Looking At Your Cell Phone And Anxiety: Overcoming Technological Addiction
How much time do you think you spend looking at your phone each day? Looking at social networks, scrolling with your thumb looking at content that never ends, unlocking the password dozens of times every hour, and above all, a constant feeling of anxiety. How is anxiety related to the use of technology? How to overcome technological addiction?
Nowadays it is common to look at your cell phone almost constantly. This use increases much more when we have psychological or emotional difficulties: relationship problems, stress, breakups, or fear of uncertainty.
We live with these difficulties and we feel that looking at our cell phone gives us a break, a feeling of temporary relief. But is it really a relief, or is it part of a need created by a technological addiction?
Technological addiction and its relationship with anxiety or discomfort is a very common problem today, in such a way that it increases your difficulties, makes it difficult for you to rest, organize and especially concentrate. Looking at your phone when faced with a breakup or relationship difficulties is not a relief, but is part of the problem (just like eating or smoking more).
In this article we are going to see what is the close relationship between technological addiction, anxiety and your daily difficulties. We are also going to see how to solve it with simple rules.
Everything I am going to tell you is based on the real cases of people I accompany, who had this problem and managed to solve it. Let’s go for it.
Technological addiction and its influence on your well-being
Although we believe that it is a problem for a few, the vast majority of human beings live with a certain degree of technological addiction. It is a difficulty that has been introduced into our lives through easy consumption and that apparently improved certain aspects of our lives. Over time, we have discovered that it harms us in a psychological and emotional sense.
The information I give you is clear: of all the cases of people I accompany in consultation and who have difficulties with anxiety, Approximately 90% look at their cell phone the moment they wake up and it is also the last thing he does before going to sleep, in addition to spending hours in front of the screen.
It is then evident that, to solve our difficulties with anxiety or certain crises in our life (with your self-esteem, decision making, relationship, breakups, discouragement, etc.) we also have to face our relationship with technology. Do we look at our phones so much as a way to distract ourselves or to relieve ourselves from so much stress? Or is the cell phone really just another stressor?
Symptoms of technological addiction
If looking at your cell phone is the first thing you do when you wake up and the last thing before going to sleep, in addition to looking at it too many times during the day because you are looking for a moment of relief, you undoubtedly live with a very specific difficulty: technological addiction. This may seem exaggerated to you for a simple reason: Happens to almost everyone.
It’s not difficult to look around and see someone without their cell phone in their hand. Precisely because of this widespread context, it is difficult for us to understand why it is a problem. At the same time that cell phone use is so widespread, problems with anxiety increase.
Other symptoms of technological addiction are suffering from anxiety when we haven’t looked at our phone for too long, frequent discouragement and demotivation (which makes us want to look at it more), lack of concentration and focus, and above all a feeling that the days are shorter (there is now scientific evidence that our perception of time has changed since we used smartphones).
If we look at our cell phone to relieve ourselves, it is not only because the context is stressful, but because that need is part of the addictive mechanism. Let’s see how it works
This is how the addictive mechanism works with technology
We live in a consumerist world plagued by over-information. In this sense, I like to call the mobile a manipulative phone rather than a smart phone. Its operation is the same as that of a slot machine: it works with sounds, notifications, lights, and constantly notifies you of news.
Social networks or streaming platforms work in the same way: incessant content that gives you a small stimulus, but ends up disappearing. Given the stimulation it causes, the brain needs more. This leads us to short-term motivation and distances us from more important goals.
But… How does this influence anxiety?
Relationship between technological addiction and anxiety
First of all, it is important that you understand what anxiety is. It is a state of fear that has become widespread, as if you lived in a state of constant alert. Anxiety is closely linked to the way you breathe (quick and superficial) that causes that unpleasant sensation in the chest or pit of the stomach, as well as fatigue, problems sleeping or eating.
Looking at the cell phone constantly causes an addictive mechanism that causes anxiety, since we feel relief when we look at the cell phone (to calm that addiction to stimuli). In this way, technological addiction works the same as when faced with a sensitive stimulus (food, coffee, tobacco) but in small and constant doses.
Let’s see now how to solve it. What you are going to see is what we apply in consultation when the people I accompany have difficulties with anxiety and their use of technology.
Keys to overcoming cell phone addiction (and reducing anxiety)
If you live with frequent anxiety, discouragement or problems with your self-esteem and well-being, technological addiction will never be the only cause, but it will be an important factor that we must work with.
Remember that To solve what happens to you it is necessary to live a process of comprehensive change where you work with all parts of you: your self-esteem, emotion management, self-knowledge, values ​​and relationships.
Since anxiety is such a constant and limiting problem, it is also important that the company be daily, not just with occasional sessions. For this reason, my way of providing support is constant, for every need you have and without consultation limit, in addition to weekly tools and sessions. This way, we can address what is happening to you at all times (without having to wait for a session). My mission as a psychologist and coach is that: to accompany you in a process of practical and profound change, where you can solve what happens to you now but that also helps you in the future. Let’s now see the main keys to confront mobile addiction.
1. Delete notifications
They are not necessary at all. Deleting mobile notifications is equivalent to covering that slot machine with a blanket. If you think that it is essential for work, remember that working productively does not mean looking at your cell phone constantly (whoever does this has a problem with organization, productivity and efficiency), but rather looking at it when necessary.
You can schedule specific times of the day to look at important information (work email, for example). Eliminating notifications visually and audibly will help you rest. In turn, it is very valuable that you include a complete password with characters (not patterns). The problem with your cell phone is not looking at it for too long (you can look at it for a long time if you watch a long video or if you are chatting with someone, which is a social stimulus that does not harm you at all) but unlocking it too many times to look at it
2. Routine upon waking up: first 30 minutes without a cell phone
Create a routine for the start of the day based on self-care, that you like and stimulate, trying to delay the first unlocking of the mobile as much as possible. Use a clock, alarm clock or any device that helps you dispense with the use of your cell phone as a “tool for everything.” If you succeed, increase the time to 60 minutes.
3. Sleep hygiene: last 30 minutes without cell phone
Looking at your cell phone at night is stimulating and impairs sleep. If it’s the last thing you do before going to sleep, It is normal to find it difficult to fall asleep or even wake up in the middle of the night (as happens to smokers). Create sleep hygiene without a cell phone to help you: you can use a book or some non-stimulating activity.
4. Relationship with people: do not look at your cell phone if you are with people
This key is often difficult for many people. It’s a simple key: don’t look at your cell phone if you’re with people. If you are with people it is the right time to save it. Allowing yourself to watch it if you have company (something very common nowadays) leads us to enhance the addictive mechanism. The company is a context that will help you reduce its intensity.
5. If you don’t have company… prioritize
If you don’t have company, you can look at your cell phone… as long as you don’t have something more important to do. Prioritize your goals and needs, and reserve your cell phone for the last one. You will gain time, well-being, and reduce the anxiety it generates a little.
6. If the time comes…productive use
Using your cell phone can be productive if you decide to. If you don’t have company and you have met your priorities, you can watch it, but as long as it is for productive actions: communicate, educate yourself, even entertain yourself, but without scrolling endlessly through social networks.
Following these keys can be difficult, but With just a couple of flawless days, you will reduce anxiety and allow you to continue. You can use your cell phone, but according to your interest and prioritizing your well-being.
If you need expert help to solve the difficulties that weigh you most now (breakups, uncertainty, lack of confidence, anxiety and discouragement) remember that you can request a session in Human Empowerment. In that session, completely online, we get to know each other, we delve into what is happening to you and we see how to solve it in a stable way.
