Can Smartphones Make You Mentally Ill?

Smartphones have made our life easier, undoubtedly. Despite, being a boon to us in terms of connectivity, storing a whole lot of data and being a convenient device with many functions, excessive use of smartphones has been linked to certain physical and mental ailments. It is very easy to get addicted to your smartphone. It happens slowly and slyly and so, you may not even notice the symptoms. But the 'always on' culture may be making you stressed and anxious all the time. If you get worried easily when the wi-fi on your phone doesn't work or panic at the thought of not having your phone, it is time to rethink.A new study, published journal Child Development, warns that regular use of smartphone can cause attention, behaviour and self-regulation problems for adolescents. Researchers from the Duke University in the United States examined 151 young adolescents and discovered some shocking findings. The study participants completed surveys about their daily digital technology use. They were surveyed three times in a day for a month and were assessed for mental health symptoms 18 months later. It was seen that teenagers between the age of 11 and 15 years had an increased risk for mental health problems. (Also read: 5 Quick Facts About Depression and Other Mental Health Disorders)

 
Although researchers are unclear whether these effects were caused by the excessive use of smartphones or if the use of technology made existing symptoms worse, but previous studies have found that the use of smartphones induces an sense of urgency which can snowball into anxiety, panic mode and restlessness which are all early symptoms of mental health problems. It is best to switch off every now and them to give your brain some rest and consciously try to limit screen time. The compulsive use of technology increases our dependency and lowers our tolerance levels which could be the reason for negative behavioural changes especially in kids and teenagers. The screen light can even ruin your sleep and therefore, it is suggested to avoid using your phone and other devices before getting into bed.