Phone Issues?

“I’m not always attached to my phone; SOMETIMES IT’S CHARGING.”

Smartphones are useful tools, but sometimes we don’t realize they’re taking over our lives. How do these devices affect us? Is there really a problem? According to a recent study, these are the top five mental wellbeing problems for adolescents (13-17):[1]

• Feelings of sadness, distress, or hopelessness

• Guilt and blame

• Fear and anxiety

• Unwanted, strange, or obsessive thoughts

• Sense of being detached from reality

These problems are all associated with phone or tablet ownership at a young age.

Do you struggle with any of these things? You’re not alone! And there is hope. You can work to reclaim your mental and emotional freedom and stability.

While it’s not always possible to completely go without a cellphone, here are some suggestions for putting away the screens and rooting yourself in the world around you:

Yourself:

- Disciplined reflection For example, set yourself a daily goal, like 10 minutes, and choose to sit still and do nothing. No music, no screen, just you.

- Think about and develop your personal convictions. If you’re religious or spiritual, spend some time growing in your faith, praying, and reading holy books. If you aren’t religious or spiritual, deepen those convictions that guide your life by reading and pondering books about them.

- Hobbies that involve your senses: sports, exercise, DIY projects, music, art, acting, etc. 

Your Loved Ones:

- Hang out with friends in person and keep phones in the “parking garage” in backpacks or a place where you can’t feel or hear every notification.

- Engage in micro-interactions: chat between classes, when eating dinner, give high fives, handshakes etc. 

Your World:

- Walk outside without earbuds.

- Go out to fun, free, or low-cost places like
parks, museums, zoos, conservatories, malls,
animal shelters, etc.

TAKE ACTION Most phones have a digital wellbeing widget that’ll show your unlocks and screen time for the day. Just seeing how many times you’ve unlocked your phone and how much time you’ve spent on it in a day can help you to manage your phone usage. You can take back control of your life and mental wellbeing.