Technology such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, computers are considered essential to modern living by the millenial generation. We don’t know any different, right?

Technology has advanced so quickly over the last few decades that it is barely recognisable to senior generations.

Tech is a huge part of our lives and it can be used in so many incredible ways to advance our efficiency, availability and lead to worldwide opportunities for development.

However, is our addiction to tech damaging our health?

 

Smartphone addiction is a real phenomenon.

An American survey found that three out of five US smartphone users can’t go more than 60 minutes without checking their phones.

So what makes us so eager to play with our phones instead of engaging in real life?

Experts say our brains get a hit of dopamine and serotonin – the chemicals linked to happiness – when our phones beep or ring. If you’re interested in how addictive this can be; these are the same chemicals that give drug users their ‘high’!

We all know this is a problem. Especially when our parents or older counterparts are whinging at us to get off our phones at dinner. A recent opinion poll shows that 82% of the American public believe that smartphone addiction exists.

mobile phone addicition

In fact, nomophobia (the fear of being without your mobile device) is now recognised as a serious issue. There are even rehab facilities available to help you deal with your problem!

What is it doing to our health?

Experiments have been done to test the withdrawal effects of our smartphone addiction.

When asked to avoid technology for 24 hours, a significant majority of the candidates experienced mental and physical distress, panic, confusion and extreme isolation. Most couldn’t make it the whole day.

mobile phone addiction

Celebrities, such as Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez and Kanye West, have been taking a stance on this addiction and talking about the impact on their mental health. Amongst other celebrities, they have opted to take a break from social media platforms and their mobile to get back to real life.

Should we be taking a leaf out of Kanye’s book? Whilst we may not be subject to the same scale of vitriol, there is a worrying trend in the importance of ‘likes’ and approval via social media for young people growing up.

This impact on our self esteem is a concerning trend and can escalate to problems such as anxiety, depression and worse.

mobile phone addiction

Ironically, this addiction is making us more isolated, and fat. Yes, FAT!

Our attention spans are shorter; our gym trips are for the sake of an Instagram picture; we have disrupted sleep patterns; and we lose ourself in our mobile feed for so long we simply forget to exercise.

Then there’s the physical impacts of looking at a screen for hours on end and swiping through our phones endlessly. They’re concerning to say the least.

How can we rejoin the real world?

Are you concerned about the impacts of your phone addiction?

Well, you could try taking a break from it for a while; see if you can enjoy yourself without your phone for a day or so. Just live in the moment.

Make it fun; give yourself a treat if you make it!

At NOW Dating, we are so aware of all these issues that our dating model is all about living in the moment.

We don’t want you sitting in a dark corner swiping or messaging for weeks on end with no results.

We want YOU to SEIZE THE DATE and get back into the real world, with real people.

Connecting the online and offline. Using technology to create real experiences. The best of both worlds.

Don’t let life pass you by. Look up.