Mobile Phone Addiction Paper Example

Introduction

The mobile phone addiction is a distinct type of behavioral practice that summarizes an emotional reliance on the use of an IT product. The extreme usage of the smartphones has been recounted to cause some harmful effects, For instance, reduced productivity, insomnia, financial losses, family issues, and decreasing the social quality of life. The over usage of the cell phones leads to illicit conducts such as driving while using the mobile phones. The acute dependency of the mobile handsets has led to the control of the users' thoughts and actions.

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The Universality of the Mobile Phones

In the last few years, cell phones have become an integral part of our livelihood. The number of smartphone users is consistently growing every year. There were seven billion cell phone users globally in 2016, and the internet access in most homes improved from 18% in 2005 to 46% in 2015 (Parasoraman et al., 2). Mobile phone obsession has advanced considerably with the studies showing that 50% of the teenagers and 27% of the parents admitted that they were addicted to the cellphones (4). Moreover, because of the extensive variety of appliances, contained in the mobile phones, the people, mostly the college scholars have been obsessed with the communication gadgets. Currently, the usage of the smartphones among the college learners was approximately 24.8% to 27.8%, and the number is progressing each year (9). The longing behavior to use the mobile phone affects the mental functioning by reducing the thinking capability and induces self-reliance. Further, feeling nervous without a handset, waking up in the middle of the night to check the mobile updates, distracted with the mobile phone application, and checking on the phone with no reason are the leading indicators of cell phone addiction (11).

Bad Effects of Mobile Phone

Equally important, other than managing critical situations, the over usage of the mobile phones among the individuals have been indicated to cause reduced personal attention, social nuisance and reduction in work efficiency. The increased level of smartphone addiction can cause psychological disorders including computer vision syndrome, neck pain and rigidity, weakness of thumb and wrist, and dry eyes (6). An investigation was conducted involving 1004 Italian pupils recruited within the public middle school who were aged between 10 and 16 years. According to the research developed by (Cerruti et al., 1), 28.0% of the total sample described a headache. A substantial link was established in which the female learners were overrepresented in the headache group (x (2) (1) =7.78, P<.01). Internet addicts were 14.9%, the mobile users were 26.0%, and abusers of both media were 19.5%. Furthermore, an estimation of 40% involved the cellular phone addiction cluster, 32% in the internet usage, 39% in the tension type of a headache, and 31% in the mobile and internet addict group. The infrequent internet abusers in the no headache set recounted low median tallies compared to the daily internet addicts who stated high median results for somatic indications. In the migraine group (Kruskal-Wallis X (2) (1) = 6.54, P. 01), in the tension-type headache (Kruskal-Wallis x (2) (1) =5.54, P.02 (par.1).

Besides, established mental health indications among the young adults in the universities have been connected with extreme mobile use. The prevalence of the mobile phone exposure comprises a sensation of never being free, the feeling of guiltiness because of one's incapability to return calls, unstable sleep, and psychological burden (Thomee, Harenstam, and Hagberg 12). An investigation was performed to determine if there was an association between psychosocial features of the cell phone use and the emotional health complications in prospective young adults. The leading concern was to analyze whether the alleged abuse of the cell phones was connected with reported sleep deprivation and symptoms of depression. In the examination, the Statistical software package SAS, version 9.2 (SAS Institute, NC, Cary, USA.) was applied. The Spearman correlation was used to investigate the relation between the social support and the cellular phone disclosure. For the multivariate inquiry of the cross-sectional and prospective link between exposure variables and the psychological health outcomes, the Cox proportional hazard model (PHREG proc with time set to 1) was employed to evaluate the prevalence ratio (PRs) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (17). To produce adequate (CIs), the robust variance option (COVS) was applied in the cross-sectional analysis. Each exposure variable was used as the reference plane in the low grouping. For the background aspects, that included education level, occupation at baseline, and relationship status, the prevalence ratio (PRs) was regulated. After the standardization of the background factors, the results revealed a definite connection between the extreme cell phone use with symptoms of depression, and sleep disturbance for both women and men (23).

The mental health complications reduced personal relationships, and unbalanced circadian rhythm, are the detrimental results associated with the over usage of the smartphone. The problematic mobile phone use represented with the typical obsessive behavior was examined in the surveys. The recurring failure to discourage the impulse to use the smartphone, and the use of the smartphones in an extended period than expected, indicates a compulsive syndrome. The individuals with Substance use and gambling syndromes share these compulsive behaviors (3). Furthermore, to evaluate the obsessive disorder, a diagnostic criterion was performed. The analysis involved three eligible therapists, who interrogated individual partakers to confirm if they were mobile phones addicts or non-addicts. The measures comprised group A, B, and C, the group A consisted of the problematic mobile phone use together with the eight typical indicators, and criteria B described the functional impairment that is secondary to smartphone use, and C excluded the addictive behaviors accounted for obsessive-compulsive behavior or bipolar one syndrome. The mobile phone abusers, who were the individuals characterized with three or more symptoms in criteria A met the functional impairment measure. In conclusion, the applicants who were identified as having an addiction to the mobile phones were 31 in total while 48 members were the non-addictive cluster (Lin et al., 11).

Moreover, smartphones can create communication barrier because everyone pays attention to the device rather than the ones surrounding. In this situation, one is upset-minded and has no idea of what is happening around. Our social ties have been altered, and our social interactions have been afflicted because of the cell phone addiction. The constant abuse of the cell phones in the new era has led to this obsession, which acts like impulse pacifiers and offers false being of fulfillment (Meema & Rathore 9). The young adults have become vulnerable to unwise talk, and the obsession of the cell phones has generated the irrational feeling of self-importance.. The time wasting and insignificance conversation have replaced the activities of considerable value to the individual. Because one is busy with the cell phone, a person cannot be involved in lucrative conversation let alone giving out an idea. Further, the smartphone mania has made the individuals self-reliant, and have no time for interacting with the people. It is crucial to the extent that one has no time with the spouses leading to broken marriages because of the cell phone indulgence. The social impacts of the problematic cell phones include public nuisance, cyberbullying, compulsive disorder, unavailability, loneliness, inattention, homophobia, unavailability, fickle relationship, and much more (10).

Besides, because of excessive use of mobile phones in the last decade, the scientist have been compelled to examine the influence of the communication devices on the human behavior. (Hussein, Griffins, & Sheffield 1), believe that the addiction to the smartphones can lead to harmful effects on the individuals. The investigation reveals the connection between narcissism, anxiety, and personality factors with the psychological aspects of mobile phone usage. Openness, emotional stability, age, nervousness, and the amount of time spent on the cell phone are the outcomes that demonstrated a significant relationship between narcissism with the smartphone addiction. Most of the researchers have confirmed a link between narcissism and mobile phone addiction. In survey research of 256 mobile phone addicts, it was established that higher narcissism tallies and neurosis intensities were connected to smartphone addiction and 13.3% subjects were classified as obsessed with their smartphones (3). The 40-item Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) was applied to evaluate the narcissistic personality. The seven subsections were comprised in the 40-pairs of statements in the NPI, with each subcategory as a known trait of narcissism. Vanity, explosiveness, authority, exhibitionism, superiority, and self-sufficiency were the behaviors accessed. Column A and B represented each statement, column A, constituted the typically narcissistic who stated that: "I prefer to be a leader," and scored one point. Column B did not score any points because they were not typically narcissistic and they affirmed that: "It makes little difference to me whether I am a leader or not." The 20 answers from column (A) were the individuals identified with the narcissistic personality disorder (11). The internal consistency of the NPI was suitable for this analysis (Cronbach's a=.85).

The solution about mobile phone addiction

Moreover, conferring to (Zheng Yang 620) the persuading and the reinforcing aspects that are comprised in the new invention of cellular phones can enable and inspire the addictive conduct. With this in mind, the administrations aiming the young people, teachers, educators, and the parents should encourage the informative movements. The fiber optic cables or the landlines should be influenced, in the schools, offices, and at home. The cell phone addictiveness has been revealed to cause potential health risks, and therefore, the adverts aiming the children and the adolescents should be restricted. The utility firms should embrace the Smart Grid-type ventures to evade the new disclosure to the wireless gadgets (620). The government should anticipate because the inability to protect the people will cause harm, especially for the children. Embracing the cautionary standard is essential, even if the revelation to mobile phones should prove unhazardous; this is the best way to prevent more health damage rather than waiting the next few years to see further endorsement. Reasonably, other than presenting a cause, for the upcoming generation and lamenting in our failure to act, we can perform early based on the evidence submitted to us. "To act or not to act," the choice is ours.

Works Cited

Cerruti, Presaqhi, Spensier, Valastro, and Guigatte. "The potential impact of internet and mobile use on headaches and other somatic symptoms in adolescents." A population based cross-sectional stud...