Hits

972,839

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Sleep with your iPhone? You're not alone

You gave it a pet name. It knows more about you than your mother does. Sometimes you even sleep with it. In fact, you're so attached to it that being separated for only a few minutes could send you into a panic.
http://cdn.smosh.com/smosh-pit/052011/iphone-11.jpg
While smartphone users worry about mobile hacking and other security threats that are making news these days, psychologists and others are concerned about another equally troubling issue: the growing obsession among people who would much rather interact with their smartphones than with other human beings.

The increasing dependence comes as more people ditch their iPods, cameras, maps and address books in favor of the myriad capabilities of a smartphone. After all, companies have rolled out thousands of applications that do everything from track your heart rate to guide you through the streets.

While smartphones have made life easier for some, psychologists say the love of them is becoming more like an addiction, creating consequences that range from minor (teenagers who communicate in three-letter acronyms like LOL and BRB) to major (car accidents caused by people who text while driving).

"The more bells and whistles the phone has," Merlo, a clinical psychologist says, "the more likely they are to get too attached."

For some, the anxious feeling that they might miss something has caused them to slumber next to their smartphones.

"This behavior can increase cognitive arousal," he says, "leading to the No. 1 complaint I hear: `I can't turn off my mind and fall asleep'."

Trouble sleeping isn't the only problem smartphones junkies exhibit. Some people are willing to do almost anything to feed their addiction - including spending more money for the data plans than they can afford.

"The most frustrating part is that lost feeling you get when you are so used to having a phone," says Keosha Harvey, an iPhone addict who also has had Blackberry devices "go dead" on her in the past. "You feel a sense of nakedness without it."

"I was without a phone for four days, and it was excruciating. I kept going to look for it but then I'd be like, `I don't have it. That's right,'" Tonia Zampieri, another iPhone addict says. "It's definitely a borderline addiction for me."

ORIGINAL SOURCE

Content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.

No comments:

Post a Comment