Topic > Harmful Cell Phone Use and Ways to Break This Habit

In our society, people are increasingly dependent on technology, especially cell phones. There are many benefits to having a mobile device, yet most people don't realize that they are overusing it, actually harming their well-being: socially, physically and emotionally. It's something about the "ping" of a text message and the number of likes or comments that keeps us hooked to our phones. It turned children into gamblers; sitting at the slot machine, losing track of time and addicted to the next spin. A survey found that the average person looks at their phone 27 times. But for us it is considered light because in reality we spend… 8 hours a day! And that's a huge concern. As younger generations are exposed to these technologies for longer, they put their mental health at risk. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayYou're probably thinking: so what? In what way is this lifestyle unhealthy? Well, even though there are many benefits to having a phone, most people overuse them, damaging their well-being to the point, our phones give us a sense of relief. This is called NOMOPHOBIA: No Mobile Phone Phobia, or FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out. Dopamine Labs is an industry that keeps tabs on the way people use their phones, and with this, they can make apps more engaging and persuasive. An example of this is Facebook's infinite scroll: Infinite scroll is a web design that loads content incessantly as the user scrolls down. As a result, people now spend an hour on Facebook every day, 25% more than 2 years ago! As for Snapchat, users have user streaks reaching over 300 days! These are just a couple of ways tech industries keep people hooked on their apps; increasing their profits. Research also shows that technology can impact our memory, concentration, mood and sleep. Just like candy, children can't repress their desires: they don't know when to stop. This can have a serious impact on their health, as their brain is not fully developed. In another experiment, text notifications or vibrations were shown to make people lose concentration. This shows that we are becoming TOO dependent on our phones and have no control over ourselves. And it's not just addiction that makes cell phones so harmful: radiation and blue light also play a big role. Smartphone companies like Apple and Samsung are required to share a message about radio frequency exposure, but most people have never seen it before or have never been able to find it. If you go into your phone settings, in the legal subsection, there will be an article about radio frequency exposure: …. “To reduce RF energy, use a hands-free option such as speakerphone and hold the phone at least 5mm away.” Despite these recommendations, most people keep their phones against their body. And for those who don't know what blue light is… Blue light is a color in the visible light spectrum, to which our eyes are sensitive. Because blue light has a short wavelength, it produces a high amount of energy. Studies show that exposure to blue light over a long period of time can cause retinal damage and macular degeneration, which can lead to vision loss such as cataracts. This is it.