Don’t you have experience with this issue?
Are you unable to focus on other tasks because you spend hours on your phone and pick it up eagerly to check what notifications there are? It could cost you valuable time and keep you from focusing on tasks that are more important.
Your cell phone’s notifications may keep you from accomplishing crucial tasks. I’ve got you. You are in the right place to get over all of this. I’ll talk about the issues people encounter and how to overcome them.
The cellphone addiction has grown since 2004. Nomophobia, the fear of being without a phone, is the term used to describe this behaviour. Some people use this one single device to run their entire business. Many of us end up taking online classes, getting online degrees, and doing freelance work. Mobile devices are something we kind of rely on.
Cell phones have become necessary for daily life, but excessive use of them can be detrimental to your mental health. Using cells has both advantages and disadvantages. I’ll talk about cell phone addiction in this article, how it affects your life, how to fix these issues so you can live a healthy life.
A mobile phone designed to be addictive.
The addiction to mobile is similar to the addiction to casino games in that you keep spending money in order to get more money every time you spin the wheel.
Social media has the same situation. Every time you pull the refresh button, something new appears in your newsfeed for you to view, or you post a picture and become fixated on receiving likes and comments on it.
The difference between social media and casinos is that while you can win money playing casino games, but on social media, you are the PRODUCT and others are making money off of you.
Have you ever noticed that the people, pictures, or videos you watch on social media keep appearing in your newsfeed to catch your attention so you can view them more frequently than is necessary?
Then, in order to make money, they placed advertisement everywhere. People in charge of it keep track of your preferences and how frequently you watch particular videos and photographs, so when you hit the refresh button, they display similar content to snag your attention. They are using you as a product to make money, and you are wasting your time by scrolling up and down.
These are the platforms to manipulate you.
Your time is valuable, because once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. Use it sensibly. You must make an attempt to use your cell phone less frequently. While using it, you can set a timer that will notify you when you need to cease using it further. You must stop using it for a while. Because so many people spend their days and nights glued to their couches or beds while using their phones.
So, turn off the notifications for a bit and engage in some physical activity, You gain weight when you stay put, and if you engage in less physical exercise, this could have negative effects on both your physical and emotional health.
Causes and effects of using mobile phones compulsively.
• Disrupts your sleep
We must get enough sleep if we want to remain healthy and productive. How can you wake up early in the morning and work with your conscious state if you haven’t had enough sleep? You feel drowsy all day, and you can’t perform at your best.
Just one more episode, one more video, one more reply—you spend hours doing this, and it seems like you scroll down and up for hours. Without your knowledge, these manipulative platforms are taking control of your thoughts, and life.
• Lower concentration
A portable device that is small enough to put in your pocket and that you can take with you everywhere you go. Beeping noises and continuous notifications can keep you from working or studying. Your career and performance may be impacted.
These days, you can simply view notifications with a watch series that you can wear around your wrist, even if your phone is in your pocket. Your watch is still on your wrist, distracting you from your task. It has an impact on your mental state and makes it harder for you to concentrate and stay focused on the tasks at hand.
• Creativity blocks
When you spend your days mindlessly scrolling through social media or watching videos, when do you have time to discover your hidden talents or develop your skills?
You are preventing yourself from being creative. How can you master the things you wish to achieve if you don’t have time to practice? Overuse of mobile devices might stifle creativity.
• Insecurity
It’s not only on the pictures they use filters; some people use multiple layers of filters to make their lives appear gorgeous. What they are displaying to you on social media does not accurately reflect who they are. Because of the opulent lifestyles of bloggers and other so-called influencers, you could start to compare yourself to them and feel insecure.
Everyone has different issues, and nobody—not even bloggers— are flawless. When you begin to compare yourself with them and begin listing your shortcomings rather than your blessings, you start to feel insecure.
• Impaired relationships
You often see a husband and wife sitting together, but they aren’t paying attention to one another; instead, they are interacting with their mobile and online friends. They have started to place more value on their virtual lives than their real ones. In comparison to real life, they prioritise and spend more time online.
Their relationship could end if they don’t spend enough time with each other and don’t communicate effectively. Sometimes it’s too late for them to revive the adored relationship.
• Poor grades
A lot of messages appear on your screen to prevent you from concentrating on one thing. Your mind wanders to your mobile notifications, making it difficult for you to concentrate on your studies. Scrolling up and down for hours makes time seem to pass slowly.
Because you were unable to devote enough time to your study, your grades suffered. Due to your addiction to mobile devices, you are putting your entire future at danger.
• Physical and psychological problems
Obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes are just a few examples of the health issues that can develop from simply sitting on the sofa all day and night, using technology, and getting no exercise.
You could be affecting your mental health and consuming so much unneeded and unhealthy information. The extravagant lifestyles of people that you envy could contribute to melancholy, worry, and uncertainties.
• How the brain is being affected
An inhibitory neurotransmitter called gabapentin (GABA) promotes relaxation and happiness. By keeping your conduct in check and reinforcing it, it plays a significant part in behaviour regulation. It can also help you manage your fear and anxiety, but excessive cell phone use may modify the way your brain processes rewards and affect how neurotransmitters work, which could interfere with how well they work. Your brain may be affected and become addicted as a result of abrupt changes in GABA production.
You were unable to manage your mood swings and were easily angered by trivial things. You depend on the internet for happiness. It causes trepidation and terror. You make yourself more likely to stick with mobile use.
Your nervous system contains grey matter, which is in charge of controlling your emotions, movements, and memory.
According to a scan of the brain, phone addiction causes a decrease in the quantity of grey matter, which makes it harder to control your emotions as they quickly shift from happy to negative. Due to a severe memory impairment brought on by a lack of grey matter, you forget things easily and are unable to recall things.
Those who are glued to their phones. After a brain scan, it became apparent that their brains had shrunk and resembled those of drug users.
• Suicide
Suicide rates are increased in recent years, Studies showed that 58% of severe depression is prevalent in young girls. Using a cell phone, continuously observing other people’s lifestyles, and not being able to afford their way of life or reach their level could lead to depression and worry. It may occasionally push you to consider a dangerous course of action like suicide.
People are looking for short cuts and simple methods to live the kind of life they see on social media. They may even decide to pursue the wrong path to wealth. if they weren’t able to achieve that level. They may take drastic action to engage in drugs or they could end their lives.
Different ways to overcome mobile addiction
• Set aside your cell for a few hours
You can go on a walk with your dog, friends, or by yourself and explore new things throughout that hour without using your phone. The fresh air and discovering new things can also increase your brain’s energy levels, and you will stay physically fit too.
You might select a book and read it. Try any helpful book or self-help book that can benefit your life. Reading on a cell phone is less efficient than reading from a book or on paper. Multiple notifications that you might get while reading on your phone would keep you from reading. Try to put your phone away for a while so that you can give the other things and yourself time to grow.
• Reinforce yourself
Use mental tricks to keep yourself on track. Reward yourself whenever you finish a task, allowing you to watch an episode only after you finish the project. You can also reward yourself by cleaning up the mess in your home afterward, allowing you to use a cell phone and watch whatever you want. But you can set a timer which will help you avoid wasting as much time on phone.
If you apply the reinforcement strategy in your life, it will be quite helpful. It can help keep you on the right track. The mind is rewarded-obsessed and will do anything to satisfy this craving. Utilize this tip to maintain your health.
• Use a 30-days experiment
Consider the 30-day experiment if you wish to establish any new habits. It will become a habit for you after 30 days. This method can help you break your smartphone addiction.
• Change your morning and night routine
Note down in a diary. Set a daily restriction on the amount of time you can spend on your cell phone, record your usage, and take note of any usage.
Do you use it to learn something new or just for fun? Analyze your actions after the day is over, and check your diary each day to see how things are going.
What is the first thing you do when you awaken? Check your smartphone. Right? What an awful way to begin the day.
Although you don’t wake up with your plans in mind, keeping an eye on other people’s schedules could make you feel anxious and keep you away from pursuing your own objectives.
Don’t look at your phone for the first 15 minutes of the day when you wake up. Otherwise, once you start receiving multiple notifications, you start to lose track of time.
Keep your phone far from your sight at night. So that you can get enough sleep and avoid being awakened by the continual beeping of your phone. Spend 15 minutes without using your phone before bed. You can practise breathing techniques to fall asleep more quickly.
• Don’t bring your cell phone to the table
These days, everyone has a separate mealtime, however if they all sit down to dine at the same table. it appears as though they are all hooked to their phones and not conversing with each other.
To keep yourself from using mobile, there is a lock box that you can put a timer on. You can keep every cell in your locked box and off of sight.
As a result, you could get to talk to your family. It’s a good practice to get into. You can lock everyone cell within a secured box and set a timer on it. To prevent people from using their phones while dining, you might set a 30-minute time limit for lunch and dinner. It’s a useful method for preventing your loved ones from using mobile devices.
• Use the application to control your habit
On IOS and Android smartphones, various apps are available to let you set usage limits for your mobile device. Download it and set a timer for yourself so you won’t lose track of time and can devote your valuable time to useful and healthy activities.
There are many strategies to get over your addiction to mobile devices, but I only covered the basic ones. I hope you can utilise these to stop using your cells excessively.
Conclusion
We must take deliberate steps to lessen the negative effects that a single device has on both our personal and professional lives.
Dopamine levels can rise when we interact with others, making us feel happy and connected. However, using a cell phone constantly or trying to stay connected online can be counterproductive in an effort to maintain dopamine levels and it can be detrimental to your mental health.
By turning off the notifications and refraining from using your phone at the family dinner table, you can break this behaviour.
Keep a journal to track your actions. Avoid using your phone 15 minutes before bed and 15 minutes after rising. Don’t use your phones excessively long. There are numerous additional techniques to avoid this tendency.
We can no longer avoid using a mobile device these days, but the extent and type of use are entirely up to us. Pick a strategy that will work best for you.
Written By Fazeela Syed for RajMehtaNews
Raj News 
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