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SMARTPHONE ADDICTION

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INTRODUCTION
Smart phones have increasingly become the way we
communicate with one another and take care of the
necessities of life. But as use has become more widespread,
it’s also meant that some individuals may be addicted to their
smart phones.You can know if you are addicted to your smart
phone by recognizing the signs of addiction and making an
honest assessment of your use.
Nomophobia is short for “no-mobile-phone phobia”.
It’s the fear of being away from your smartphone or not
having network coverage. And it’s on the rise.
You think it’s not that bad? Ok lets find out…..

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RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS
Most of us with smartphones looks
for notifications of email, messages,
“likes” on social media, or missed
calls. Asking yourself the following
questions may help you realize that
you have an addiction.
Have LASTMA or NG Police pulled
me over for texting/calling and
driving?
Do I use red lights to reply Pings
or WhatsApp messages?
Do people tell me to get off of my
phone and pay attention to them?

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Do I use my smartphone at
inappropriate times, such as during
church service, at doctor’s
appointments or meetings with your
manager?
Is my smart phone always in my hand
or close by?
Does the smart phone join me in the
bathroom?
Do I use my smart phone in social
situations, such as Get-Togethers with
Loved ones?
Is my smartphone use causing considerable problems in my life such as
isolation from loved ones or overall lack of concentration?

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PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS
Any type of addiction often comes with
physical symptoms even for
smartphone addiction. Some physical
symptoms of smartphone addiction
include:
 Panic attacks when you leave or
forget your smartphone somewhere
 Feeling false vibrations from the
phone
 Increased stress throughout your
body
 Anxiety, especially from waiting for
messages or alerts
 Diminished ability to think or be creative
 Fear of missing out on something

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Another hallmark of addiction is with
withdrawal when you try and cut
back. Watching for the signs of
withdrawal when you don’t use your
cell phone can help you know if you’re
addicted. The following are signs of
smartphone withdrawal:
 Restlessness
 Anger
 Irritability
 Difficulty concentrating
 Sleeping problems
 Craving access to your smartphone

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Figuring out specific situations that
make you reach for your device can
help you remove yourself from them
or stop using your smartphone during
these times. Ask yourself the
following questions to recognize
patterns of use:
 When do I reach for my phone?
DETECT PATTERNS OF USE
 Is there some reason in particular I reach for my phone? Is it boredom?
Stress? Anxiety?
 Do I pick up my smartphone because other people are picking up
theirs?

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Here are some steps you could take to
overcome Smartphone Addiction.
Now all these steps below might not be
applicable you because “Different strokes
for different folks” but most should.
1. Turn off some notifications.
Many people get distracted by the
endless notifications they receive from
FB, IG, SC, LIB, etc The more often you
check your phone, the more it becomes
an ingrained habit. So turn off
notifications, and you’ll feel less
compelled to use your phone.
HOW TO OVERCOME

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2. When you feel the urge to check your phone, close your
eyes and take a deep breath.
You’re working then all of a sudden, you feel an
overwhelming urge to take out your phone and “Press”. You
give in to the urge. You look through your friend’s latest
baby dedication photos on IG and comment on three of
them. Next, you read a long article about the hidden lives
of Nigerian Celebrities. Then you watch one Pulse NG video
and one baby video and before you know it, 20 minutes
have passed – when you only intended to take a 3-minute
break.
When you feel like you just have to check your phone, close
your eyes and take a deep breath. Inhale for three seconds,
and exhale for three seconds. You should then have the
willpower to return to your original task.

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3. Set specific boundaries for smartphone
usage.
Telling yourself that you should “use your
phone less” isn’t effective, because that
phrase is too general. To limit your phone
usage, set specific boundaries instead.
Here are some possible boundaries:
- No phone usage at mealtimes
- No phone usage in the restroom
- No phone usage at social events
- No phone usage in the bedroom
Start with an easy one, and add one a
month. Over time, you’ll see a huge
difference in your phone usage patterns.

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4. Turn off your phone before going to
bed, and leave it to charge outside your
bedroom or far from you. It can be
tempting to use your phone in the middle
of the night, but you won’t if it takes too
much effort to even get to your phone. I
can hear you saying, “I can’t do this
because I use my phone as an alarm clock.
If my phone is outside my room, I won’t
hear the alarm in the morning.” If that’s
you, read on toTip #5 for the solution.
5. Use an actual alarm clock.
It seems like everyone uses their phone as an alarm clock, right? Well, you can be
different and use an actual alarm clock instead.
This way, you’ll have no excuse not to practice Tip #6. Which means you’ll also be on
your way to fighting off your smartphone addiction.

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Smartphones are meant to help us lead better and more
productive lives. But when we succumb to smartphone addiction,
we become slaves to our phone. This affects our relationships,
work, and life.
By applying these steps, this won’t happen. In addition, we’ll
have more time and energy to build meaningful relationships,
serve others, and make a contribution to our community and
Society as a whole.
So let’s get to work eliminating our over-reliance on our phones.
The world is counting on us.
DONE

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Thank you