Merrill 1

Allison Merrill

Dr. Denise Marchionda

ENG101 (303)

09 May 2021

Just Say No (to Smartphone Addiction)

Life in the twenty-first century is drastically different than in previous years due to the

recent developments of smart technologies. At one time, these impressive technologies were only

available to businesses and the upper-class because of their inflated costs. Today, this technology

is affordable to nearly everyone. Many would agree that the world revolves around technology in

the twenty-first century. Unfortunately, this modern technology has created recent problems. A

worldwide dispute has arisen about the downsides of these devices. More specifically, how much

technology is too much, and have smartphones become addictive?

In this new era of technology, most people have access to smartphones. These devices

supply a range of services that were not available to the public before. Constant entertainment,

endless information, reliable scheduling, and more are offered to anyone with one of these

devices. Most people carry their smartphones with them at all times. By doing so, they are

always in possession of information and connection to others. This widespread shift to constant

connectivity has completely changed the way people receive, and process information.

Unfortunately, for many this technology has become extremely addictive, especially for the

developing minds of the youth. Specifically, college aged students. This is because there are

factors that may make a person in this age bracket more susceptible to this addiction. Preexisting

self-esteem and anxiety problems, which are commonly observed in young adults, may increase

a person’s susceptibility (Shankar et. al 1166). This large group has grown up with the constant
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presence of technologies, and most were introduced to smartphones at an early age. For these

individuals, smartphones are a significant part of their lives, and they have learned to rely on the

daily use of these devices. While technology may be entertaining, smartphone addiction is a

serious condition that negatively affects the well-being of young adults because it leads to higher

rates of anxiety, causes users to become strongly dependent, and is not universally recognized as

a real problem due to the device’s widespread popularity in today’s society.

Smartphone addiction negatively affects the well-being of young adults because it leads

to high rates of anxiety. Social anxiety is prominent among adolescents and young adults. In

studies done by professors Tayana Panova and Xavier Carbonell of the Department of

Psychology at Ramon Llull University, poor grades and social skills were related to excessive

phone use. These studies showed negative effects of the two variables as a result of the increase

of smartphone use (253). Sudip Bhattacharya and other researchers in India state that the anxiety

that can come with increased cellphone use may lead to lack of attention to academics causing

additional stress and anxiety. Anxiety may also be present with excessive phone use due to the

lack of alone time, which is essential to the well-being of individuals (1298). Without this alone

time people are unable to de-stress and internally process information. In recent years, people

have replaced face-to-face communication with texts and posts provided by technology. Because

of this, social anxiety is likely to increase in individuals who often communicate through their

phones, avoiding in-person interaction (1299). When these individuals do go into public and are

forced to socialize, they will often look down at their phones frequently to experience brief

breaks from this socialization. When someone with smartphone addiction forgets their device or

must go without it, they are forced to go without these breaks, making them more anxious and

uncomfortable. With this in mind, when someone afflicted with this addiction is without their
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phone, they may begin to experience separation anxiety, especially in these forced social

situations.

Due to the daily use of smartphones by young adults, many have become so attached to

these phones that they experience separation anxiety when they are without this technology. The

term “Nomophobia” was created in the UK during a study investigating anxieties that may come

from excessive use of mobile devices. The study revealed that many people felt uneasy when

without their phones (Bhattacharya, et. al. 1297). One reason people experience this uneasiness

is the fear that they may be missing notifications from others. To many, the idea of their contacts

believing that they are being ignored is an extremely stressful concept. It is also important to

consider the money and private information involved with these devices. If someone’s personal

smartphone were to be destroyed or examined by someone else, the owner may run into severe

financial or social consequences (Panova and Cabonell 254). In many cases, smartphones can

“be comforting in times of stress” acting as a “security blanket” much like “with children and a

comfort object like a blanket” (252). Without their devices, many people are left anxious and

uncomfortable. Some will feel more stressed in these situations than others. Those with

preexisting anxiety conditions may be more vulnerable to these issues and may experience these

problems more intensely.

Smartphone addiction is strongly affected by the vulnerability of an individual. Those

with preexisting conditions are more likely to become addicted. Preexisting factors such as stress

and anxiety may leave individuals more vulnerable to this addiction. The influx of information

can lead to intense stress in individuals, especially in those whose brains are not fully developed.

Psychological issues such as low self-esteem may be linked to excessive phone use. These

problems are commonly seen in adolescents. Preexisting self-esteem and anxiety problems may
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increase a person’s susceptibility (Shankar et. al 1166). Signs of attachment were seen in young

adults in many studies. The conclusion being that it is possible that youths become attached to

their device due to the psychological changes going on in their lives (Bhattacharya et al. 1298).

These psychological changes can create feelings of uncertainty and instability in young adults.

These youths then turn to smartphones for the answers to their questions and become dependent

on the stability and consistency that these devices provide.

Excessive smartphone use causes users to become strongly dependent on their devices.

This is noticed in two stages: constant use and withdrawal. Almost all owners of smartphones

have developed strong dependances to smartphones. Most use their phones multiple times every

day. Without their phones, users must learn new ways to function in their every-day lives.

However, this has shown to be extremely difficult and uncomfortable for the user (Shankar et. al

1166). It is hard not to notice that young adults are constantly on their phones whether it be at

home, in school, or in public. The youth of the twenty-first century are seemingly attached to

their smartphones. This modern technology carries many psychologically attractive factors for

the user. Entertainment and fast information are always on hand. Schedules can be managed

through various apps. Social media allows the user to share with others efficiently. Many young

adults take full advantage of these capabilities. One study performed by Barani S. Shankar and

other college researchers in the Department of General Pathology in India, records that more

than half of those who participated buy new phones more than once a year. This study shows that

37% of students use their phones for social media and 30% for internet surfing. This study also

presents that almost half of the students who participated, use their phones while eating. More

than half of the students surveyed frequently use their phones before going to sleep. More than

half of those surveyed had been disrupted from sleep because of their phones. Sleep is essential
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to good health. It is a well-known fact that poor sleep can lead to both mental and physical

deterioration (1166). Many of these addicts use their smartphones to relax before bed and rely on

these devices to notify them of new information, even in the middle of the night. If these

individuals were forced to go the night without their devices, they may have difficulty falling

asleep. They most likely will begin to feel discomfort or agitation making falling asleep even

more challenging. These uncomfortable feelings are the beginning stages of symptoms of

withdrawal.

Due to this constant use, young adults are finding that they always need their

smartphones with them to function or they begin to endure symptoms of withdrawal. While it is

not required of a substance or action to be deemed an addiction, withdrawal is a substantial part

of many addictive substances. The withdrawal stage of addictions is what makes quitting

substances and actions uncomfortable and, in some cases, even painful. This part of addiction is

responsible for many with these afflictions to put off quitting, or completely give up on detoxing

all together. Withdrawal symptoms have been apparent to some in the case of smartphone

addiction. Reports of restlessness, agitation, and discomfort have been observed when removing

an addicted subject from their phone (Panova and Cabonell 254). Other symptoms of technology

withdrawal consist of, by are not limited to anxiety, respiratory alterations, trembling,

perspiration, disorientation, and tachycardia (Bhattacharya et al. 1297). These symptoms are

similar to that of withdrawal from other substances. These reactions to the removal of

smartphones can be crippling to some, strongly effecting the functionality of individuals.

Unfortunately, too often these effects are invalidated by others because smartphone addiction is

not unanimously believed to be a real affliction.

Smartphone addiction is not universally recognized as a real problem due to the device’s

widespread popularity in today’s society. Without this underlying diagnosis, solving this

problem is extremely difficult. This is partly because to treat an addiction, one must accept that

they have an addiction in the first place and feel as though they want to change. Because

smartphone addiction is not a universally accepted diagnosis, many of the afflicted may not

acknowledge that they have a problem, or that there even is such thing as addiction to technology

in the first place. The worldwide increase in use of technologies such has smartphones has

increased drastically (Panova and Cabonell 253). If society has changed to integrate phones into

every aspect of life, can excessive cellphone use be considered addicting, or is it just a societal

norm that must be accepted to succeed in this world? Despite something being common or the

“norm” in societies, it does not make it less of an addiction. For example, caffeinated products

such as: coffee, tea, energy drinks, etc. Many people start off their day with a warm cup of

coffee. They may refill their mug throughout the day to stay alert or whatever their reason. If

they go without their caffeine, they most likely will become agitated, drowsy, and experience

other withdrawal symptoms. This is because caffeine is addicting, and though caffeine is

consumed daily by many people, it is in fact an addiction. Smartphone addiction is similar to

caffeine addiction in the sense that it is a societal norm that many take part in. A crucial factor to

consider is that these devices have spread almost like a disease in a relatively short amount of

time. Smartphones are fairly new, but the concept of constant use is common worldwide. Due to

the newness of these devices, there has not been enough time to preform sufficient testing and

create adequate treatment opportunities.

Smartphones are relatively new. Because of this, society is still trying to figure out how

much technology time is healthy. There has not exactly been a comparable situation to compare
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to technology addiction. This makes diagnosing someone with smartphone addiction difficult.

Without a consistent set of scaling and criteria, deciphering those who use technology

appropriately from the addicts is challenging. A consistent criterion is not currently present. Each

study done differs in their methods and criteria. Smartphones have not been around long enough

for experts to have collected enough evidence to be prove that they are addictive. When putting

the use habits of these addicts into context within a technology driven world, it is difficult to

differ normal use from excessive use. For the most part, the tests done involving this topic have

consisted of questionnaires and surveys. This means that the results are interpretable and open to

oppositions (Panova and Cabonell 255). Without consistent testing and diagnosis, not many are

even aware of this addiction. This means that any potential treatments are underdeveloped and

limited.

Treatments of nomophobia are limited due to the fact that this illness is relatively new.

Due to the worldwide technology serge, it is not likely that the afflicted can simply avoid

smartphones. This makes the detox process extremely difficult. Maintaining long-term treatment

and goals is equally challenging with the presence of technology everywhere. There are few

treatment options that have shown to be effective like therapies. Cognitive therapy has been

effective in some cases. A new treatment called the “Reality Approach” has also shown to be

effective. This therapy involves other activities like gardening and exercise to engage the

participant in non-technology activities. In severe cases, medications that normally treat

depression and anxiety have been used. Due to the illnesses relatively new concept, the effected

are treated based on their preexisting conditions rather than nomophobia itself. However, these

treatments have not been proven to be effective in all cases (Bhattacharya, et. al. 1299). Effective
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treatment options are essential to managing this condition. With the growing popularity of these

devices, treatment options must be advanced.

In conclusion, smartphones are a part of everyday life in the twenty-first century, and it

does not look like that will change any time soon. Smartphones have an array of helpful

capabilities that can make life more convenient. Humanity can look forward to the further

development of these technologies, and how these advances might improve their lives. With

technology being everywhere, it is important to keep in mind that while technology may be

entertaining, smartphone addiction is a serious condition that negatively affects the well-being of

young adults because it leads to higher rates of anxiety, causes users to become strongly

dependent, and is not universally recognized as a real problem due to the device’s widespread

popularity in today’s society. So, try to look up from those smartphones occasionally and take

some time as an individual to decide how much screen time is too much.
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Works Cited

Bhattacharya, Sudip, et al. “NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PhoBIA.” Journal of Family

Medicine & Primary Care, vol. 8, no. 4, Apr. 2019, pp. 1297-1300. Academic Search

Complete, doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_71_19.

Panova, Tayana, and Xavier Carbonell. “Is Smartphone Addiction Really an Addiction?”

Journal of Behavioral Addictions, vol. 7, no. 2, June 2018, pp. 252-59. Academic Search

Complete, doi:10.1556/2006.7.2018.49.

Shankar, Barani S., et al. “Comparison Study of Factors Associated with Smartphone Addiction

Among College Students.” Drug Invention Today, vol. 14, no. 7, July 2020, pp. 1165-68.

Academic Search Complete, https://ezproxymcc.helmlib.org/login?url=https://

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