Mobile Addiction: 3 symptoms that you are hooked

In the age of technology and communications, there is a phenomenon that is worrying mental health professionals: there are more and more people with mobile addiction, completely "hooked" to your smartphone.

We can see them absorbed in their day to day, messaging on WhatsApp, without being able to take your eyes off the screen. This leads them to constantly check if they have any new notifications, preventing them from enjoying day-to-day activities, since they always have a part of their mind pending the positive reinforcement provided by social networks or messaging apps snapshot. It is what is known as FOMO syndrome, as described by psychologist Jonathan Garcia-Allen.

What is mobile (cell phone) addiction?

Mobile addiction is becoming more common and is a sign that we are increasingly dependent on technology. Some people do not make rational and positive use of them, but end up maintaining a dependent relationship with gadgets. Sometimes this addiction is known by the neologism nomophobia.

This addiction can lead to serious problems and discomfort.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms and signs that may indicate that you are addicted to your mobile phone (either cell phone, as it is known in Latin America), are the following:

• The affected person is unable to eat, hold a conversation, work or perform pleasurable activities without frequently checking if you have been texted or called through the mobile phone.
• They are not able to sleep if they do not have the smartphone turned on.
• They wake up frequently to check the mobile for new messages or calls.
• They regularly check the WhatsApp status of their friends and family.
• They get anxious or sad if they lose or forget their mobile.
• They feel restless, anxious or upset if their battery runs out.
• They check too often if someone has texted or called them. They are also aware of any notification on their social networks.

Consequences and effects

There are a number of negative consequences derived from mobile phone addiction. These negative effects can be classified according to several characteristics.

1. Anxiety

As it is a dependency, it can be linked to states of anxiety and compulsion. When the person forgets their cell phone at home, for example, they feel that something is missing, they feel cut off and this can cause anxiety and discomfort. Specifically, this malaise has recently been conceptualized as technostress.

2. Compulsion

The tendency to check the mobile every few minutes can be considered a compulsion. It is a behavior, an acquired habit that is not adaptive or brings us anything positive, but that the addicted person cannot avoid.

3. Deterioration of personal relationships

There are also negative effects of mobile addiction linked to the deterioration of interpersonal relationships. Many experts point to the paradox that, in the historical era in which we are more connected to other people and cultures, the more we suffer the effects of loneliness, isolation and misunderstanding.

We have all noticed that gatherings between friends have changed in the last decade. It is almost unthinkable that friendly chats are not constantly interrupted by one of the friends, who cannot stop checking their mobile, answering messages, calls...

It is even possible to observe how in groups of friends, each and every one of them is more attentive to their mobile phone than to the people in front of them. This kind of collective autism means that we do not enjoy in-person interactions, since we are in multitasking mode and paying attention to the smartphone, which ends up distorting the meaning of the meeting, generating frequent breaks, and therefore not allowing us to flow and maintain a fresh conversation and dynamic.

Friendly presenteeism

In another old article by occupational psychologist Jonathan García-Allen published in Psychology and Mind we talked about him work presenteeism. This phenomenon occurs when a worker goes to his job but, for some reason, dedicates a large part of the day to issues not related to his job functions.

Somehow, mobile addiction is causing a similar phenomenon in interpersonal relationships. Our friendly or romantic encounters are marred by constant interruptions. This alters the magic and the unique and unrepeatable character of each interaction.

The image we show with this attitude is very negative. We've normalized it, but let's stop and think for a second: how would we feel if someone we were dating was constantly losing attention on us to look at another individual sitting several meters away, or at a screen of television? We would probably hold out for a few minutes, until we would get angry and leave the place.

Of course, there are people who do not have the bad habit of checking their mobile phone while eating or out for a drink with a friend. This is to be appreciated. And, of course, they deserve our respect and that we stop acting by dividing our attention between the real conversation and the virtual conversations. It is a matter of respect, education and valuing the other person and offering our full attention. Your time is just as valuable as ours..

Bibliographic references:

• Davey S, Davey A (2014). "Assessment of Smartphone Addiction in Indian Adolescents: A Mixed Method Study by Systematic-review and Meta-analysis Approach".
• Gibson, E. (2011). Smartphone dependency: a growing obsession with gadgets. Available from: USA Today.
• Jonathan K. J. (1998). "Internet Addiction on Campus: The Vulnerability of College Students." Cyber ​​Psychology & Behavior. 1 (1).