Nomophobia, in other words is the fear of finding yourself without a cell phone, is not scientifically recognized, but is a concern. And for good reason: addictive behaviors linked to mobile use are more and more frequent. 62% of people consider themselves unable to live their day without their mobile phone.
At the origin of this phenomenon? The rise of smartphones, social networks, but also continuous information, which have led to a phenomenon specific to our time called FOMO, (for “fear of missing out”), which refers to the fear of missing something. But how do you differentiate a person who spends a lot of time on their cell phone from a person totally addicted to their cell phone?
Smartphone addiction: the signs that should alert!
Several elements can alert, starting with the number of hours spent on his phone. Like the number of cigarettes or the number of glasses of alcohol consumed, these figures can constitute a first barometer to gauge the level of dependence.
The impact of cell phone overuse on personal life may also provide some indication of potential addiction. Among these consequences, we find sleep disorders, difficulty falling asleep, fatigue and social isolation.
Another element to take into account is the time that elapses between getting up and checking the smartphone for the first time: the shorter the time, the stronger the addiction. Craving, in other words the irresistible urge to use your cell phone, is also a strong marker of nomophobia.
Once these different factors have been identified, how to fight against cell phone addiction? Here are 5 practical tips to achieve this.
Ban cell phone from bedroom!
To get rid of your smartphone addiction, it is essential to ban this device from the bedroom. A useful gesture, since it allows you to pick up your mobile for a certain period of time, but also because the blue light from screens has a harmful effect on health: it stimulates the retina, makes the brain active, and is therefore not very conducive to falling asleep.
Switch off your cell phone at night!
Banning your cell phone from the bedroom is one thing. But this is not enough ! It is also recommended to turn off your device at night. The goal? Avoid the phone ringing or a notification sounding, so that you are not tempted to get up to consult it.
Define a screen time!
On smartphones, there are now features to track the time you spend on your screen. It is even possible to define the duration of use of your device, and activate a notification when this duration is exceeded. To use this tool intelligently, it is advisable to start by setting a realistic duration compared to our usual use, and then decrease it over time.
Take advantage of the holidays to pick up your phone!
Holidays are a great time to put your phone down and focus on other activities. To achieve this, it is possible to put it in airplane mode or turn off cellular data as soon as possible. Another tip: go on vacation in the mountains or in the countryside, in a place where the network is weak or non-existent. A good alternative to the increasingly trendy digital detox courses!
Switch your screen to black and white!
Some smartphones offer an interesting tool, allowing you to change the color of the screen, and switch it to black and white. A feature that makes cell phones less attractive and therefore naturally limits their use.
Cell phone addiction: how to prevent it?
The best way to fight against smartphone addiction remains prevention, starting from childhood, because young people are particularly affected by this addiction. The main recommendations to follow are as follows:
- Not buying a cell phone for your child before college.
- Set up parental controls limiting the time spent on the phone.
- Stay open, but offer alternatives to your child, such as using the landline to reach friends.
Reference: https://bit.ly/3qfR9LH
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
