Studies Show Smartphone Addiction Is Worse For You Than You Think

As humans, we’re bad at rationalizing; especially when it’s something in conflict with what we want.
The same is the case with smartphones.
More than 8 in 10 Americans are attached to their smartphones and gadgets and 86 percent of them say they’re constantly checking their emails, texts, or social media accounts on a typical day, according to a new American Psychological Association (APA) report.
Now, some would argue “everyone’s doing it” and that it’s “not that bad, right?”
Wrong.
After surveying more than 3,500 adults, APA researchers found that “constant checkers”—or people that consistently checked their phones throughout their day—reported higher levels of stress than people who spent less time attached to their tech. In general, nearly one-fifth of Americans say technology stresses them out.
So not only are our devices consuming the majority of our time, but they’re directly affecting our health.
To make matters worse, it’s the content we actively consume on the daily basis that is taking the biggest toll on us. 42 percent of constant checkers are stressed out by the political and cultural conversations on their feeds.
On top of that, 42 percent of constant checkers also reported feeling worried about how social media could affect their mental and physical health, yet only 27 percent of people less attached to their phones feel the same way.
It’s almost as if we’re the deer caught in the headlights of our phones, incapable of breaking the allure, regardless of what fatally lies ahead.
Our addiction to our smartphones has even superseded the importance of our relationships.
44 percent of constant checkers feel disconnected from their family, even if they’re in the same room — taken from past research which confirms partner hates it when you can’t put your phone away).
Despite 65 percent of Americans agreeing a digital detox would benefit their mental health only about a third of them actually do so — meaning we’re rationalizing against our better judgment.
Whether or not you recognize your probable phone addiction is up to you. The facts are out, it’s just a matter of accepting it.