Phone addiction and Mental Health

photo credit: thriveglobal.com

For most young people their mobile phones are like an extension of their body, it can also be likened to a vital organ such as the heart.  Recent studies among young people have shown that young people show signs of anxiety and even express a sense of loss if kept away from their phones for even an hour. Many young people  would rather  starve themselves than not have internet subscriptions on their phones, and like the slogan of a popular internet provider says “DATA IS LIFE” , data plans are like oxygen giving young people access to the internet and most importantly social media.

Phones are very practical tools in today’s world but they can also be tools of destruction and make us unproductive  if used wrongly. What do phones not do these days? you can go cashless and still make purchases not with the swipe of your card but with a few simple clicks on your mobile device, you can keep in touch with family and friends irrespective of where they are in the world. Our phones have globalized us more than personal computers or desktops ever will, but nothing comes without a price, our phones can also turn to absolute distractions when not used constructively. This little but sophisticated devices have opened a window to a whole new world of entertainment, monitoring the lives of others, unfair comparison etc.

 

photo credit: socialmediaweek.org

 

Social media especially has been a core culprit in phone addiction, and social media while it is good for marketing and meeting people has its vices. It portrays the lives of individuals the way they choose to tell their story not the exact reality of their lives or the price they had to pay to live rich, glamorous or successful lives. Young people see celebrities with expensive cars, clothes , houses and holiday trips and they are depressed because they wonder if they will ever be able to meet up to that standard of living hence you hear phases like ‘School is SCAM’ meaning education  cannot bring them the wealth they desire. Young people no longer see the need for an education, following due process in life and being consistently hardworking and i don’t blame them, the lifestyle young celebrities portray on various social media platforms makes it difficult for young people to see the relevance of a good education and working your way up from the bottom to the top. Needless to say that depression is not far from the door, when you compare the net worth of the average educated young person  to the average online or social media celebrity. This has lead many young people into illegal activities as they try to meet up with the unrealistic standards they see online

 

photo credit: wikimedia.org

Another hazard that mobile phones have bestowed upon us is the ability to observe the lives of others via social media platforms and sometimes make unfair comparisons of ourselves and what we see on the screen of our phones. Whatsapp status, instagram, snapchat etc have become a yard stick for what is trending and what is socially acceptable among young people. This can significantly affect the mental health of young people not suddenly but gradually as they accept social media as the only reality of life and not entertainment . 99% of the content on social media are thought through and staged to appeal to whatever audience an influencer or celebrity is trying to reach. Delusion of grandeur is easier to achieve on this platforms, For those who have no means of meeting up to presumed standards or achievement of their peers and celebrities there is bound to be anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, hopelessness and worst of all suicidal ideation. The mental health of this generation is at stake and the abuse of technology is to blame.

What are your thoughts on phone addiction, share with us in the comment box below.

you can follow me on

Twitter: @bennyini

Intargram: @usoroiniobong