Is Our Addiction Killing Us?

IS OUR ADDICTION KILLING US?

PhotoFromPexels.PublicDomain-NoAttributionRequired

By Valerie Khordoc

50% of teens and 27% of parents feel they're addicted to

their mobile devices[1]

A survey reaching ages 18-24 showed that…

77% Reach for their phone when nothing is

occupying their attention

52% Check their phone at least every 30

minutes [2]

The overuse of our mobile devices is causing a host of issues affecting our everyday lives…

PhotoFromFlickr.By:CAFNR

1

Children and teenagers suffering from cellphone addictions could experience negative implications on their brain development and mental health

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

[3]

Teens who are addicted to their smartphone and the internet tend to experience…

Decreased brain connectivity

Increased consumption of alcohol

poor dietary habits

social loneliness

[4]

[5]

[5]

[6]

“Teens become dependent on rewards associated with the internetor cell phone instead of natural rewards such as spending time with friends and family, getting good grades, or partaking in hobbies.” [7]

PhotofromFlickr.By:Dillnbar

Poor self-rated mental health

Psychological distressSuicidal ideation

Unmet need for mental health support

AS A RESULT OF THIS ADDICTION…¼ teens who spend 2+ hours on social media a day may experience:

[8]

2

Injuries involving walking and using a cell phone more than doubled between 2005 and 2010

TEXTING AND WALKING

[9]

1 in 3 pedestrians are distracted by a mobile device as they cross high-risk intersections. [9]

PhotoFromPixabay.By:Jeshoots

Texting should be done in a standstill position or sitting down. Most accidents can be

prevented if cellphone users simply backed off their phones when

walking.

But it can easily be prevented…

[10]

PhotoBy:JulianaThanson Photography

3

Everyday, 11 teenagers die because they were texting and driving

TEXTING AND DRIVING

[11]

64% of all road accidents in the U.S. are linked to cellphone use[11]

PhotoFrom:Pixabay.By:ReynaldoDallin

64% of all road accidents in the U.S. are linked to cellphone use

25% of teens respond to at least one text while driving, every single time.[11]

PhotoFrom:Pixabay.PublicDomain-NoAttributionRequired

“Texting while driving is an

epidemic, andit must be

cured before it is

too late to do anything about it.” [11]

Teens who use their cellphones after "lights out" may be at increased risk for mental health problems

4CELLPHONE USE BEFORE BED

[12]

Teens who frequently used their cellphonesafter going to bed are more likely to have suicidalthoughts, and to have harmedthemselves [12]

PhotoFrom:Pexels.PublicDomain-NoAttributionRequired

Researchers agree that

cellphonesshould be

taken out of bedrooms

for the sake of our children's

health [12]

ULTIMATELY,

“It’s like a drug. People are addicted to it.”

it comes down to some amount of personal responsibility

[9]

[9]

“I’ll look around and everyone is doing

something different on their device”

We need to take action

and stop the addiction

- Andrea Tomkins, in the Globe & MailPhotoFrom:Pexels.By:AdriannaCalvo

“No one is saying ‘toss the phone in the

garbage’,

They are saying

limit it” [8]

ReferencesK. Wallace, "Half of teens think they're addicted to their smartphones," 19 July 2016. [Online]. Available: http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/03/health/teens-cell-phone-addiction-parents/. [Accessed 1 March 2017].

[3]

[2]

[1]

S. Krashinsky, "Attention spans in a digital world," 11 May 2015. [Online]. Available: http://go.galegroup.com.proxy.queensu.ca/ps/i.do?p=CPI&sw=w&u=queensulaw&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA412984387&it=r&asid=dafa6b11463bed4fd55f288c92d25c0c. [Accessed 28 February 2017].

8 April 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/. H. Kim, "Exercise rehabilitation for smartphone addiction.," Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 500-505, 2013.

[4]

[6]

[5] M. G. I. P. H. Pontes, "Internet Addiction and Loneliness Among Children and Adolescents in the Education Setting: An Empirical Pilot Study. ," Aloma, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 91-98, 2014.

"Digital Eye Strain Report," 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.thevisioncouncil.org/digital-eye-strain-report-2015. [Accessed 1 March 2017].

Y. L. ,. K. Y. ,. E. K. ,. I. L. ,. P. R. D. Han, "Dopamine Genes and Reward Dependence in Adolescents with Excessive Internet Video Game Play. ," Journal of Addiction Medicine, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 133-138, 2007.

[7]

References

[12] FOX News Network,, "Teens' late-night cellphone use linked with mental health problems," FOX News Network, 2015. [Online]. Available: http://health.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.html?page=31737&content=80938679&pageNum=-1. [Accessed 28 February 2017].

[8]

K. Steinmetz, "Your Texting Addiction is Starting to Cost the Government," 22 January 2014. [Online]. Available: http://time.com/1606/your-texting-addiction-is-starting-to-cost-the-government/. [Accessed 25 February 2017].

[10]Adam S. Kutner, "Dangers of Texting While Walking," 2017. [Online]. Available: http://www.askadamskutner.com/pedestrian-accident/dangers-of-texting-while-walking/. [Accessed 25 February 2017].

[9]

L. Ameen, "The 25 Scariest Texting and Driving Accident Statistics," 2016. [Online]. Available: http://www.icebike.org/texting-and-driving/. [Accessed 28 February 2017].

[11]

E. Payne, "Teens' poor mental health linked to social media use," 8 August 2015. [Online]. Available: http://search.proquest.com.proxy.queensu.ca/docview/1702249271?accountid=6180. [Accessed 20 February 2017].

All Photos Used Have a Creative Commons License.