Have you ever wondered, “why am I addicted to my mobile?” Well, you’re not alone.
Mobile phones are one of the best inventions that man has made. Over the years, developments have made this gadget a portable office, bank, and readily available entertainment source.
We can not deny that as much as these gadgets come in handy, they can become addictive. I have been a mobile phone addict, and at those moments, I never knew I was developing an addiction.
Does one get an alert that it is becoming an addiction? No, but how you function is what lets you know that you’re reaching addiction levels. Here are some of the reasons you are addicted to your phone and the best ways to overcome them.
Why Am I Addicted to My Mobile?
This is relatively straightforward; you spend a lot of time on your phone and ignore your daily functions just to be on your phone. You might be on your holidays and use this as a shield against the fact that you’re using a lot of time on your phone.
Do you have a hobby? I think everyone has one. What about that talent you discovered? Have you done anything to improve it? This might be a reason for addiction, but you will get to understand.
When you have nothing at hand to do, most people will go to work on their talents or do that hobby they have been longing to do for a while. Fun fact; it does not have to revolve around your phone.
Results of Mobile Phone Addiction
Lack of Sleep
You scroll through your phone the whole day up to 7 pm, 9 pm, 10 pm, which is mostly the sleeping time, into midnight, and the next time you look at the time, it is 3 am. You didn’t even notice that time was passing that fast. This has to be what most phone addicts experience due to this addiction.
You sleep at that time and wake up at 5 am because you equally don’t want to get late for school or work, putting in factors like traffic jams. 2 hours of sleep is what you will have for the whole day. This goes on for a week, and by the second week, it has become part of you.
Sleep is vital and helps you function well and make better decisions. The headache that comes with lack of sleep is another discussion.
Increased Insecurities
There is a lot on the internet. One day I was scrolling through this app, and the creator was talking about what they find attractive in someone’s body. They might not know what damage they put on me and many others. Why? You might ask, there’s a part of my body I am insecure about, and they prefer the opposite of what I have.
This was during the time I had recovered from my addiction. I wonder how much of such content I would have consumed during my addiction years. I would have most likely been more insecure than I am right now.
Poor Communication
Once you are used to communicating online, physical communication becomes a little foreign. I have been in those moments a couple of times. Expressing yourself will probably require emojis more than facial expressions and emotions.
Phone addiction will make you more self-absorbed. You might fail to notice what is happening in your surroundings or who is there since you’ll constantly be checking on your phone. Have you ever answered something when you did not hear the question? This has happened a couple of times when you are on your phone.
Depression
Most addictions eventually lead to depression. Here is how phone addiction brings it about. When you spend more time on your phone, you will ignore your social life. While on your phone, you would have socialized with your peers, made more friends, networked, keeping you less in your thoughts.
This is undoubtedly the result I would not wish on you. It is hard to get out of a depressed state of mind. Many young people have become depressed, and mobile addiction is most likely what has led to their depression.
Hard Time to Focus
I have a tough time revising during exam weeks because I simply cannot resist the urge to check social media. Once I get there, I give myself a false break because the internet has a lot of entertaining content.
We can rightfully conclude that phone addiction makes you less productive. It doesn’t have to do with revision. Sometimes it is house chores, work, and assignments.
How Can I Overcome This Addiction?
Develop A Screen Time
Picking up your phone and using it is sometimes unintentional. Set a specific time you will be on your phone. This schedule will help you win phone addiction.
When you set a schedule that you adhere to, the guilt of using your phone when you’re not supposed to will consciously make you return it to its position and get back to work.
Do Not Charge Your Phone Next to Your Bed
I cannot be the only one who considers the socket’s position in my bedroom when I’m house hunting. Somehow, constructors know how to position these sockets, and let me tell you, they do not fail that assignment.
It can be hard to watch your phone charge away from your bed. But this is the only way to be in bed on time and take a good rest. You will not yawn as a sign of getting tired at 9 am for the first time.
Set a Day Away From Your Phone
This must be the most challenging resolution you will have to make but set your eyes on the goal. What will I do on this day?
Visit that friend you’ve not seen in a while; check up on them; maybe they are not fairing on as well, and your company will uplift their spirit. Using this chance to utilize that talent you have been sitting on and doing nothing about it. If possible, monetize it. Your addiction recovery might end up yielding another income source.
Try to Distance Yourself from Your Phone Physically
How best can you avoid using something if not by avoiding its presence around you? Keep your phone physically far from your reach as you enter a room. Sometimes, I keep it in my bag to achieve this, especially at work or school.
The pockets are not the best option; you will effortlessly get that phone any second you want to reach it.
Final Word
Addictions are not overcome in one day, it is a process, and you need to be patient. Do not forget the goal of overcoming this addiction. Get a distraction and do something constructive away from your phone during your free time.
After that, you won’t be asking yourself questions like “Why am I addicted to my mobile?” or “Is it normal to be addicted to your phone?”
