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Essay / Harmful cell phone use and ways to break the habit
In our society, people are more dependent on technology, especially cell phones. There are many benefits to having a mobile device, but most people don't realize that they are overusing it, which is actually harming their own well-being: social, physical, and emotional. It’s about the “ping” of a text message and the number of likes or comments that keep us glued to our phones. This made children players; sitting in front of the slot machine, losing track of time and addicted to the next spin. A survey found that the average person looks at their phone 27 times. But for us, it's considered light because we actually spend it... 8 hours a day! And that's a huge concern. As younger generations are exposed to these technologies longer, they are putting their mental health at risk. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay You're probably thinking: so what? How is this lifestyle unhealthy? Well, although having a phone has many benefits, most people overuse it, even harming their own well-being, to the point where our phones give us a sense of relief. It's called NOMOPHOBIA: No Mobile Phone Phobia, or FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out. Dopamine Labs is an industry that monitors how people use their phones, and thus, they can make apps more attractive and compelling. An example of this is Facebook's infinite scroll: Infinite scroll is a web design that loads content endlessly as the user scrolls down. Result: people now spend an hour on Facebook every day, or 25% more than 2 years ago! As for Snapchat, users have streaks reaching over 300 days! These are just some of the ways tech industries keep people hooked on their apps; increasing their profits. Research also shows that technology can impact our memory, concentration, mood and sleep. Just like candy, children can't suppress their desires: they don't know when to stop. This can have serious consequences for their health because their brains are not fully developed. In another experiment, text notifications or vibrations were shown to make people lose focus. This shows that we are becoming TOO dependent on our phones, that we have no control over ourselves. And it's not just addiction that makes cell phones so unhealthy: radiation and blue light also play a major role. Smartphone makers like Apple and Samsung are required to share a message about RF exposure, but most people have never seen it before or aren't able to find it. If you go to your phone settings, under the legal subsection, you will find an article about RF exposure: …. “To reduce RF energy, use a hands-free option such as a speakerphone and hold the phone at least 5mm away.” Despite these recommendations, most people hold their phones close to their body. And for those who don't know what blue light is... Blue light is a color in the visible light spectrum to which our eyes are sensitive. Because blue light has a short wavelength, it produces a large amount of energy. Studies show that prolonged exposure to blue light can cause retinal damage and macular degeneration, which can lead to vision loss such as.