đ¶ Good morning everyone and welcome to Daily Authority! Itâs a new week, and Iâm starting mine with a pounding headache. But donât worry, things can only get better from here! Our main story this week is about ânomophobia,â specifically the fear of life without a smartphone.
Screen on, brain off?
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Our dependence on our mobile devices is not a big issue, but the fear of not holding one in your hand is something that needs to be addressed. Like addictive substances, phones have some surprising negative effects when overused. We only want the best for you. Here are our tips for fighting nomophobia and phone addiction.
So what is nomophobia?
We all know how useful smartphones are for everything from calculating grocery totals to capturing moments through photos and keeping in touch with loved ones. However, it becomes a problem when our lives are completely ruled by them. Some studies highlight how dependent we are on these little black mirrors. The average smartphone user unlocks their device 150 times a day. More worryingly, one in five people would rather go without shoes for a week than without their phones. âThe nature of addiction includes inability to control use, compulsion to use without realizing it, and persistence in continued use despite harmful consequences to self and others.â Simply put, this is nomophobia.
Why is phone addiction bad?
Addiction is a devastating condition. According to some research, phone addiction can actually change brain chemistry. This may involve disruption of a neurotransmitter called GABA that causes a feeling of calmness or euphoria. In addition, some studies have noted a loss of gray matter in the brain. It is a part of the central nervous system that controls movement, memory and emotion. There are other less obvious symptoms, such as a general lack of awareness of our surroundings.
How you can fight phone addiction
All is not lost, though. Phone addiction can be cured and nomophobia can be controlled. The team at Android Authority has decades of cumulative smartphone experience, so here are some tips for dealing with these issues. For starters, we recommend limiting notifications. This is a simple step that will encourage you to pick up your phone less often. Going hand in hand with this, be sure to take intentional breaks. Itâs not easy to actively disconnect in our connected world, but you should practice ignoring your phone when youâre with friends or family. Some AA members have noticed that putting the phone in another room before going to bed improves their sleep. You might also want to avoid some of the more addictive Android games if you spend more time in mobile games than youâd like. Finally, our last tip is to be aware of your usage, but donât punish yourself. Tools like Googleâs Digital Wellbeing can really help. âI used to use my phone a lot more than I do now. But the more you set boundaries, the easier it is to not compulsively pick up your phone.â
Monday Meme
The Twitter drama shows no signs of slowing down. Itâs never been harder to tell real accounts from fakes, thanks to the complete mess that is verification on the platform. Whether as a joke or as a protest, several users have now created fake âblue tickâ accounts that pass themselves off as official. Our own Ryan McNeal rounded up some of these rogue tweets over the weekend, including some from a bunch of fake Popes, a questionable LeBron, and a Tesla knockoff. Reddit users added a few more to the pile. Comments
