Put it Down: How Your Phone is Harming You

By Audrey Damon-Wynne

Your cell phone is making you sad, lonely, sleep deprived, anxious, addicted, and stupid.

I say that because I see it in my classroom every day, but also because there is a mountain of evidence published in the past year that has convinced me that you are a generation in trouble

It’s not all bad news for those born between 1995 and 2012, what Jean Twenge (in her article “Have Smartphones destroyed a generation?”) refers to as the iGen generation. According to Twenge, you are physically safer than teens have ever been. You are less likely to get into a car accident or abuse alcohol. You are less likely to be sexually active and, as a result, the teen birth rate hit an all-time low in 2016, down 67% since its peak in 1991. You also have more leisure time. Research shows you’re spending less time on homework and are less likely to have a part-time job when compared to the Gen X teens who grew up in the 19901s.

But the bad news far outweighs the good.

You are sad. Teen depression and suicide rates have skyrocketed since 2011 --what some describe as the “worst mental-health crisis in decades.” And although we can’t there is a cause-effect relationship between these escalating mental health issues and electronic devices, there are ample correlational studies to suggest there is cause for concern. One study found that 8th graders who are heavy users of social media increase their risk of depression by 27%--while those who play sports, go to church or even just do their homework more than average teen cut their risk significantly. A survey funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that teens spending more than average time on their screens are more likely to be unhappy. And a study that asked college students to track their mood and how much time they spend on Facebook found the more they’d used Facebook, the unhappier they felt.

You are lonely. Twenge says you are most likely to spend the weekends in your bedroom than at a party, and you are less likely to date than the Baby Boomer and Gen X generations. Only about 56 percent of high-school seniors in 2015 went out on dates; compared to 85% of the earlier generations. And it’s not just dating. The number of teens who get together with their friends “nearly every day” dropped to more than 40% from 2000-2015 --a statistic that may explain why those who spend six to nine hours a week on social media are more likely to say they are unhappy than those who spend an above average amount of time with their friends.

You are tired. Sleep experts will tell you teenagers need 8-9 hours of sleep per night, and a teen getting less than seven hours is significantly sleep deprived. Here again, research reveals some disturbing trends: 57% more teens were sleep deprived in 2015 than in 1991 and those who spend more time on their electronic device (3 or more hours a day) are 28% more likely to get less than seven hours of sleep. Furthermore, teens frequenting social-media sites are 19% more likely to be sleep-deprived, compared to those teens who read books and magazines. Even watching TV is only weakly linked to sleeping less. (Twenge)

You are anxious. As with the rates of depression, diagnosis of anxiety disorders are also skyrocketing and leading to an increased use of 504 plans in American schools. These plans allow for accommodations for students with physical and mental health disabilities, such as having more time for homework or tests, or being able to leave a classroom when feeling anxious. Here again, smartphones may be partially to blame. Dr. Nancy Cheever, the lead researcher for a study at California State University, suggests that phone-induced anxiety operates on a positive feedback loop: “Our phones keep us in a persistent state of anxiety and the only relief from this anxiety is to look at our phones.” Although it is too early to know the long-term effects of phone-induced anxiety, we do know that long term stress compromises almost all of our body’s processes and increases the risk of anxiety, depression, headaches, digestive problems and heart disease (Mayoclinic.org).

You are addicted. Numerous high-profile Silicon Valley designers, engineers and product managers have recently made public their concerns with the addictive nature of the technology they themselves created. Justin Rosenstein, the guy who created the “like” button on Facebook, compares Snapchat to heroin and had his assistant put parental controls on his iPhone so he couldn’t download apps. Others are enrolling their children in private schools where iPhones, iPads and even laptops are banned. Nir Eyal, author of the book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products, explains the addiction is just what the designers intended. “The technologies we use have turned into compulsions, if not full-fledged addictions… It’s the impulse to check a message notification. It’s the pull to visit YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter for just a few minutes, only to find yourself still tapping and scrolling an hour later. None of this is an accident,” he writes.

Your cell phone is making you stupid. According to a recent article in The Guardian, there is growing concern that today’s technology is a contributing factor in “continuous partial attention… severely limiting people’s ability to focus, and possibly lowering IQ.” One study showed that the “mere presence of smartphones damages cognitive ability” --even when the device is turned off. And the cognitive costs are highest for those highest in smartphone dependence.

Your cell phone is making you stupid. According to a recent article in The Guardian, there is growing concern that today’s technology is a contributing factor in “continuous partial attention… severely limiting people’s ability to focus, and possibly lowering IQ.” One study showed that the “mere presence of smartphones damages cognitive ability” --even when the device is turned off. And the cognitive costs are highest for those highest in smartphone dependence.

So what’s a connected teenager to do?

The most important first step toward making any change in behavior is awareness. Ironically, there are plenty of apps out there to track how much time you spend on your phone, or how many times you unlock it. (Moment, Checky, and Quality TIme to name a few).

Another important step is to educate yourself on the dangers of excessive cell phone use. If you made it this far in the article (without checking your messages), you are at least more knowledgeable than were when you started. But what’s offered here is only a brief synopsis of the information that is out there. I would encourage you to read the full articles I’ve references.

The bottom line is that you are making choices everyday -in some cases hundreds of times per day- that may be jeopardizing your health, your happiness and your future.

Choose wisely.