What Is Phone Addiction?

I want to talk about something we all have and something we might not think about. Cell phones. Addiction. Do you put those two together? No. Well, you’re not alone in that. I don’t think many people would think of anyone having an addiction to their cell phones, but there are people who are. So, let’s take a look at the signs. This might not be for you, but you never know if a friend or family member might have an issue and you can help them.

• You reach for your phone the moment you’re alone or bored.
• You wake up multiple times at night to check your phone.
• You feel anxious, upset, or short-tempered when you can’t get to your phone.
• Your phone use has caused you to have an accident or injury.
• You’re spending more and more time using your phone.
• Phone use interferes with your job performance, schoolwork, or relationships.
• People in your life are concerned about your phone use patterns.
• When you try to limit your use, you relapse quickly.

Now don’t worry if you see these in yourself, a friend, or a loved one. You can help them. There’s hope.  You can try some of these and of course, if it’s bad enough talk to a therapist or your doctor.

• Remove time-consuming apps from your phone and access them through a device you don’t carry with you all day.
• Change your settings to eliminate push notifications and other disruptive alerts.
• Set your screen to gray scale to keep it from waking you at night.
• Place some barriers around your phone use that force you to think about what you’re doing. For example, you could create lock screen questions, like “Why now?” and “What for?”
• Keep your phone out of sight. Charge your phone somewhere besides your bedroom.
• Develop hobbies that feed your soul. Replace the games and social media apps with hands-on, real-world activities, like meeting up with friends, creating music or art, or doing volunteer work.
• Adopt a growth mindset. Brief relapses, adjustments, and withdrawal symptoms are part of a journey toward healthier phone use. Don’t expect to get it right immediately. Expect some setbacks, and learn from each experience

I hope someone finds this helpful and if you need help that you seek out help.

*Some of the information was taken from here and you can read more about it there for other options to do.*

Meet Allyson:

Allyson is a published author, blogger, wife, and mom to 4 kids. Three of her children are on the autism spectrum. She suffers from anxiety and panic attacks.  On her blog, you can find her writing about being an author, her faith, and her family.  She resides in Indiana with her loving husband and four wonderful children, and three cats. She’s addicted to knitting and coffee.

You can follow Allyson on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.