I want to be careful because I am no expert in addiction. But like you I do suspect that the negative effects of phone use are more serious than we think. We might not see it clearly because so many of us are caught in it? We have normalised it somehow, but some of the data, especially from young children, suggests things are going badly wrong.
When I did this for 30 days, I noticed effects that were really surprising. On the one hand that was great, on the other was a little disturbing to see how much phone use could affect my mind.
Thank you so much for reading, and for the thoughtful comment.
You don’t need to be an expert in addiction anymore. See instagram for ref: lol. Or my 4 part series posted yesterday lol
It’s so negative. and it’s interesting from my ADHD because I didn’t think it could but My memory is worse. Concentration worse. More restless. And I’m more stupid. I think it’s a default where my brain knows it no longer has to learn or store to memory because I can recall it back on my phone in seconds.
It just makes sense that everything gets worse. You can see it already from a communication point. And the ever increasing blocking, ghosting, avoiding, no conflict resolution ; they are all needed skills - necessary for society to function - those behaviors filter into society slowly whatever and they things unravel. More men are lonely than ever before up from 3% to 15% in 25 years. When I was a young man, pubs, clubs, football clubs, cards, poker nights, etc etc - they don’t do anything anymore / I been in a gym 6/7 years and 7/8am on weekends they are in - never laughing - very serious / intense / and girls are way worse / try get a conversation out of them / and in the gym the whole time in their phone / music / training app / messaging etc
I’ve not really been an active participant in society for 20 years but I watch the world around me very closely and it’s in a bad way - and the saddest part no one wants to hear the truths and try give some you’ll get drowned out - but I also believe as humans we are and have always adapted - whether this is a step too far who knows
Hit send before I was finished because I'm in bed on my phone instead of thinking and writing, on paper!!! But honestly, you are bang on. The reduction or elimination of quiet space/time for reflection and contemplation is driving us all bonkers. 💥
Thank you so much for saying so! I really appreciate you writing.
And yes I think you are probably right. I tried to capture this a bit in my eighty hours post, it's like a loss of incidental mental rest... Multiplied by a whole population.
Great article. It’s so true. I’m guilty. It’s a compulsion trap. Although compulsion isn’t my belief system I use the term. As someone who’s had addictions to nicotine, alcohol, gambling, cocaine, the cue induced reaction, ping, urge, whatever you it’s called, it’s exactly the same. In some ways the 24/7 accessibility is an added layer. And when you can’t find your phone, charger won’t work etc the angst/agitation is similar. The intensity is arguably different. But that’s not the point I’m making. Addiction is a dirty word and society decides what is morally acceptable and what isn’t. That’s always been the way. The man on the park bench with his strong bow is an addict. The CEO who drinks heavily everyday, gambles more in a day than most earn in a month, he isn’t seen as an addict. The point I’m making is society decides what’s acceptable but that doesn’t change the fact it’s addiction, like it or not. The CEO is an addict, as are the vast majority of phone users. Addiction is not defined by outcome. But that’s how society defines it. Phone use isn’t see as causing negative outcomes so it’s deemed acceptable. But it is causing massive negative consequences and that’s borne out in metrics. We are more connected than ever yet we’ve never been
more disconnected.
Wow, that was a bit of an adhd waffle lol / I’ll post without re reading.. then I can’t critique my own rambles lol (if it even makes sense)
I love the premise and title of this because it’s all in here: “Phone use isn’t his biggest problem. But it is what’s standing in the way of him finding peace.”
What a cycle of doom it all is! Phone addiction is never the priority, never THE issue, so it becomes easy to excuse and push aside…which means we never truly face reality and admit to how much it’s “numbing and dumbing” us down (that’s how I like to think of it) 😁 great read!
No waffle at all!
I want to be careful because I am no expert in addiction. But like you I do suspect that the negative effects of phone use are more serious than we think. We might not see it clearly because so many of us are caught in it? We have normalised it somehow, but some of the data, especially from young children, suggests things are going badly wrong.
When I did this for 30 days, I noticed effects that were really surprising. On the one hand that was great, on the other was a little disturbing to see how much phone use could affect my mind.
Thank you so much for reading, and for the thoughtful comment.
You don’t need to be an expert in addiction anymore. See instagram for ref: lol. Or my 4 part series posted yesterday lol
It’s so negative. and it’s interesting from my ADHD because I didn’t think it could but My memory is worse. Concentration worse. More restless. And I’m more stupid. I think it’s a default where my brain knows it no longer has to learn or store to memory because I can recall it back on my phone in seconds.
It just makes sense that everything gets worse. You can see it already from a communication point. And the ever increasing blocking, ghosting, avoiding, no conflict resolution ; they are all needed skills - necessary for society to function - those behaviors filter into society slowly whatever and they things unravel. More men are lonely than ever before up from 3% to 15% in 25 years. When I was a young man, pubs, clubs, football clubs, cards, poker nights, etc etc - they don’t do anything anymore / I been in a gym 6/7 years and 7/8am on weekends they are in - never laughing - very serious / intense / and girls are way worse / try get a conversation out of them / and in the gym the whole time in their phone / music / training app / messaging etc
I’ve not really been an active participant in society for 20 years but I watch the world around me very closely and it’s in a bad way - and the saddest part no one wants to hear the truths and try give some you’ll get drowned out - but I also believe as humans we are and have always adapted - whether this is a step too far who knows
Hit send before I was finished because I'm in bed on my phone instead of thinking and writing, on paper!!! But honestly, you are bang on. The reduction or elimination of quiet space/time for reflection and contemplation is driving us all bonkers. 💥
Thank you so much for saying so! I really appreciate you writing.
And yes I think you are probably right. I tried to capture this a bit in my eighty hours post, it's like a loss of incidental mental rest... Multiplied by a whole population.
"Lady TikTok" 💛
And thank you again. I have to admit sheepishly I was proud of that... 😀
Great article. It’s so true. I’m guilty. It’s a compulsion trap. Although compulsion isn’t my belief system I use the term. As someone who’s had addictions to nicotine, alcohol, gambling, cocaine, the cue induced reaction, ping, urge, whatever you it’s called, it’s exactly the same. In some ways the 24/7 accessibility is an added layer. And when you can’t find your phone, charger won’t work etc the angst/agitation is similar. The intensity is arguably different. But that’s not the point I’m making. Addiction is a dirty word and society decides what is morally acceptable and what isn’t. That’s always been the way. The man on the park bench with his strong bow is an addict. The CEO who drinks heavily everyday, gambles more in a day than most earn in a month, he isn’t seen as an addict. The point I’m making is society decides what’s acceptable but that doesn’t change the fact it’s addiction, like it or not. The CEO is an addict, as are the vast majority of phone users. Addiction is not defined by outcome. But that’s how society defines it. Phone use isn’t see as causing negative outcomes so it’s deemed acceptable. But it is causing massive negative consequences and that’s borne out in metrics. We are more connected than ever yet we’ve never been
more disconnected.
Wow, that was a bit of an adhd waffle lol / I’ll post without re reading.. then I can’t critique my own rambles lol (if it even makes sense)
I love the premise and title of this because it’s all in here: “Phone use isn’t his biggest problem. But it is what’s standing in the way of him finding peace.”
What a cycle of doom it all is! Phone addiction is never the priority, never THE issue, so it becomes easy to excuse and push aside…which means we never truly face reality and admit to how much it’s “numbing and dumbing” us down (that’s how I like to think of it) 😁 great read!