Cell Phone Usage if Addictive

Since their inception, cell phones have become essential parts ofpeople’s daily lives. Almost every person above the age of eighteenyears has a cell phone. These phones, which were initially meant totransmit voice messages alone, have developed into gadgets that cando almost everything for the user. Mobile users can now access anyform of information, send text messages, check for direction, usesocial media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and even makeonline purchases using their phones. Whereas substance addiction suchas drug abuse is the widely known form of addition, research hasindicated that the behavioral addiction is fast developing especiallyamong the teenagers (Brian 5). Phone use addiction is a major issueespecially among the teenagers and even employees. Extensive researchhas shown that there are nearly 50% teenagers in the United Stateswho are addicted to phone usage. The consequences of not having thecell phone such as when the battery is low on power can cause anxietyand stress among the cell phone addicts. In this regard, it isevident that this issue is worth studying and researching about.

Thesis: The numerous services that cell phones are offering tousers have led to their usage addiction, and this has caused poorperformance at the workplace, school, have led to accidents andvarious mental disorders such as anxiety.

Many organizations and companies have regulations against cell phoneusage at the workplace. This is because some employees can hardlyperform their duties since they are addicted to their mobile phones.Smartphones enable the users to access the internet and visit anywebsite they want such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and MySpace.Notably, these are social sites where people can interact andcommunicate with peers through text messages or comments. Further,cell phone users can easily post their pictures online, and thisbehavior has become addictive (Aoki 355). Therefore, whereas peoplemay not be addictive to cell phone usage, they are addicted to someof the activities that they perform using the cell phones. Sincesocial networking sites are addictive, employees tend to spend asignificant amount of work time browsing pictures and videos.Additionally, cell phones, and usually the android based phonesprovide gaming applications that are free to install and play.Therefore, many employees tend to spend considerable amounts of timeplaying the video games on their phones hence becoming addicted.Numerous work hours are wasted by employees who are addicted to theirphone usage. Besides using work hours for phone use, many employeestend to make numerous mistakes on their tasks since they hardlyconcentrate.

Cell phone usage addiction can also be viewed in the realm of theeffects it has on education. Almost all teenagers in the UnitedStates have modern mobile phones that can easily access the internet,play games, or perform online purchases. Research has shown thatteens spend over nine hours a day on their phones (Aoki 358). Thislevel of addiction is, without a doubt, alarming. Evidently, teensspend more time on their phones a day than they spend sleeping. Manyteens have expressed their inability to stay without their cellphones. There are instances where young people develop anxiety andstress when they cannot access their cell phones. Research has shownthat this cell phone usage addiction affects the school performanceof the teenager significantly. They hardly get any time to do theirhomework or even study. This is because they have been addicted tothe various services and fun activities being offered by the variousapplications on their mobile phones. Often, people are not addictedto their phone usage when they buy them. However, as time goes by andthey familiarize themselves with the various services offered bytheir devices, they start to get addicted. It is essential to notethat phone usage addiction among the teenagers occurs when theyoungsters cannot control their behavior or stop the use of theirphones (Brian 4). More often than not, the teens use their phoneswhile in class since they can hardly put the phones down. This meansthat they cannot concentrate on their studies hence affecting theirperformance. They spend most of their times on social networks suchas Facebook, as well as chatting with their peers who might be milesaway through some applications such as WhatsApp.

Cell phone usage addiction is demonstrated when people cannot focusor concentrate on some activities that call for total concentration.For example, most drivers who are addicted to cell phone usage tendto use their phones to make phone calls or receive, compose textmessages and play games while driving. There is no doubt that drivingis an activity that demands total concentration and any interruptioncan lead to an accident. In the U.S., over 30% of road accidents arecaused by careless driving influenced by activities such as cellphone usage (Brian 6). Most people who are addicted to phone usagecannot resist the urge to respond to a text message or even return acall. Drivers who tend to use their phones while driving are in mostinstances updating their Facebook statuses. Further, some driverslook up their GPSs for directions while still driving. Theconvenience that cell phones offer to the users and the immediateavailability of information, as well as social connections, contribute to their use’s addiction.

Psychological researchers have asserted that there are a fewstrategies that people can use to reduce their cell phone usageaddiction. For instance, it is essential to look up for directionsbefore starting a journey. Further, it is essential to leave the cellphone in the car while attending a lecture or while spending qualitytime with the family (Aoki 350). While doing homework or while in theoffice, it is important to switch off the phone or put it in silentmode. There is also the need to resist the urge to update Facebook orTwitter statuses. Setting aside time for mobile usage is important inthe management of mobile usage addiction.

While concluding, there is no doubt that mobile use addiction is onthe rise. As phone companies compete to appeal to the clients, cellphones are becoming extremely sophisticated. As such, manyapplications are being installed in smartphones, and their fun natureis becoming addictive to the users. Employees in many organizationsacross the world are becoming addicted to their phone usage, and thisis significantly affecting their performance. A similar fate hasbefallen the teenagers and especially the students who are unable tocontrol their behavior. It is easy to identify individuals who areaddicted to their cell phone usage since they can hardly concentrateon any other activity. This includes people such as drivers who usetheir phones while driving.

Works Cited

Aoki, Downes. An analysis of young people`s use of and attitudestoward cell phones. Telemat. Info., 20: 349-364. 2013.

Brian, Stepahnie. Two days with no phone. Scholastic Action, 37, 4-6.Web, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1432704113?accountid=10730.2013.

Grzywacz, Bogusia. Number of Cell Phones in the US. Number of CellPhones in the US. The Washington Post. Web,https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/number- of-cell-phones-exceeds-us-population-ctia-trade- group/2011/10/11/gIQARNcEcL_blog.html?utm_term=.173fdc0e666a.2013.