Mobile Deaddiction

Smartphones have now become an indispensable part of our everyday lives. Thanks to the convenience & multiple functions such as internet surng, email, GPS navigation, social networking, gaming etc, most people tend to become over attached & preoccupied with their devices.

You get an instant high every time you see a notication on your phone - a result of release of a feel-good chemical (dopamine) that reinforces behaviour that makes us feel good & can make it an addiction. Further, the constant ow of information has totally destroyed our attention span leading to attention decit disorders in teens & adults alike.

Just like alcohol, drug or gambling addictions, smartphones offer you an escape from reality. But ironically, mobile addiction is driven by an intense urge to connect with people. It comes from a related necessity to be thought of, seen, heard, and followed by others.

The problem is that while Instagram-ing & snapchat-ing can give the appearance of social interaction, it has led to increased levels of anxiety, sadness & depression resulting from constant comparison to other people's lives online which are most often manicured & misleading.

How to know if you are addicted to your smartphone ?

Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself if you feel you are addicted to your mobile.

• Do you lose track of time when you use your cell phone ?
• Do you spend more time texting & emailing than talking to people right next to you ?
• Do you need to have your smartphone under your pillow or next to your bed when you sleep ?
• Do you feel an intense urge to check your phone every time it beeps & reply to texts/emails immediately ?
• Do you feel anxious without your phone, even for a short while ?
• Do you nd yourself checking your phone for texts or emails while driving or doing activities that require focused attention ?

Time for some Smartphone Detox :

Here are few ways that can help you take back control of your time & attention:

A bottomless scroll on social media apps can easily make you lose track of time, as you seek things that captivate you. Our brains can never get tired of trying to predict what's next. Try deleting the apps with endless scroll & notice how much time you earn back.

A bottomless scroll on social media apps can easily make you lose track of time, as you seek things that captivate you. Our brains can never get tired of trying to predict what's next. Try deleting the apps with endless scroll & notice how much time you earn back.

Try turning off notications from apps & people unless they are important or useful in real time. In fact, delete all social apps from your phones & access them only via a laptop. This way you aren't constantly bombarded with random updates.

It's true that we experience a dopamine rush every time someone likes our picture or makes a comment on Instagram. The euphoric sensation is as real as it gets. However, you can cut down the dopamine craving from social media & your smartphone by focusing on things that help in natural release of dopamine. These include mediation, yoga, exercise & any other mindful activity.