Cell Phone Addiction And Nomophobia

Think you’re addicited to your smartphone? Turns out that cellphone addiction might be contagious.

According to a new study conducted by the University of Michigan, people are more likely to pull out their phone when someone around them does the same.

In the study, researchers watched groups of students, documenting their cellphone use every 10 seconds. Overall, students were on their phones 24% of the time they spent with a friend, and were 39.5% more likely to use their phone when the person they were sitting with had done so in the previous 10-second interval.

Researcher Daniel Kruger said he believes the pattern may be attributed to social inclusion. If the person you’re sitting with is checking Twitter or texting other friends, then you're likely to do so as well in order to avoid feeling excluded.

That effect is intensified in younger adults who might habitually check their phones. When those who are already addicted to their phones use the devices while spending time with others, cellphone usage increases even more.

Researchers said the results could differ slightly in older adults who don’t use their phones as often.

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Dr. Waterman of Morningside Recovery

The term nomophobia (no mobile) was first termed in 2008 by a U.K. survey. Nomophobia is used to describe the intense anxiety some individuals experience at losing, or the thought of losing, their cell phone. In 2008, the U.K. survey concluded that 13% of the sample surveyed suffered from nomophobia. A follow-up survey conducted last year finds that the rate has risen up to 66% of those surveyed.

4 warning signs associated with cell phone addiction:

•An excessive compulsion to check your phone

•Using your phone at inappropriate place and during inappropriate times (i.e. the movie theater in church, on a date, a public restroom, etc.)

•Experiencing extreme anxiety over losing your phone (nomophobia)

•Neglecting face to face interaction because you are glued to your phone

The first step to determine an appropriate treatment is to assess the level of impairment caused by the patient’s fear, says Waterman.

“We tell patients we’re going to remove their phone for an extended period of time, usually at least the first 10 days if they are in an inpatient program, because they need to be less distracted by external communication,” says Waterman…”

Nomophobia: Is your cellphone addiction covered?

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Waterman suggests that people with less serious cases of nomophobia try these strategies:

Become self-aware and monitor the frequency with which you check your phone.
Commit to putting your phone down and turning it off for a specific amount of time while you focus on other priorities such as your relationships, exercise or meditation.

If you feel anxious or have an urgent need to check your phone, try using healthy coping skills such as deep breathing, redirecting your attention to the people around you or busying yourself with exercise.
Ask other people to help you by taking your phone away for specific time periods.
"If you can't let go of your phone, then this could be a sign that your life is out of balance, but there's nothing wrong with using your phone a lot as long as that's not causing you any problems," Waterman says.

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Excessive mobile phone use may be hazardous to health


“Excessive use of mobile phones can lead to headache, sleep disturbance, lack of concentration, memory loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and increased risk of brain cancer,” Hasanuzzaman said adding that mobile towers in the neighbourhood can also cause various health problems including severe headache, sleep disturbance, body pain and memory loss. “The more severe health effects as a result of the excessive use of mobile phones include infertility, miscarriage, neurodegenerative disorders, heart problems and cancer,” he added.
Children are more vulnerable due to their developing immune system and thinner skulls which allow radiation to penetrate deeper. Women also run the risk of health problems like hormonal imbalances, miscarriages, breast and ovarian cancer, as they spend more time at home speaking on mobile phones and get exposed to radiation, medical experts said.

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(The point here is excessive cell phone use is an addiction. Everyday I see people walking, sitting etc staring at their cell phones or talking, talking, talking or texting, texting, texting etc.

Cell phone usage is an impersonal form of communication that is 'unhuman".

People sit and text each other and don't talk.

I predict if this continues that someday people will not communicate by talking face to face but will only communicate through a device that does their communicating for them.

Even now people are losing their personal communication skills via the cell phone.

People yak all the time in some cases. Excessive talk about anything except something that is of value.

People use the cell phone and ignore other people including their own children and family.

My advice is to throw away you "smart" phone that is controlling your life.

Yes I said CONTROLLING YOUR LIFE! Its is if you constantly use it. Using a cell phone is a waste of time and an excellent way to live your life in a VIRTUAL WORLD!!!) Story Reports