Overuse of cellphones has become an unhealthy factor in life
By Ceilidh Adams
Comment Contributor
In the age of the iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S6, we are a generation that is intrigued, and frankly, addicted to technology. Don’t get me wrong, technology can be a wonderful thing – it connects us to people from around the globe, and it makes our lives easier in many different ways.
Without technology, our world would be much different, and our lives, much harder.
Undoubtedly, our addiction to our phones can be a very harmful thing for us. We’ve all been there – we are so concerned about looking at our Facebook feed, or posting that selfie on Instagram, that sometimes we aren’t really stopping to smell the flowers and enjoy our lives as they should be enjoyed.
For students with ADD or ADHD, cell phone addiction and the consequences of it can be extremely harmful.
Think about the last time that you were scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, or Buzzfeed on your phone. Most likely, the information that you were reading on the app caused you to think about something else. Before you knew it, three hours had passed and you went down what I call an “internet black hole”.
For students with ADD or ADHD, cell phones are one of the best distraction outlets. Having these difficulties makes it is hard to stay focused on one thing at a time, as your mind is always racing and jumping from one thing to another. Cell phone usage can worsen the symptoms of ADD or ADHD significantly.
There are many health risks tied to cell phone addiction. For example, most of us use our phones before we go to sleep. Using a cell phone or anything that emits artificial light can significantly disturb our sleep cycles, and that causes sleep deprivation.
Our addiction can be harmful to our eyes too. Focusing on the screen of our cell phones for too long can cause strained, and even blurry vision. Even worse, it can also cause migraines and dizziness.
As far as our social lives, cell phone addiction can be detrimental to our daily social interactions. It’s a harmful contradiction. We are so concerned about being connected to people via social media that we fail to connect to the people that are all around us.
We are so attached to our cellphones that we fail to enjoy the small and big moments in our lives. We are more worried about picking the perfect filters for our Instagram photo or posting a status on Facebook than about the wonderful experiences and moments we physically share with others.
There are many great ways that we can unplug from our technology and plug into our lives.
Start by taking small steps to limit your cell phone use. For example, putting your cell phone on silent during certain moments of the day will help you fight the urge to check your phone.
By designating certain times to do something where you are being productive physically or socially, you will find that your life will be more productive and enjoyable.
Smart phones are wonderful and beneficial pieces of technology that benefit our lives in many different ways. However, our addiction to cell phones can have many harmful side effects to our health and social lives. By putting our cell phones away and/or by using them less, we can finally stop to enjoy our lives as they should be enjoyed.
Ceilidh Adams is a Comment Contributor.
