Are You Addicted To Your Phone? 50% Of Teens Say They Are

A new survey finds that fifty percent of teens feel they are addicted to their mobile phones, raising concerns about the 21st-century addiction. The perceived unhealthy addiction to mobile devices is often the source of many family tensions.

The New 21st Century Addiction

A report from CNN said that 50 percent of teens are addicted to their mobile phones according to a study commissioned by Common Sense Media, a non-profit group focusing on the effects of media and technology on children. It provides education on media and safe technology for children, helping policymakers and teachers negotiate them.

According to the survey done on 1,240 parents and children, 59 percent of the parents with children aged 12 and 18, believe that their children are addicted to their mobile phones with 52 percent of the teens agreeing, Time reported. In turn, 28 percent said their parents are addicted to their phones too.

Teens Know They’re Addicted to Smartphones, Research Shows | US News https://t.co/QSyNmV3EDM via @usnews

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More so, 72 percent of all teens felt the urge to respond to texts messages and social networking right away, with 80 percent of them checking their phones on an hourly basis. Lastly, 85 percent of all parents believe that phones provide a distraction to their teens, with 36 percent saying that the addiction is so bad, they argue with their kids about it on a daily basis.

"Technological addiction can happen to anyone," said digital detox expert Holland Haiis. She described technology as "the new 21st-century addiction" in her book "Consciously Connecting: A Simple Process to Reconnect in a Disconnected World." 

When It's Time For Technology Time-Out

While there's no official diagnosis for addiction to mobile phones, this may change soon, Medical Daily said. If it provides a great distraction, then try to take away their mobile devices for a few hours each day.

In the survey conducted, 37 percent of teens occasionally try to cut down the time spent on smartphones. However, be careful as this could be taken as a sign of punishment when imposed on children.

"When you remove a teen's lifeline to their friends, there will be a major emotional backlash, a breakdown of the parent-child relationship," said Dr. Beth Peters, a clinical psychologist in Westminster, Colorado who specializes in teens and families. To avoid this, you may set limits in using mobile phones not just for your teen, but for the whole family to follow.

Parents may set dinner as a sacred time for one-on-one interactions, with no mobile phones allowed. In the end, parents are still responsible on how much time a kid is allowed to spend on smart phones.

Do you agree with the recommendations? Let us know in your comments. For more tips on how to limit the use of devices by your kids, check out the video below.