Are you obsessed with your phone? Rather your social media notifications? So much so, that you keep checking your phone every two minutes? No, we are not exaggerating, there are many people who do this.
This isn’t normal to be honest and you are not alone in being addicted to your phone. Well, you are not alone. Millions and millions of people do that and that’s actually a very sad state. Wonder why we are saying this? It’s because it shows your anxiety level is too high. Your ever-persistent curiosity makes it evident and maybe it’s time you do something about it before it gets even worse. Worry not! We got in touch with Dr Rahul Bagle, Consultant Psychiatrist, Columbia Asia hospital, Pune to tell you how you can get over this habit.
The never-ending urge to be constantly updated
Checking the updates frequently on your phone is basically making a kind of habit to seek something new in our life. Maybe it’s WhatsApp/Facebook message, news articles or e-commerce offers, we train our minds to constantly have some feed for the brain, that may or may not be worth giving that amount of attention, at the expense of other activities in our lives. Dr Bagle suggests: “This habit can make ourselves lose our productive and precious time at work place. Sometimes, this can create misunderstanding in relationship with our partner, family members, and friends, as we avoid them (though unintentionally), with preferential attention at cellphone.”
The cause to this kind of anxiety
Many people feel anxious when they are unable to check their smartphones regularly for updates. “This fear of being out of cell phone contact is being termed recently as Nomophobia. This can be seen co-existent with persons having anxiety, low self esteem, loneliness, depression, and a sense of rejection,” explains Dr Bagle.
How to get over it
1. There are some apps that monitor your mobile usage patterns. You can use these to gain insights into your usage patterns.
2. Turn off unnecessary notifications from your settings.
3. Declutter your phone by getting rid of unnecessary apps.
4. Keep the mobile data/WiFi off while in meetings, at your workplace, a dinner, social outings, and at least 30 minutes before your bedtime.
5. Make it a habit to touch your phone with intent and only for a particular predetermined, valid reason.
Did you know how it affects your mental and physical health?
The human brain is evolved to give proper attention to only one task at a time for a sufficient duration (arbitrarily around 30-40 minutes). Constantly checking your phone reduces the attention span of your brain and makes it prone to getting easily distracted. This in turn hampers your functioning at the workplace and disturbs interpersonal relations.
“Researchers have been claiming that giving unsupervised smart phone to your kids is equivalent to providing them cocaine (in the sense, as equivalent changes it makes to their brains). Hence, it has been advised to avoid screen timing, as far as possible for younger kids. Being mindful of this continuous craving for some new stimulus and dealing it with equanimously is a process, that may take time to unlearn and learn,” suggests Dr Bagle.
