or more of these makes you feel anxious, or if you have ever lost a job or relationship due to your cell phone use, consider talking to a counselor about cell phone addiction.
Stewart can be reached at 812-855-5556 or cestewar@indiana.edu. For additional assistance, contact Tracy James at 812-855-0084 and traljame@iu.edu. The IPRC is part of IU School of Public Health-Bloomington's Department of Applied Health Science.
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Indiana University 10 Aug, 2013
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