How to stop being addicted to your phone. Phone addiction

Just a few years ago, people used a mobile phone only for its intended purpose - to make calls and write SMS. Over time, gadgets have become more sophisticated and now they don’t even make coffee. Modern smartphone- this is a camera, a tablet, and game console, as well as a video camera and eBook. Of course, you can joke that without a phone life is not life, but all this would not be so funny if it were not really so sad. People have become so familiar with their devices that they are now terrified of forgetting them at home or losing them.

In psychology, addiction to mobile phones and cellular communications in general has been dubbed nomophobia. This term appeared relatively recently and stands for no mobile phobia. It is with its help that experts describe the condition of a person who has lost his phone or left it at home, forgot to charge the battery on time or put money into his account, and also found himself in a place where there is no cellular reception. Increasing anxiety, sometimes turning into panic due to the inability to call someone close to you and the realization that they won’t be able to reach you either - that’s what nomophobia is.

Some people are so attached to their phones that even one day spent without their favorite gadget seems meaningless to them. They take their device with them everywhere: to a cafe during lunch, to business negotiations (and often stare at the smartphone screen instead of discussing important questions) and even going to the toilet - it’s more fun.

Phones have become full-fledged members of our families, which is why people almost never manage to arrange a classic romantic evening for two - with gadgets there will be at least an evening for four. And is it even worth talking about dates if we fall asleep almost hugging our smartphones?

Manifestations of nomophobia

1. If a person cannot find his mobile phone, then his behavior becomes similar to the behavior of a patient at a psychoneurological dispensary obsessed with some manic idea: he is excited, fussy, nervously throwing things around, trying to find “his charm.” Nothing and no one can calm him down until the gadget is found. He feels as if a part of himself has disappeared.

2. A person is constantly in a state of tension, checks for mobile phone, patting his pockets or putting his hand in his bag. Moreover, if the phone was there five minutes ago, this will not prevent him from worrying with renewed vigor after another five.

3. It is very important for a mobile phone addict to know what’s new with friends on social networks. He updates the news feed every half hour, and prefers to do it using a smartphone rather than a laptop. In addition, he is afraid of not responding to an SMS or letter on time. In general, he should always be aware of current information.

It is very important for a mobile phone addict to know what's new with friends on social networks.

4. It often seems to a person that his phone is ringing somewhere, and then he will try to do everything to make other sounds subside - he will immediately turn down the volume of the music, turn off the TV, and only after making sure that this is a sound hallucination will he calm down.

5. Appearance mobile phone, his specifications- Very important indicators for those suffering from nomophobia. If it appears on the market new model, more perfect than the one he has now, the person begins to desire it passionately. And more often than not, he ends up buying it. True, sometimes on credit.

How to get rid of nomophobia?

We do not suggest that you immediately throw your mobile phone in the trash. Firstly, in 10 seconds you will get it out of there, and secondly, it makes no sense: mobile phones are a truly necessary thing, and it was stupid to give it up completely. However, it is worth working with your addiction and reducing its manifestations to a minimum.

1. Remember how our parents lived several decades ago. Not every home had a regular telephone, and they didn’t even dream of a mobile phone. Of course, you will say that the rhythm of life has changed and there is no point in comparing the past and the present. But the fact remains: no one died without useful gadget, just like you won’t die if you find the strength within yourself and turn off your phone at least on Saturday or Sunday. You can't even imagine how free you will feel these days.

2. If staying without cell phone service for the whole day is not for you yet, then start with half an hour a day, and then add a few minutes. Just press the gadget's power off button and go about your business. Time will fly by very quickly, especially if you are not constantly looking at your watch and hypnotizing your phone. This exercise will make it easier to survive force majeure situations when the smartphone’s battery runs out in a place where it cannot be charged.

Go on holiday to a place where... cellular communication problems - that is, that is not.

3. Go on vacation to a place where there are problems with cellular communication - that is, it is not. It could be grandma's house in the village, mountains, forest or even a foreign resort, where there is no connection special services You can go into a big minus. Get used to having your phone with you at all times, but it's essentially useless.

4. On social networks, you can come across information about a game that the creators suggest playing in the company of friends: you come to a cafe, put your gadgets on the table in one pile and don’t touch them until the end of the gathering. The first person to pick up the phone during dinner pays for everyone. Moreover, incoming call is also not an excuse. Try it, it’s a great way to train the willpower of those who suffer from nomophobia.

Why do some people treat their phone adequately, while others make a cult out of it and worship it with their actions?

Psychologists indicate the following reasons for mobile addiction:

Most often, people are susceptible to telephone addiction; some do not know how and are afraid to communicate with people in person. Such individuals almost certainly suffer from some kind of complex. Indeed, in contrast to offline communication, when corresponding with SMS and messages on VKontakte, you do not need to look a person in the eyes, watch your gestures and quickly select words for conversation.
Phone addiction occurs when a person does not want to solve problems like a balanced adult, but prefers to use the ostrich practice of hiding from difficulties and expecting them to somehow disappear. Thus, it is convenient for them to live in virtual world, and not be responsible for anything, and quickly remove online people they find unpleasant from their networks and thereby remain calm.
Nomophobia affects people who are not confident in themselves. On the one hand, they are embarrassed by some of their shortcomings and are more comfortable communicating with people not in person. On the other hand, they cannot make decisions alone and bear responsibility for it. It’s easier for them to ask a question to the online community and then choose the most suitable option.
Mobile addiction usually affects people who have few bright events in their lives. Their life is measured and monotonous, but online they can be anyone, take risks and get adrenaline in their blood. In this way they make their life more interesting and varied.
Another reason for nomophobia is that constant calls, texts and messages make people seem to be needed by someone. If in ordinary life they are lonely, then the appearance of vigorous communication gives them a feeling of social demand.

What to do and how to get rid of phone addiction

If you feel that your electronic friend has, in fact, become your god and master, that he fills your whole life, steals all your time, and without him you are not a full-fledged person, then do not despair. Mobile addiction is easier to cure than, say, drug addiction. Now we will give you effective advice how to deal with the problem under discussion.
Tips on how to get rid of phone addiction:

Analyze your life and find the reasons for your mobile addiction. If you realize that it is difficult for you to communicate with people live, or you are trying to hide from real problems on the phone, then contact a psychologist with such problems. In the arsenal good specialist There are many ways to help people become more responsible, decisive and communicative.
If, as a result of your own psychoanalysis, you discovered that the cause of addiction is a lack of bright events in life, then try to fill your time with them. And it doesn't have to be something extraordinary. For example, just join a club, take up swimming, horse riding or dancing. Go to exhibitions, cinemas and theaters. Invite guests to your place, and go visit yourself. In any case, this will be better than living in the illusion of events from the phone.
Stop perceiving your smartphone overflowing with messages as someone who needs you. Most likely, those who write to you are more preoccupied with themselves and not with your problems. Through you they seem more necessary and more significant people. But if you disappear from the network for a couple of days, they will quickly find a replacement for you, and then, just by looking at the correspondence, they will remember who you are. Agree that those who are “listed as your friends” cannot be called real friends.
Another tip on how to deal with mobile addiction is as follows. Try changing companies. Bad community spoils good habits. If your friends, when meeting you, say, in a cafe, are all looking at their smartphones, then you will have to do the same. And if your friends forget about their phones and don’t constantly look at them, then in pleasant company you will gradually forget about your gadget.
If you are looking for an answer on how to wean your child from constantly “sitting” on the phone, then try to keep him busy with interesting things in the offline space. Let him feel that you need him, that you love and appreciate him very much. Spend more time with him, listen to him, and then he will happily leave the online territory that does not provide happiness.
When fighting nomophobia, delete everything from your smartphone unnecessary applications. In this case, the phone will require less of your attention. Buy regular ones wrist watch and a regular alarm clock. Then you definitely won’t have to take out your smartphone “just to see the time.” But usually it all starts with this: looked at the time, checked email, messages on VKontakte, went to discounts, and so on
Everything has its time. Find quality time to communicate with friends and family. Appreciate the real, not virtual communication. Help other people more, and then your self-esteem will increase. Don’t forget about a healthy diet (and you need to prepare it yourself) and physical activity (this also requires real action). All this takes time, and it’s time to “take” it from the phone. You don't live for him.

Of course, fight phone addiction, as with any other, it’s not easy. However, in order to become truly happy and free, you need to make efforts. Put our advice into practice, and you will see that very soon your mobile addiction will remain in the past and your life will become easier.

A long time ago, back in the last century, Boris Grebenshchikov prophetically sang: “Our telephones will be our friends.”

But the worst thing is when only the phone is your friend. And addiction can lead to this: when social networks replace personal meetings and communication, SMS - conversations and calls, online viewing - going to the cinema and theater. You need to start fighting gadget addiction from childhood.

Situation No. 1: a teenager spends all his free time with a tablet

“My friends don’t know what to do with the child - he spends all his free time from school on a tablet, on social networks. To all their offers to go somewhere with classmates, friends, even just for a walk, he replies: “I’m not interested.” Taking away the tablet acted as a temporary measure, but in general the situation does not change.” Maria, 32 years old.

There are psychological and physical symptoms of Internet addiction.

Psychological symptoms

euphoria at the computer;
increasing the amount of time at the computer;
neglect of family and friends;
problems with learning, refusal to do homework;
severe irritation when asked to turn off the computer, ignoring such a request;
feeling of emptiness, depression, irritation outside the computer world.

Physical symptoms

dry eyes;
headaches and back pain;
skipping meals, irregular eating;
neglect of hygiene;
sleep disorder, change in sleep pattern.

The teenager may begin to suffer computer addiction, if he has no one to discuss problems with, he has no friends, and his parents do not fully communicate with him (the presence of all family members in the same room does not always mean their communication and involvement with each other).

Unfortunately, parents sometimes realize the problem of their child’s Internet addiction very late, because in appearance everything is quite decent: the son or daughter does not wander the streets, sits at home, and the computer is part of the modern life. It is convenient for parents: the child does not interfere, they can go about their business. This lifestyle gradually leads the family to move away from each other and the teenager to leave for an alternative reality.

Solution to the problem:

Invite your child to play the “day of silence” game - turn off all cell phones on Saturday or Sunday and devote this time to communicating with each other. Try to make the day interesting for the child and make him want to have a “day of silence” next weekend.
Create a family tradition, such as “evening tea.” Let this be a special time where you can talk heart to heart with each other.
Try to be for your son or daughter not only a caring and strict parent, but also a kind friend.
Enroll your child in a sports section or club.

What not to do:

Do not prohibit your child from approaching the computer under threat of punishment. Such measures usually have the opposite effect. You don’t want him to disappear somewhere in search of the coveted Internet connection.

If a teenager spends most of the day at the computer, has abandoned his studies, has become aggressive and irritable, does not respond to comments and does not make contact with you, seek help from a psychologist.

Situation No. 2: a student does not do his homework

“The 8-year-old son of my friends once said after school: “I have only one real friend and five fake ones. Today I deliberately didn’t take my phone with me, so the fake ones didn’t even talk to me.” But at the same time, the child admitted that he was very uncomfortable without a phone, he was nervous. And at home he constantly plays or watches something on his smartphone, to the detriment of his lessons. The only thing that helps is to take it away, but in this case the boy becomes nervous and is offended that his rights are being infringed upon.” Anna, 36 years old.

The causes of telephone addiction (nomophobia) are similar to computer addiction, since a modern telephone is the same as a computer.

Signs of nomophobia

Experts believe that we can talk about a painful dependence on cell phone, If:

the child cannot turn it off even for a short time or part with it even for a minute;
shows constant concern that the battery may run out;
constantly checks SMS messages, email;
often asks to top up his mobile phone account.

A mobile phone is a kind of diagnostic criterion for the effectiveness of all parental efforts. If a child communicates enough with his parents, and they always willingly and attentively listen to him and support him, he will not need to use the phone to combat loneliness. Well, if he is lonely, a telephone with Internet communication is always ready to help.

Dependence electronic devices Psychology experts consider it hormonal.

Gary Small Neuropsychologist

Dopamine, the pleasure hormone, is released as soon as a person receives another portion. new information. We constantly scan the space in search of something to distract ourselves with: SMS, message on social networks, phone call. Dopamine receptors are excited - we are in a state of permanent anticipation of something new and, as it seems to us, more interesting than what we should be doing now.

People think that devices allow them to get more done, but being distracted all the time and doing several things at once, a person cannot concentrate on the main thing and allows offensive mistakes V simple things. Sociologists even coined the term “generation of dispersed people.”

Do you have a gadget addiction?

We thank our expert for preparing the material:

Tatiana Klimina,
practicing psychologist

Symptoms of mobile addiction

There are at least ten signs that distinguish a person suffering from telephone addiction. They can appear separately or together. I draw the attention of MirSovetov readers that the more of the signs listed below are present, the more complex the case.

If you have found at least three symptoms, I recommend that you carefully study the second part of the article.

Prevention

British scientists identify three degrees of mobile phone addiction:

“Unattached” are people who live peacefully with or without a telephone; for them a mobile phone is a means of communication and nothing more.
“Prosthetic patients” are tested in the absence of a telephone, but, in principle, they can do without it.
“Cyborgs” cannot imagine themselves without a phone in their hand; mobile phones have practically grown into them.

To avoid becoming a “cyborg”, you need to learn to control the time spent on your phone. Here are some simple tips on how to do it.

Try to keep one conversation to no more than ten minutes. This time is definitely enough to discuss some problem.
Make it a rule to count the SMS sent and gradually reduce their number. Ideally, you should send less than ten messages per day.
Try to put your mobile phone in specific place and do not carry it with you throughout the apartment. If this is still difficult, at least at night leave him alone and do not put him under the pillow. Believe me, if they call you and you don’t hear, the world will not collapse. You can always call back.
You need to convince yourself to leave your phone at home when you go to get the mail, take out the trash, or walk the dog. Nothing will happen to your family during this time, and you will not have an extra reason to make another unnecessary call or send an SMS.
Set a limit on how much you can spend on phone calls. It is convenient to connect to a package tariff with a subscription fee.
Just for fun, put the SIM card in your first phone (if you still have one) or ask someone for a device with a primitive set of games, without a color display, MP3, Internet or camera, and walk around with it for a week or two. Perhaps you will feel something like withdrawal, and you will have a feeling of an information vacuum. Do not give up. This state will help you overcome reading. My advice to MirSovetov readers: buy some interesting book and read it in those situations in which you used to play telephone games, scrolled through Internet pages or sent meaningless SMS.
Turn off your phone for a day. This is the most radical, but perhaps the most effective method. See how much free time you have. Try to spend it usefully: read, go on a visit, to the cinema or theater, take a walk with your child. If you can bear it, then everything is still fixable.

In conclusion, I want to say that if none of the tips helped you, do not despair. Go to a psychologist and discuss with him your difficult relationship with your phone. Believe me, admitting the existence of a problem means going halfway to solving it. Wristwatches instead of smartphone watches

“I’ll just see what time it is” is one of the most common excuses for looking at your phone screen one more time. But this ends up taking a lot of time because new notifications often attract attention. According to recent studies, people who wear watches are one and a half times less distracted by their smartphones.

2. Set a classic alarm clock

Start the day with good mood a musical alarm clock will help

Quite often, people use their smartphone as an alarm clock. However, this is a terrible mistake. Instead of your phone, use a traditional alarm clock to get you out of bed in the morning. This way, you won't have the opportunity to check your email or Facebook again.

3. Use silent mode

IN work time or while studying you should switch your smartphone to silent mode or turn off the device altogether. This way, you will enter the work environment much faster and be able to work effectively on important tasks.

4. Create a “smartphone-free territory”

Ban the use of smartphones in the bedroom

So-called “smartphone-free territories” are especially useful against gadget addiction. Designate a room at home where cell phone use is prohibited. This will, for example, avoid the abuse of smartphones in the bedroom.

5. Get rid of unnecessary accounts

Today there is an infinite number social networks. But do you have to be everywhere at once? No! Follow the “more is not better” rule: delete unimportant or unused social media accounts. This way you will reduce the number of distracting notifications.

6. Don't check your smartphone every two minutes

It’s better to devote enough time to a gadget once than to constantly be distracted for a couple of minutes

It seems like your smartphone was vibrating? Is the status indicator not blinking? Many people strive to respond to every alert from their phone as quickly as possible. Instead of looking at your screen every two minutes, use your smartphone less often, but for longer. This will give you time to respond to all messages at once and check notifications. You can even set a timer: when the time is up, put your phone away until the next “session.”

7. Limit the use of gadgets in everyday life

Smartphones are everywhere today

Smartphones have become an important part Everyday life. By using smart phone you can pay in stores, order digital train or plane tickets. To get rid of addiction, it is worth limiting the use of a smartphone in those areas where it is easy to do without it. Remember about classical methods: Print out your tickets and try to pay for purchases in cash or by card.