Augmented Humanity
How smartphone addiction affects our mental health, relationships, and wellbeing
Are you addicted to your phone?
In the last 24 hours, how many times have you checked your phone for notifications or alerts from social media apps, texts, emails, etc.?
Have you ever been in a meeting and found yourself checking your phone to see if anyone had texted or emailed you while it was out of sight and then felt embarrassed when someone noticed that you were doing so (or just thought that it was rude)?
How often do you find yourself scrolling through apps on a work break even though it may not be an appropriate time, even if there are no notifications or alerts? Do you ever find yourself “doom scrolling” only to realize that minutes or hours have passed by?
Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you at all?
There’s a name for this phenomenon called “smartphone addiction,” when someone cannot stop thinking about their phone for reasons outside of everyday use. This addiction can result in anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues caused by spending too much time on your smartphone or tablet device.
