Unplugged: Navigating the Lure of Mobile Addiction

Mobile addiction refers to the compulsive use of smartphones and other portable devices, leading to excessive screen time and dependency. Symptoms include anxiety when separated from devices, neglect of real-life activities, and disrupted sleep patterns. It impacts mental health, productivity, and personal relationships, requiring awareness and moderation strategies.

1. MOBILE ADDICTION
By
Prof.YAGAJEYANTHI, M.Sc(N), M.Sc(Psy), PGDCGC
Chettinad College of Nursing,
Chettinad Academy of Research and Education

2. INTRODUCTION
The prevalence of cell phone
dependency has been alarming for
years now
but it’s become even worse recently
with the introduction of smart phones.

3. INTRODUCTION
These phones let you do just about anything –
make calls, text, browse the web, play music,
watch videos, send and receive emails, take
pictures, lookup directions to anywhere in the
world, check the weather forecast, choose
from hundreds of different games, and more.

4. INTRODUCTION
There’s nothing wrong with owning
and enjoying a cell phone, but it
becomes problematic when cell phone
usage interferes with your day-to-day
activities and relationships.

5. Its curious if Alexander Graham
Bell knew in 1870 how much his
invention would impact modern
society

6. WHY DO WE NEED TO
DISCUSS?

7. Mobiles are the first thing we see
in the morning instead of coffee
(28% of 18-34yrs old check face
book before getting up from the
bed)

8. Today cell phones have
become a part of our identity

9. Mobiles even follow us to our
most private spaces

10. We have addicted to our
phones as they have become
our social lifelines

11. 35% of men and 25% of
women they can’t live without
their cell phone

12. 47% of teenagers say their social
lives would end without text
messaging

13. Students around the world
said that “media and their cell
phones especially were both
emotionally & even physically
comforting”

14. Brands have realized the
addiction we have to our mobile
devices

15. ANSWER : NEED?????
It seems the inability to disconnect
from our cell phones at the right times
has caused both mental and physical
problems

16. His idea of connecting two people
would grow to be the start of a
new social addiction called the cell
phone

17. DEFINITION /
CHARACTERISTICS
Withdrawal (symptoms is you don’t
have access to your addiction);
Increased use;
Inability to cut back on use;
Reduction of competing behaviors;
Engaging in the behavior despite risks
and negative consequences.

18. Uses/functions of mobile
to control the distance in communication
and relationships
a means to deal with solitude and isolation
(multimedia anti-depressant or anxiolytic)
a means to live and dominate reality
(technical assistance)

19. SIGNS OF ADDICTION
Anticipation:Frequently thinking about calls or
messages you may receive.
Activity interference:Choosing to spend time on
your phone rather than talk to friends or family or
engage in other activities.
Emotional reaction:Becoming angry when
someone interrupts your phone time, or feeling
irritated when not on your phone.
Problem Recognition:Recognizing you spend too
much time on your phone and trying to cut back.

20. INCIDENCE
70% check their phones in the morning within
just one hour of getting up
58% said they use it ‘usually’ or ‘occasionally’
56% check their phones before going to bed
48% check their phones over the weekend
51% constantly check their phones during
vacation
44% reported they would feel very anxious and
irritable if they don't interact with their phones
within a week
More than 25% of respondents reported that
they “almost always” use their Phone while in a
social setting such as during a meal or during a
party

21. Risk factors for Mobile
Addiction:
1. People suffer from anxiety-to distract you from
their worries and fears
2. People are depressed-to escape from feelings of
depression, but mobile addiction further contributes to
stress, isolation and loneliness.
3. Peoples lack social support-Addicts often use
social networking sites by using Internet, instant
messaging, or online gaming as a safe way of
establishing new relationships and more confidently
relating to others.
4. People are less mobile or
socially active than they once
were-people may be coping with
a new disability that limits their
ability to drive.
5. People are stressed –
temporary relief from stress

25. EFFECTS OF MOBILE
ADDICTION
COMMON
HEALTH
SOCIAL
PSYCHO
LOGICAL
Effects

26. I. COMMON EFFECTS
Financial issues (such as debt due to high cell
phone bills)
Poor social skills
▪Relationship troubles (e.g. from using cell
phone while on a date)
▪Car accidents (e.g. from driving while talking
or texting)
▪Academic difficulties (e.g. from lack of sleep
due to excessive phone usage)
▪Job loss (e.g. due to frequent lateness, texting
at work, etc.)
▪Low self-esteem
▪Feeling lost or anxious if you forget or loose
your phone

27. II. HEALTH EFFECTS

28. Layers of Filth
The disturbing number of germs found on
your phone is no joke --the average phone
has up to 10 times the amount of bacteria
found in a bathroom
We often place our phones on filthy
surfaces, or touch them without washing
our hands. And then you place your phone
right near your face

29. Text Claw and Cell Phone
Elbow
"Text Claw" is anon-medical termused to
describe all of the finger cramping and sore
muscles that come from continuous
scrolling, texting, and gaming on smart
phones.
"Cell Phone Elbow"describes tingling or
numbness in ring and pinky fingers after
bending your elbow for long periods of
time.

30. iPostureand Text Neck
“iPosture" or "Text Neck" are the
signs shown when the excessive
stress on neck muscles and back
muscles by continuous mobile usage

31. Computer Vision Syndrome
Staring at the texts and pictures on
mobile constantlycan lead to
eyestrain, blurred vision, dizziness,
and dry eyes. And blurred vision plus
sore neck muscles can also cause
headaches.

32. Radio Frequency Radiation
The Environmental Working Group and
World watch Institute, highlight possible
risks associated with radio frequency
radiation emitted by cell phones.
This happens when a user sends and
receives voice and text messages.
Some studies say this
radiation may mean
significantly higher risks for
brain and salivary tumors
among those using cell
phones for 10 yrs or longer.

33. Dangerous of babies playing with
cell phone…..??????
Radiation
Poisoning (ingestion of Bisphenol from cell
phones)
Chocking (swallowing of materials from
mobiles)
Danger to phone (drooling on, throwing in
water, breaking…)

34. III. PSYCHOLOGICAL
EFFECTS

35. : "Nomophobia" (no-mobile-
phone-phobia).
. A recent survey found that 84 percent of the
world's population said they could not go one day
without their phones
current research shows that nearly two-thirds of
teens and young adults check their phones every
15 minutes or less.
The anxiety and stress over
missing out on a text or
Facebook update can take
such a condition

36. Phantom Pocket Vibration
Syndrome
No, you didn't just get a text message! 89% of the
students experienced phantom vibrationswhen
their phones weren’t actually vibrating.
The study also found that students who were
dependent on text messages and social media
updates were more anxious when their phones
weren't really vibrating.

37. Poor Sleep Health
Exposure to artificial light before going to
bed can suppress your brain's ability to
release melatonin, the hormone that
regulates your sleep cycle.
Losing sleep can lead to all sorts of health
problems, including depression, weight
gain, and even some serious diseases

38. IV. SOCIAL EFFECTS

39. Social effects
Changing in the way of business
transformed social practices
People are replacing face-to-face
conversations with cybernetic ones.
25% of them “almost always” use their phone
while in a social setting such as during a meal
or during a party
lack of reality in relation

40. V. ENVIRONMENTAL
EFFECTS

41. Toxic Impact On Humans
According to the Environmental Protection
Agency, lead taken into the body through the
air, through contaminated groundwater or
lead-contaminated food can accumulate in
human bones.
It can adversely affect "the nervous system,
kidney function, immune system, reproductive
and developmental systems,
and the cardiovascular
system."

42. Toxic Leaching
The Natural Resources Defense Council
observes that lead, mercury and cadmium
found in personal electronic devices such
as mobile phones can "release dangerous
toxins into our air and water when burned
or deposited in landfills improperly.”

43. Radiation effects of
environment
According to the Environmental Literacy
Council, ionized radiation that occurs from
nuclear material may result in weakening of
seeds and frequent mutations.
A huge cloud of radiation was formed which
resulted in a massive amount of destroyed
plant life
High doses of radiation
can be devastating to
the environment.

44. MY QUESTION TO YOU
IS…….???
In a world of social connectivity
through mobile devices, are you able
to disconnect????
HOW LONG????
A WEEK???
A DAY???
AN HOUR????

45. HOW CAN WE MANAGE
THE
ADDICTION…..??????

46. Steps to beat an addiction
1. Keep busy yourself in other
activities
2. Think of why you like your cell
phone so much.
3. Limit your calls
4. Disable all extra features, like any
text message plans or ringtone
download packages.
5.Turn your Phone Off When You Get
Into The Car

47. 6. THE FIRST 30 MINUTES OF YOUR
DAY
The first 30 minutes upon awakening should be
dedicated to creating a good start to your day.
This means getting out of bed, freshening up,
taking 5 minutes to meditate and stretch and
preparing a healthy breakfast.
Start your day doing healthy, positive things to build
your inner fortitude to take on the day ahead.

48. 7. CREATE NO-PHONE TIME
ZONES
This means that for at least 2 hours of
your day(when you’re most productive
work happens) you close off your
phone and stay completely dedicated
to the work in front of you.

49. 8. GET REAL
When you are with a real life person sharing a
conversation, a meal, or a cup of coffee, they are a
real life form. A real person right there in front of
you to engage with.
Truth in real that your virtual friends and virtual text
conversations are not more important than the real
life person in front of you

50. 9. DON’T LOSE SLEEP OVER
IT
If you find yourself up late at night playing on your
phone, whether it is video games, Facebook, or
text messaging, you are losing precious sleep over
your addiction.
you are allowing the phone to dictate your health
and well-being.
advice is to power off your phone an hour before
bed time to ensure that your last hour is spent in a
meaningful way

51. 10. SETTLE FOR A PAY
It's similar to a portable pay phone
and a calling card in one -in order to
use a certain amount of minutes, you'll
need to pay for that amount. It then
disables your phone when you reach
the maximum of minutes.

52. CONT……D
11.It is recommended to use a hands-free
that minimizes the exposure of head
significantly. When using a hands-free it is
recommended to keep the mobile phone at
least a few centimeters away from the body.
12.It is not recommended to use mobile
phones in weak fields.

53. 13. SIMPLY GIVE IT UP
If you're mad because you can't use your
phone right now take a deep breath and
relax.
You'll be able to use it again soon and the
world isn't going to come to an end just
because you can't use your phone at that
minute.

54. Research article:1
Highly addictive cell phones can have
negative effects
BY RAGAN DALTON
Published: Thursday, January 16, 2014 at
12:30 a.m.
According to a new study, the average person
spends about 90 minutes a day on their
phone, whether it's texting, participating on
social media, playing games or just making a
simple phone call. That equates to 24 full
days a year. And for an average adult life, it
comes out to three to four years just staring
at your phone.

55. Cont……d
Whether you believe it or not, exposure to the
radio frequency fields released by cell
phones is generally more than a thousand
times higher than that from home phones.
Research has been conducted on the
negative health effects of mobile phone
exposure. The average cell phone user puts
their phone in contact with several places
where it can pick up germs. People also put
themselves in potentially hazardous
situations with their phones in hand. Small
text and bright screens can strain cell phone
users' eyes. Long hours of cell phone usage
can lead to high levels of stress. Cell phones
can also eventually lead to cancer.

56. Research article: 2
Ringxietyand the Mobile Phone Usage
Pattern among the Students of a Medical
College in South India
(SonuH. Subba,
1
ChetanMandelia,
2
VaibhavPathak,
3
DivyaReddy,
4
AkankshaGoel,
5
AyushiTayal,
6
Swati
Nair,
7
andKondaguntaNagaraj
8
)
Aims:. This study was conducted to find the
proportion of students who experienced
ringxiety(phantom ringing) and other
perceived effects, as well as the pattern of
the mobile phone usage among college
students.
Method:A cross-sectional study was carried
out at KasturbaMedical College, Mangalore,
south India, among 336 medical students by
using a pre-tested, semi-structured
questionnaire.

57. CONT……D
Results:Among the total number of
students, 335 students possessed mobile
phones. Mostly, the persons whom they
talked to on their phones were parents for
220 (51%) of the students. 48% (150) talked
for less than half hour in a day and 41% (137)
were high volume message users. “Ringxiety”
was experienced by 34.5% (116) of the
students and they were more likely to use
their phones at restricted places like
classrooms (99%) and libraries (60.3%). A
significantly larger proportion of ringxiety
sufferers also complained of hampered
studies.

58. Article: 3
Mobile phone and adolescents-
addiction a mindful check in!
By Sudhen Sumesh Kumar
(Vol 3, No 1 (2014);International
Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies)
AIM: qualitativestudy on the
association between problematic
mobile phone use and psychological
problems among adolescents

59. Cont…..d
Mobile phones, one of the greatest inventions in the late
20th century. Even though it has given us convenient
and comfort, it doesn’t mean it has no adverse effect.
It is something that is going to affect everyone on day to
day basis.
The concept and ideas of the adolescents with mobile
phone use and mental health generated a possible
pathway for personnel dependency and also for the
direct sources of stress, depression, sleep
disturbances, aggression, and to a list of risky
behaviors.
Conclusion: The impact of mobile phone in
adolescents in different domains of mental health
should be considered for epidemiological and
interventional studies.

60. Article: 4
Mobile Phone Use by Resident
Doctors:Tendency to Addiction-Like
Behaviour
Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical
Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
Aim of this study was to explore the pattern of mobile phone use
among resident doctors and evaluate the same, using substance
dependence criteria.
Methods: Resident Doctors were asked to complete a 23-item
questionnaire, specifically designed for the study based on the ICD-
10 dependence syndrome criteria and CAGE questionnaire.

61. Results:
A total of 415 resident doctors were approached, out of
which 192 responded. Eighty two percent of the
resident doctors have been using mobile phone for
more than five years and 72% of them have been using
it for more than an hour every day.
Making and receiving calls was the main purpose of use
among 90% of the resident doctors, followed by texting
and for using Internet services.
Nearly forty percent of the participants fulfilled the ICD-
10 substance dependence criteria, while 27.1% of the
subjects scored two or more on the CAGE
questionnaire.
Finally, 23.4% of the subjects self-rated themselves to
be “addicted” to mobile phones.
Conclusion: Of those with excessive use of mobile
phones, some may be addicted to their use. This may
impact the work performance and the may have health
consequences for them (

62. THINK BEFOR USE
Now I am not telling you to stop
using your cell phone forever, it's just
a reminder to think before you make
that text message, or spend hours and
hours on social media.