Have you ever wondered why we invent things? At its core, every invention ever made has been for the betterment and well-being of people. It’s all about making life better for us!

Think about smartphones and the internet. These are perfect examples. They were created for so many good reasons: to help us learn, keep us entertained, grow businesses, stay in touch with friends and family far away, and keep up with what’s happening in the world. But nowadays, many people have become so addicted to their smartphones that they miss out on real life.

The Dangers of Phone Addiction

• Sleep disruption and energy loss

Using your smartphone the first thing in the morning can disrupt your brain’s natural wake-up cycle. Normally, your brain gradually activates and prepares itself for the day, but the sudden light and information from a phone can interfere with this process. The same thing happens with your sleep cycle when you use your phone at night before bed. This habit can do more than just make you tired; it can reduce your energy and focus, and even make you feel stressed and lethargic all day long.

• Impact on eyes

Too much screen time weakens your eyes and leads to different eye problems such as dry eyes, blurry vision, headache, and disease like myopia.

• Posture imbalance

Most people adopt irregular posture when using a mobile phone. For example, keeping the head tilted forward and down for long periods of can cause neck and shoulder muscles to become stiff and painful. Other common poor habits include lying on a bed or sofa while using a smartphone. Ultimately, these practices can lead to chronic neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, and poor overall body alignment.

• Loss of self-esteem and self-confidence

The endless comparison game in smartphone on social media can significantly damage our self-esteem. We worry about our own posts’ performance (likes, views, etc.), forgetting that these figures are often inaccurate or inflated. Furthermore, what we see from others is highly edited: most people are not truly as wealthy, successful, or put-together as their online profiles make them seem.

• Obesity and laziness

Long hours of screen time can lead to inactivity. This lack of movement makes people not only more obese and lazy but also increases the risk of various diseases such as cardiac problems, joint pain, chest pain, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

• Lose control over brain

Smartphone addiction causes people to lose control over their actions, making them unable to stop their obsessive habit of checking the phone every minute. This, in turn, causes them to disregard their important work.

• Being Addicted from a Young Age

Parents have a significant contribution behind their children’s smartphone addiction. Due to being unable to dedicate enough time to their children, many parents allow them to use smartphones or other digital devices. Consequently, children gradually become addicted to the smartphone from a very early age.

• Impact on Brain Development

At this young age, children’s brains are not developed enough to distinguish whether the content being viewed on the smartphone is good or bad. The consumption of harmful content then inculcates bad habits and poor manners in them.

• Severe Behavioral and Health Risks

In many instances, children become so addicted to phones that if they are denied access, they may end up exhibiting aggressive behavior or even committing serious acts. Excessive use of smartphones exposes children to both physical and mental illnesses from a young age, which can ultimately lead to a detrimental future for them.

3. Other effects

• The Perilous Nature of Smartphone Addiction

Smartphone addiction is as dangerous as drug and gambling addictions; the more one uses it, the more dependent one becomes. This escalating use often leads to spending less time with family and friends, which in turn weakens relationships and can sometimes even contribute to serious issues like divorce.

• Psychological and Physical Deterioration

Excessive smartphone use contributes to both mental and physical decline. Furthermore, many people experience the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) when their phone isn’t around. Such dependency fosters negative emotions like stress, fear, anger, depression, and anxiety. Consequently, individuals begin to feel isolated and lonely in the real world and society.

• Escalation to Negative Content and Real-World Crime

This unstable mental state can lead people to consume more negative content on their devices, such as pornography and crime-related material. A concerning theory suggests that when individuals feel a lack of satisfaction from their phone use, they may seek validation or excitement by committing crimes in the real world. This is reflected in the concerning global increase in cases of mass shootings, rapes, and robberies.

• A Public Crisis with Global Consequences

As we can see, smartphone addiction is not just an individual issue; it is a public problem. Its negative consequences have the potential to disturb the peace and ruin the future of the world.

Therefore, it is imperative that we take the necessary steps to overcome smartphone, internet, or social media addiction.

Checking the smartphone immediately after waking up or just before sleeping; using the phone in the elevator, on the bus or train, and while with family, friends, or at functions; and checking the phone every now and then—these small but highly intensive habits should be stopped immediately.

Constant notifications on the phone screen are not only a distraction that reduces focus and productivity but also a major contributor to smartphone addiction.

3. Spend time with your family and friends

If you find any free time, devote it to your children. This will reduce not only your but also your children’s smartphone addiction. Spend leisure time with friends and family members: discuss different topics, share each other’s joys and sorrows, and help one another. These actions will not only strengthen relationships but also improve mental health.

4. Learn and do different activities

Rather than wasting time endlessly scrolling through reels, substitute that habit with productive actions. Meditating, swimming, reading, doing household chores, pursuing adventurous activities (like climbing or jungle safaris), playing sports, or volunteering will not only make you mentally and physically fit but will also enrich your life and make you a more authentic person.

5. Join digital detox camp and/or consult with doctor

Parents should consider sending children to a digital detox camp if they find it difficult to manage their child’s phone addiction. In severe conditions, whether the person is a child or an adult, one should consult a doctor.

6. Be the Boss of your phone

Remember, you are the most intelligent species on Earth, with the capability to manage any problem. Take control: Be the boss of your phone, ensuring you use it on your terms, not its own.

I personally set strict boundaries for myself, following them as closely as possible. For example, I use my smartphone only three times a day—in the morning after my routine, in the afternoon after lunch, and in the evening before dinner—for a maximum of 5 to 10 minutes during each period.

Smartphone addiction, or any other addiction, is merely a result of the compulsive nature of the human mind. Therefore, be conscious of yourself and your surroundings, and live life to its fullest potential.