This was an essay done on a controversial topic and went into depth discussing scientific articles that relate to the controversy. The topic of this essay was smartphones and how they are addicted to many smartphone users. Below is the final essay:
Cell Phones: Are They Addicting?
Five years ago, no one could have foreseen what cell phones would become. They are currently used to store a wide range of information, such as images, passwords, and phone numbers. Even though it is not used for just storing information, a single small piece of technology may provide so much fun. Cell phones are also advanced; they include everything a person needs and losing one would result in the loss of a large quantity of vital information. Cell phones are a controversial topic because some believe that they are addicting, while others argue that they are not, insisting that it is more of a control issue. Cell phones are associated with a significant deal of psychology. When cell phone users receive a notification or see something they like on their phones, dopamine is released, which makes them excited and causes them to stay on their phones longer than they should. Cell phone addiction has been shown through increased dopamine connections, differences in fMRI scans, and can lead to many mental issues based off internet carries like Verizon Wireless. Some critics may argue that cell phones are not addicting at all, it is just a matter of how people manage their time and have a control issue.
An article written by Trevor Haynes from Harvard University Graduate school examines dopamine and its relationship with cell phone addiction. Dopamine is a chemical that is released in the brain and helps people feel driven and happy. It is released as a “reward” once someone does something that makes them feel good. People who use cell phones feel good about themselves as they go through Instagram, the New York Times, text messages or images, see someone answer promptly, look through vacation photos, or read about the newest electric vehicle that is introduced. All these factors cause dopamine to release, as well as a desire to keep staring at their phones, which can lead to addiction (Haynes, 2021). An article that has been peer-reviewed by a medical professional with a Ph.D., named Timothy J. Legg, discusses the psychology involved in cell phone addiction, as well as describes what cell phone addiction is and how to prevent yourself from being addicted to your cell phone (Stanborough, 2019). Since all of cell phone users use this device so frequently, they are so used to checking their phone all the time for that hit of dopamine. Because the likes, comments, and posts on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, it leads to the release of dopamine, increasing cell phone user’s screen time because they enjoy the feeling of the attention and “love” that they receive. As people grow up, they learn how to interact socially. However, when it comes to social interaction, people have it all in their pocket in their cellphone, which leads them to constantly talk, text, and communicate with all the people they know.
An fMRI scan is a “functional magnetic resonance imaging scan” which measures the activity of the brain. Christian Montag, one of the many editors of the book, Internet Addiction, Neuroscientific Approaches and Therapeutical Implications Including Smartphone Addiction, describes the relationships between the brain activities within people who are and are not addicted to their cell phones. The fMRI scans have been conducted in an experiment to see the difference between the brain scans on people who spend all their time playing games on their phones and people who do not play games on their phones. (Montag, 2017). The result of the fMRI scans of the experimental group- the individuals who constantly play games on cell phones, showed that their brains had higher activations in the right frontal cortex, left Para hippocampus, and left gyrus. These fMRI image results prove those who spend more time gaming on their cell phones experienced different fMRI brain images compared to the control group of individuals who did not spend time gaming on their cell phones. The hippocampus is one of the important brain activation cues that represents an individual being in a state of addiction. These brain areas mentioned above are associated with “craving by cue exposure”.
Verizon.com contains an article that discusses how cell phone addiction is real and proposes ways to prevent it from happening. When people are addicted to their cell phones, they may have a variety of mental problems (Verizon, 2021). These may or may not be permanent, depending on the individual and how they handle their daily activities. People lose sleep time and have difficulties falling asleep as a result of spending so much time on their phones, preventing them from sleeping for the usual 7-8 hours each night naturally. A peer reviewed article that is part of the US National Library of Medicine discusses the overall concept of cell phone addiction and goes into detail when discussing studies that have been performed that prove cell phone addiction. Many surveys have shown that cell phone addiction can lead to anxiety and depression. (De-Sola Gutiérrez, 2016). In 2014, 67% of people who used cell phone for more than 2 hours a day reported having feelings of sadness, anger, or change in mood. In 1990, only 9% of people felt that way- since there were no updated cell phones at the time. (De-Sola Gutiérrez, 2016). As more people become addicted to their phones, they will be unable to function as well in school or at work — depending on the individual – as they once did. People who are addicted to their phones are unable to experience and do what they want since their phones have made a difference in their everyday activities.
Despite all this information that informs that cell phones are addicting, some people argue that cell phones are not addicting and that it is just a control issue. Andrew Campbell, a writer of an article called, You’re Not Addicted To Your Cell Phone. Here’s Why., argues that it is physically impossible to be addicted to an object, regardless of what is in it. Speaking clinically, scientists have concluded that it is not possible to become addicted to a device such as a cell phone (Campbell, 2018). They recall that people become addicted to the fact that there are certain parts of the cell phone that may be the addiction, but not the actual cell phone device itself. Because of this, it shows how no individual can be addicted to a cell phone due to the fact that it is just an object that anyone can touch, but it does not physically have the power to make someone addicted. Scientists believe that applications in a cell phone and a cell phone are different and are not considered in the same category. Although this may be true to an extent, the cell phone device is what physically carries all these applications, messages, and human online interactions with others.
Yes, it can be difficult to unplug from your phone, but there are a few solutions to feel less addicted to it and all of its apps, as well as suggestions for how to spend less time on your phone. To begin, mute all notifications, particularly those from your most frequently used apps. Apple has a new update called “focus mode”, which allows people to put all notifications on silent, which lets them not get as distracted. This lessens the desire to check your phone every time you hear a notification noise because you know it’s from one of your favorite apps. Another thing you might do is uninstall programs that take up a lot of your time and replace them with alternatives. VSCO, an app that allows you to only publish and edit photos without commenting or communicating with other people, can easily replace Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, or any other comparable apps. It is also important to set boundaries and physically stop yourself from checking your phone as soon as you wake up in the morning and before bedtime. You may urge yourself to stop checking your phone as often as you do by telling yourself it’s not important or asking yourself, “Is this genuinely what I want to do with my time?” Changing your perspective in this direction can help you create the habit of thinking about what is best for you and making decisions based on that.
To conclude, cell phones addiction has been a scientific controversy for years, especially since technology, in general, has definitely taken over. Scientific studies performed to conclude addiction, as well as interviewing people and comparing people who spend more time on cell phones with less time on cell phones have led more towards cell phones being an addiction, negatively impacting today’s society and the next upcoming generations. Cell phones are continuously portrayed by the media as the best things in the world. That is why cell phones are used for everything. Cell phones help people realize how important it is to own one. That is the point of difference. There has been debate about whether cell phones are addictive or not as culture and technology have progressed. People are encouraged to use smartphones by the media, and they are ignorant that technology picks what to market behind their apps in order to keep them on their phones. The media loves to convince people that smartphones are amazing electrical devices that allow everyone to access anything with just a few finger taps. Cell phone users, on the other hand, are completely unaware of the risks.
Works Cited
Campbell, Andrew. (2018). You’re Not Addicted to Your Cell Phone. Here’s Why. Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/you-re-not-addicted-to-your-phone-here-s-why-20180226-p4z1tf.html
Cell Phone Addiction: What You Need to Know. (2021). Verizonwireless.com. https://www.verizon.com/articles/cell-phone-addiction/
Center Tech. (2021). Take Control of Your Social Media Use. Center for Humane Technology. https://www.humanetech.com/take-control
De-Sola Gutiérrez, J., Rodríguez de Fonseca, F., & Rubio, G. (2016, October 24). Cell-Phone Addiction: A Review. Frontiers in psychiatry. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5076301/
Haynes, Trevor. (2021). Dopamine, Smartphones & You: A battle for your time. Science in the News. https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/
Montang, Christian, et al. (2017). Internet Addiction: Neuroscientific Approaches and Therapeutical Implications Including Smartphone Addiction. CCNY Libraries. https://link-springer-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/book/10.1007/978-3-319-46276-9
Stanborough, R. M. J. (2019, October 17). How to Tell If You Could Be Addicted to Your Phone. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/cell-phone-addiction#about-phone-addiction
