Mobile Phone Addiction

Among Youth
A study on mobile phone addiction and its
disadvantages

Submitted by: Aamna Baig

Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad

Department of Anthropology
 Abstract
The study is based on the extent of mobile phone use amongst students and
youngsters. In addition, the study is concerned with personal and family factors
associated with the cell phone use and, the link between problem cell phone use and
psychological health of the youth. It focuses on exploring the pattern of mobile usage
among youth in Islamic Republic of Pakistan to delineate the acute of addictive
behavior towards its usage. For this purpose questionnaires were accustomed to elicit
the response of youth. University students were selected as population and simple
anthropological research techniques and detailed interviews were used. Findings of this
study discovered that majority of respondents are not able to have definite priorities
between their responsibilities and commitments and their mobile phone usage and they
are showing continuously intense addictive behavior and restlessness. Only a few are
those who are not often involved in addictive usage patterns. Thus, most youngsters use
their cell phones on extreme limits and tend towards extreme behaviors leading towards
addictive cellular phone usage and it causes intense and savior affects over their health.

Introduction
Technological revolutions and inventions have provided the world with various
inventions for various purposes. Communication channels have been so fantastically
upgraded that communicate a person with thousands of miles apart is simply a game of
seconds now. Invention of fastened telephone in nineteenth century was no more a
surprise in twenty first century when human brain invented portable mobile phone. This
communicative technology has experienced an incredible growth. In1946, Swedish
mobile used the primary official cell phone. In 1983, Motorola presented 1st truly
portable cell phone (www.tech-faq.com
). According to a researcher, it took 20 years to strap up one billion mobile phone
users, 40months to harness 2 billion and just 2 years to reach the mark of 3.5 billion
(www.mobilephonereviews.org
). This industry has been among the quickest growing categories of consumption
product. Outstanding growth is often seen in its users particularly among youngsters.
Teenagers are the most vivid users of this technology.
Each and every invention has brought comforts additionally as some threatening
effects with it. Same is in the case with mobile phone technology. This is a medium that
permits youngsters to communicate and move with others without parental and
teachers’ observance. On the list of top 10 countries with largest number of mobile
phone subscribers Pakistan ranked 10th (www.blog.myxnote.com). Mobile phone users
have increased from 300,000 in 2001 - 90 million in 2008 in Pakistan
(www.techlahore.com). According to an announcement by Pakistan Telecommunication
Authority (PTA), Pakistan has a total of 98 million mobile phone users in May 2010.
Growth rate has increased from 0.55% in April 2010 - 0.72% in May, 2010. Hence, it is
very important to identify the usage patterns of mobile users in Pakistan with a special
focus on young users to delineate the addictive behaviors and its consequences and to
explore their time management in relation to mobile phone usage and other essential
activities so current study would be a value addition to this sphere of research.
Psychiatrists proclaim that in the 21st century mobile phone addiction has
become one of the major non-drug addictions. Addict victims suffer social isolation and
economic losses. They suggest a person to be addict if he feels an overwhelming need
of cell phone usage for more than half an hour daily (www.smh.com.au).

Research methodology
The aim of this study was to delineate the aspects of mobile phone usage among
youngsters as well as usage patterns and behavioral components and addictive patterns
of mobile phone usage. For this purpose questionnaires were accustomed to elicit the
responses. University students were chosen as population and simple but detailed
anthropological technique were used. 15 students were selected as sample out of that
most students responded back for this analysis and explained their addictive behaviour.

Literature review
Studies recommend the downsides of mobile phone usage. Power and
Horstmansh (Power MR, 2004) proposed that mobile phone usage provides youngsters
with a chance to make and explore new relationships with others and to assist them.
Aoki and Downes (Aoki K, 2003) conducted a research on students in United States.
They proposed that majority of the students give preference to make calls at night. This
can cause restlessness, sleep loss and other adverse outcomes. Warner (j,
2003)proposed that, young people use SMS to be in touch with their belongings and to
make them feel a sense of their presence all the time. Similarly, Ito (m, 2006) claimed
that, young people seem to be desperate to be in touch with their friends. Niaz (u,
2008)proposed that addictive mobile use has now become an addictive public health
problem and awareness about the dangers linked with extreme usage and addictive
behaviors must be extended among youngsters.
Age matters when we point out the excessive use of mobile phone .Kurniawan
(S, 2008)claimed a passive usage of mobile phone among older individuals because
they got a concern on getting acquainted with new technology. Walsh (2009) conducted
a qualitative analysis to explore the behavioral changes and addiction of young mobile
users in Australia. He proposed that teenagers are too much connected to their mobile
phones that they show up the symptoms of behavioral addiction towards mobile phone.
Studies also show gender related differences among young users of mobile
phone. Devís et al. (Devís JD, 2009)studied the pattern of usage of new technology
among school students. They concluded that boys spend more time on using mobile
phone than girls do. Also, adolescents consume more time on using mobile phones on
weekend than on casual week days. It reflects that various factors contribute towards
the extent of mobile phone usage. Turner (Turner M, 2008)proposed that phone-related
behaviors are differentially associated with user’s personality and individual attributes
(age, gender etc.). Rice and Katz (Rice RE, 2003) revealed that mobile phone usage is
associated with income, work status, and marital status of the potential users. But few
studies proved a non-significant relationship among gender of the mobile phone users
and its usage. Prezza (Prezza M, 2004)claimed that mobile phone usage among
adolescents was almost independent of type of class (computer science or not), gender
and socio-economic status. Many studies prove excessive usage of mobile phone just as
an abuse or a necessity of the time. Carbonell et al. (Carbonell X, 2011)proclaimed that
excessive usage of mobile phones does not lead to the rapid emotional changes so it can
be considered abuse but not addiction.
Hence, it is the requirement of the time to explore whether youth is moving
towards addictive usage patterns and to see the implications. This study is being
conducted with an aim to spot the above aforementioned propositions.

What is mobile phone addiction?

Mobile phone addiction can be defined as problematic, dysfunctional use of the mobile
phone, which has the following characteristics and symptoms:
 A strong desire to use the mobile phone, make phone calls or send text messages,
expressed as constant preoccupation with those activities.
 The need to increase the frequency and time of making phone calls and sending
text messages.
 Repeated unsuccessful efforts to cease or reduce the number of phone calls made
and text messages sent.
 Withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, anxiety and depression associated
with attempts to cease or reduce the number and time of phone calls and the
number of text messages sent;
 Making longer phone calls and sending a larger number of text messages than
originally intended.
 Financial, career, family and social problems caused by mobile phone use.
 Lying to family and friends to conceal the costs of and the time devoted to
making phone calls and sending text messages.
 Use of the mobile phone as a way of escaping from real problems or as a mood
enhancer (to relieve loneliness, anxiety, depression or guilt)
Addiction to the mobile phone is not a homogeneous phenomenon, and, therefore, some
researchers distinguish among addiction to sending and receiving text messages,
addiction to voice calls and addiction to mobile phone features and mobile phone
games.

Role of social networks and games in mobile phone addiction

From a historical perspective, mobile phone addiction was showed up at several
magazines and newspaper since the smart phone was invented, iphone and blackberry is
just too well-liked to resist. Even President Obama was aforementioned to be hooked in
to his Blackberry phone.

Mobile diversion system includes a variety of activities related to mobile

electronics except its basic mobile telecommunication, information transmission and
texting messages. Everything you play within your mobile phone amusement a
diversion package, like games, social networking (e.g. twitter, facebook, skype) and
photograph; Video software system. Youngsters not only use cell phones for contacting
and researching, but also generally they went to social networking is just for relaxed,
there is no need to be worried concerning mobile phone addiction might have the
dangerous affect to individuals. In fact, youngsters currently are not only using mobile
phone for calling or texting, also, even the more of them are using mobile phone to play
games.

Some individuals even called mobile phone “the newest cigarette”, for seeing how
individuals twiddling with it directly whereas they need a break. as an example, many
youngsters carry 2 phones with them, one is of best and high quality and other is of low
quality, they uses their best phone just for taking part in mobile games and internet
searching and the low quality phone is used for texting and call purpose. And they
easily manage to handle their both activities of playing and communicating with their 2
phones in one time.

Dangers of mobile phone addiction

Mobile phone addiction has many bad affects on human’s life. These affects are
not only physical and biological but also social and economical. First, like different
addictions, it can render the addicts insensitive to the impact of their behavior on others
around them. cell phone addicts often can be seen shouting into their phones in
crowded public environments, noisily disrupting everybody close, when they may
easily have waited a couple of minutes to receive call or call back when shopping or
eating.

The majority of studies examining physical and mental health effects of cell
phone radiation have targeted on the potential of cell technologies to cause cancer,
nervous system disorders, and adverse procreative effects.

Far worse, young car, motorcycle, and bicycle drivers are often seen driving with
one hand, while talking into a mobile control with the other. This practice is very
dangerous, as a result of utilizing a mobile may distract the driver's attention - long
enough to possess an accident like different addictions, cell phone addiction may
fragment the mind and behavior of the addict. Frequent interruption by mobile use can
disrupt normal thought processes, and significantly those that need consideration.
Likewise, addictive use of mobile phones can become a replacement within the addict's
life for alternative additional necessary activities - like reading, face-to-face meeting,
finding personal issues, serious thinking, or different meaningful activities.

Major disadvantages of mobile phone addiction are given below

o Financial issues (such as debt due to high cell phone bills)Poor social skills

o Relationship troubles (e.g. from using cell phone while on a date)

o Car accidents (e.g. from driving while talking or texting)

o Academic difficulties (e.g. from lack of sleep due to excessive phone usage)

o Job loss (e.g., texting at work, etc.)

o Low self-esteem

o Feeling lost or anxious if you forget or loose your phone

 Psychological affects
The addictive nature of cell phones has involved psychologists for years.
Recently, psychologists have warned that smart phone users are particularly in danger
for turning into enthusiastic about their devices. According to a recent study, youngsters
checked their phones thirty four times on a daily basis. People may check their phones
out of habit or compulsion, but habitually checking may be how to avoid interacting
with individuals. Some youngsters can expertise withdrawal symptoms usually
associated with misuse, like depression, restlessness, insomnia, and anxiety, when they
are not with their mobile phones. Youngsters who use their cell phones to text are more
likely to sleep with their phones than cell-owning teens that don’t text. Different studies
has been conducted on the psychological effects of cell phones that how it targeted on
young adults and adolescents.
In the view of a recent Columbia University study, “communication,
responsibility, and relationships all seem to be negatively influenced by the use of text
messaging” in both early and late adolescent groups. (V., 2011) Frequent mobile phone
use has been associated with stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression
among youngsters. (Thomée1S, 2011) Yen et al. cite “withdrawal symptoms without
cellular phone use” as a typical psychological reaction in adolescents to the removal of
cell phone access. (Yen CF, 2009)

 Biological affects
 In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the International
EMF Project to review the scientific literature concerning biological effects of EMFs,
and conducted a formal risk assessment of all studied health outcomes from exposure to
RF fields by 2012.
According to Lennart Hardell et al’s research, “For people who have used these devices
for 10 years or longer, and when they are used mainly on one side of the head, the risk
of malignant brain tumor is doubled for adults and is even higher for persons with first
use before the age of 20 years.
The majority of studies examining physical and mental health effects of cell
phone radiation have targeted on the potential of cell technologies to cause cancer,
nervous system disorders, and adverse procreative effects.

Findings of the study

Findings counsel that Most of the students are addicted users of mobile phones
and they use to stick with them most of their time. They demonstrated an unreasonable
quantity of time and cash spent on their mobile phone. The foremost used feature of the
mobile was SMS and phone calls. Majority of young mobile users are people who make
longer calls; they ignore their face-to-friends to be with their cell phone; have
complaints concerning their excessive usage; suffer a decline in their productivity
owing to mobile phone usage; suffer sleep loss because of mobile phone usage and feel
nervous or depressed being far from their cell often and that they invariably exhibit
extreme behaviors towards mobile phones. A few numbers of youngsters are those who
do not exhibit the intense addictive behaviors and the rest is that the majority who are
frequently concerned in addictive usage patterns. Similarly, majority of respondents
accepted to have addictive behaviors for example being their self lost out of the real
world while being with their mobile phone; using cell phone everyplace without
considering the properness of that place, avoiding to keep their cell phones on silent or
vibration mode because of worry of missing the alerts of incoming calls/text,
considering lengthy conversations and using mobile phone while driving is okay,
responding to all calls and texts even of unknown people, without identifying the next
person and majority of respondents say they do not use their mobile phone when it is
inconvenient for them. Hence, findings of this study unconcealed that, majority of
respondents do not have definite priorities between their responsibilities, commitments
and their usage of cell phone. Majority is people who always exhibit the extreme
addictive behaviors and therefore the rest is the minority who do not seem to be often
concerned in addictive usage patterns. Thus, mostly youngsters do not use their cell
phones under reasonable limits and have a tendency towards extreme behaviors leading
towards addictive mobile phone usage. The majority of the students during this study
were addicted by voice calls and text messages. Generally they were found to own high
level of self-esteem through their cell phone usage because they think that they can
express their anger and anxiety through text messaging and voice calls.
Overall youngsters were intense mobile phone users. The study found that
people who had lower levels of self-esteem, tended to use the mobile phone a lot more
than others. Students with lower self-esteem tend to own a desire to get self
reassurance; therefore they are more likely to use their cell phones more.

Conclusion
Aim to conduct this research was to know about the mobile phone addiction and
its affects among young users. The university students targeted in the recent study were
not found to use their mobile phones fairly and properly. Being young students in the
recent study are still making an attempt to seek out their own identity and desirous to
maintain, establish and expand their social network, thus, it is absolutely shocking to
search out that students frequently contact their friends more as compared to their
parents. Majority of young students are prone to be showing emotional instability
throughout their transaction to adulthood towards mobile phones and this situation
causes anxiety, restlessness, sleeplessness and depression. The excessive users of
mobile phone also become a victim to various mental, physical and psychological
diseases.

Limitations and future implementations

This study provides a good clarification of addictive behavior and its disadvantages in it
self. However there are several enhancements that may be made. This study can be
repeated with many different respondents like parents, friends and other related people,
and these respondents might be appropriate as they are directly affected by one’s
behavior and habits and the disadvantages can also be repeated in detail; and findings of
the study would enhance the findings of existing studies as well as current analysis.
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