What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? If you, like me, have fallen victim to the technological mania that defines our generation you do one thing every morning without fail: you check your phone. You check frantically for a text, a friend’s post, what your favorite pop singer tweeted last night, etc. Mindless scrolling and liking ensues, continuing throughout the day like the consumption of food or water.
It’s a compulsion relatable to almost every college student. With the emergence of social media, this issue has grown markedly in the last decade, fueling addiction and causing a lot more psychological damage than we may realize. Cell phone addiction negatively affects our ability to focus, communicate, and form interpersonal relationships. St. Thomas students should try to decrease time spent on their phones to avoid these problems and therefore, decrease stress.
The first havoc the iPhone has wreaked on our generation is the inability to focus. It is rare for a student to not have their phone on them at all times, even in class. However, studies show that the presence of a cell phone inhibits one’s ability to be engaged. Data from a study used in an Article for the Huffington Post concluded, “Those who use their smartphones more are less able to focus their attention on the task at hand.”
Even more harmful is the effect cell phone addiction has on our ability to communicate and interact with others. We’ve all had a conversation where a person is more concerned with their phone than what you’re saying. Not only is this hurtful, but it prevents meaningful connection. The convenience of short hand communication has made face to face communication less prevalent, fostering reliance on technology for communication. This antisocial behavior hinders in-person interactions, which then leads to increased feelings of loneliness and isolation. Consequently relationships suffer as people lose a sense of how to interact without a screen.
Furthermore these feelings of isolation and loneliness are causing increased stress among college age students who are already under a tremendous amount of pressure. Dr. Michael Van Ameringen, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, conducted a survey proving this theory. He and his team found that “people with problematic [smartphone] use had significantly more anxiety and depression symptoms.”
We as a college community and as a generation have redefined relationships and the way we communicate. It’s time to redefine it again. Put your phone away when you go to dinner. Listen to your friend when they’re talking instead of scrolling through Twitter. Be engaged in class without the distraction of Facebook. Turning your phone off while you work or are with friends, or God forbid leaving it at your dorm when you go out, will benefit you in the long run. So next time you wake up remind yourself what’s really important and give your phone and yourself a break.
— Grace Wallin, St. Thomas student