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Essay On Addiction To Gadgets | Addiction of Gadgets Essay for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

Essay on Addiction To Gadgets: Gadgets help us in various ways in life. But when any of us use it for more than the required time, it means we are addicted to this technology. From kids and teenagers to grown-ups, this technology has attracted a person of every age group.

Below you can read the detailed essay on the use of gadgets in our daily life and how it has become an addiction for everyone. These essays are great sources to complete your assignment or get an idea about the topic of essay on addiction to electronic gadgets.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Addictions To Gadgets for Students and Kids in English

If you are searching for an essay on addictions of gadgets, below you will find two pieces of different lengths that you can use as per your class.

Long Essay on Addictions To Gadgets 500 Words in English

Here is the best essay on the addictions to gadgets for the students of classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Technology has brought a huge change in our daily life. The gift of gadgets it presented to us made life more fun and convenient. There is a wide range of gadgets available in the market, for example, the smartphone, tablet, PSP, iPods, or much more. Hence, one or the other person always has an electronic device in their hand to spend the time.

However, with this, gadget addiction became one of the common issues in today’s generation. It is affecting not just kids; even adults are developing an obsession with their devices. People think they should stay online not to miss something interesting. Whether it is games or birthday celebration posts by friends or relatives, they want to stay updated. As a result, they regularly check their devices.

Indeed, these technological wonders have switched our life for good, yet their overdose can be harmful to our health – mentally and physically both.

People have made them an essential part of their life. They have become as vital as food for everybody. When people try to remain away from the usage of their gadgets, they start showing anxious behavior. Such people calm down only when they get back their devices. However, these signs will differ from a person to person. Like teenagers addicted to gadgets usually become twitchy and disturbed. Further, detachment and lack of concentration from studies are other symptoms in kids who are obsessed with electronic devices. When kids spend more time alone in front of the computer or TV, they lack interest in daily activities and outdoor activities too.

The only method to manage the addiction towards any gadget is to limit the time of using them. Also, in terms of children, a parent must be involved simultaneously to keep an eye on their activities if anything important demands a longer time.

It is an undeniable truth that gadgets eased up our lives a lot, but they should not affect us adversely. We must avoid the extreme use of gadgets. We shouldn’t allow electronic devices to spoil our lives. After returning from work, adults need to restrict their use of gadgets in the home and spend more time with family. Additionally, youngsters must be encouraged to play outside rather than playing games on computers or watching cartoons on TV for a long time. On applying this practice initially, the kids will themselves learn to use the gadgets in limits.

Addiction To Gadgets Essay

Short Essay About Addictions of Gadgets 200 Words in English

Short essay on addictions to gadgets is ideal for kids of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6.

Life is so fun now with the help of gadgets that our elders never got to enjoy. From the comfort of our couch, we can order anything, talk to friends, and even play games. But there is another bad side of these electronic devices that we forget to see when using them. Kids always remain in front of the TV or indulged in smartphone games. They stop liking outdoor activities. Moreover, kids fail to learn about family traditions. If you try to stop the children, they become cranky and stubborn.

Moreover, this addiction is also affecting adults. Either for the work purpose or to stay active on social media platforms, grown-ups are missing their family life. They use gadgets till late night that affect their sleep schedule. Hence, health problems arise in adults.

All of us give more attention to gadgets than other healthy activities in life. Even family members are disconnected from each other because they spend more time with gadgets than together. Hence, when you notice such behavior, it is a sign of gadgets addiction, which needs addressing as soon as possible.

10 Lines on Addictions To Gadgets Essay

  • Addiction to gadgets can destroy our body, mind, and life.
  • Children show disinterest toward the outdoor activities and toys, which they enjoyed earlier.
  • Teenagers get very aggressive and restless when you mention about their extended use of the gadget.
  • As a parent, you must explain to your child how excess use of gadgets can affect their life.
  • Don’t be angry or scold youngsters instead try to divert their attention to some interesting thing.
  • Set a time limit to use various gadgets, whether TV, PC, phone, or tablet.
  • Spend more time with family and children to end yours as well as kids’ attachment with gadgets.
  • Take an interest in other hobbies, such as reading, painting, gardening, sports, etc.
  • Plan a day out with friends or cousins rather than chatting with them on Whatsapp or other messenger apps.
  • Put a parental lock on smartphones to prevent your child from using unnecessary sites and apps.

Essay About Addictions of Gadgets

FAQ’s on Addictions of Gadgets Essay

Question 1. What are the different gadgets?

Answer: Mobiles, laptops, computers, tablets, play stations, smartwatches, TV are the different forms of gadgets available these days.

Question 2. Is it right to give gadgets to kids?

Answer: No, giving gadgets to kids means you are making them addicted to the device that will affect their mind’s growth.

Question 3. What are the disadvantages of gadgets?

Answer: Overuse of gadgets can lead to headaches, neck and shoulder pain, obesity, lack of concentration, and anxiety.

Question 4. How can I reduce my mobile addiction?

Answer: You can reduce addiction to mobile by switching off notifications, deleting unnecessary apps, and avoiding the phone’s use in bed.

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Essay on Gadget Addiction

Students are often asked to write an essay on Gadget Addiction in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Gadget Addiction

What is gadget addiction.

Gadget addiction means spending too much time with devices like phones, tablets, and computers. People who are addicted to gadgets find it hard to stop using them, even when they should be doing other things.

Why Gadget Addiction is a Problem

Being addicted to gadgets can lead to not sleeping enough, not doing well in school, and having trouble with friends and family. It can also make you less active and hurt your eyes from staring at screens too much.

Breaking Free from Gadget Addiction

To beat gadget addiction, set times when you can use your devices. Spend more time outside, read books, and play sports. Talk to people face-to-face instead of always texting or using social media.

250 Words Essay on Gadget Addiction

Gadget addiction is when someone can’t stop using devices like smartphones, tablets, or computers. It’s like when you have a strong need to eat candy all the time, but instead, you always want to play games, scroll through social media, or watch videos on your gadgets.

Why It’s a Problem

Signs of gadget addiction.

You might be addicted to gadgets if you feel upset when you can’t use them, or if you forget to do important tasks because you’re too busy with your device. If you always reach for your phone first thing in the morning and it’s the last thing you touch at night, that’s another sign.

What Can We Do?

It’s important to find a balance. Set times when you can use your gadgets and times when you can’t. Spend more time playing outside, reading books, or talking with friends and family. Parents can help by setting rules and giving kids fun things to do that don’t involve screens.

Remember, gadgets are fun and useful, but they shouldn’t be the only thing you’re interested in. There’s a whole world outside to explore, so make sure you take the time to enjoy it too!

500 Words Essay on Gadget Addiction

Gadget addiction is when people can’t stop using things like smartphones, tablets, and computers. It’s like these gadgets have a magic spell on them, making it hard to put them down. Many people, especially kids and teenagers, find themselves checking their phones all the time, playing video games for hours, or watching videos one after the other.

Why Do Gadgets Attract Us So Much?

Gadgets are fun and can do lots of cool things. They let us talk to friends, play games, and learn new stuff. But they’re made to keep us using them a lot. When we play games or get likes on our photos, our brains feel happy, and we want to keep feeling that way. That’s why we keep going back to our gadgets.

The Signs of Gadget Addiction

Problems caused by too much gadget use.

Using gadgets too much can lead to problems. It can make you not sleep well, hurt your eyes, and even make you feel lonely or sad. It can also make it hard to focus on schoolwork or remember things. Plus, if you’re always sitting and looking at a screen, you’re not moving around, which isn’t good for your body.

How to Manage Gadget Use

It’s important to balance the time you spend on gadgets. One way to do this is to set a timer to remind you to take breaks. You can also make a plan for when you can use your gadgets, like only after finishing homework or chores. Spending time doing other fun things like sports, reading, or playing with friends can also help you use gadgets less.

Parents Can Help Too

Gadget addiction is a real problem, but we can beat it. By knowing the signs and setting limits, we can enjoy gadgets without letting them control us. It’s all about using them in a smart way and not forgetting to live our lives outside of the screen. Remember, gadgets are tools to help us, not bosses to rule over us. So, let’s use them wisely and keep our lives balanced and healthy.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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Cell Phone Addiction, Essay Example

Pages: 4

Words: 1235

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Nowadays, many individuals have become more and more addicted and dependable on phones, specifically smart call phone s. This often happens without these individuals realizing how the excessive and inappropriate use of their cell phones can create several of problems in their social and everyday lives. Because of this, cell phone addiction can easily be denied as an incredibly serious compulsive disorder that has been increasing with newly available technology.            As technology has progressed throughout the years, innovate phones and intriguing apps make it almost impossible and irresistible for individuals to be able to put their phones down in social settings, such as a family dinner. In fact, scientific debates have recently arisen that question whether cell phone addiction, along with gambling, should be added to the new DSM-V addiction list (Choliz, 2010, p. 373). Having said this, it is imperative to make it known that the primary purpose of this research paper cognizant of the actuality that chronic cell phone usage can indeed be a huge problem in society today. This can lead to problems inside one ’ s own family as well as conflicts in the workplace. The result of the excessive cell phone usage creates social, behavioral, and affective problems in the lives of future teenagers all around the world.

Something that must be openly understood is the fact that a teenager ’ s social experience can deeply be affected by the manner in which he or she uses his or her cell phone. For example, for a teenager to be using his or her cell phone during a party makes this certain individual unsocial. This can result in a person only having friends online as opposed to having the real thing of having personal friends to interact with on a daily basis. While this controversy might seem worrisome to many older individuals, people should realize that if a teenager is not able to have a social life, he/she might end up leading a depressed lifestyle. Also, as W.K. Park points out, loneliness is “positively associated with mobile phone addiction” which shows that addicted persons tend to reduce their feelings of loneliness by using mobile devices, such as a cell phone (2005, p. 260).

This kind of behavior would not only affect the teenager, but also the teenager ’ s family members. The fact of the matter is that cell phones have become so addictive nowadays that teenagers do not realize that they are addicted to their cell phones until it is too late and they have already lost the majority of their friends because of the manner in which they have shut everybody out of their lives. It goes without saying that this type of behavior should be stopped immediately because it has a huge impact on the kind of individuals that will grow up to lead the world into a better tomorrow. However, this “ better tomorrow ” will not be able to be made if these teenagers grow up being socially awkward.

A second aspect that must be considered when talking about cell phone addiction is the fact that, due to the fact that cell phones have so many addictive applications on them, teenagers choose to use their cell phones for extended periods of time in order to pass certain levels on a video game. While there is nothing wrong with a teenager playing a simple video game on his or her cell phone, some of these games are extremely violent for young teenagers to be playing. These violent video games are often times difficult for parents to monitor because no teenagers wishes to have his or her parents looking through his or her phone. Without parental supervision, teenagers find it much easier to download violent video games or explicit content unto their phones. This kind of behavior creates grave problems for teenagers, as they lose sense of what is real and what is portrayed in their little phone screen. In order to avoid this type of behavior altogether, it should be considered each child ’ s parents ’ responsibility to monitor what his or her child is watching in his or her cell phone and ensure that nothing inside that cell phone could prove to be detrimental to the teenager ’ s behavior either at home at school.

The reason as to why a cell phone addiction might prove to be increasingly dangerous to some teenagers is because of the fact that some teenagers are not quite ready to know how to keep their social and behavioral life in shape. As a result of this, teenagers often times find it normal to spend unreasonable hours throughout their own respective day looking through their phone and talking to other individuals online. The problem that is brought forth with these kinds of actions is that it is only a matter of time until face-to-face interaction is considered taboo. When society reaches this point, it is a fair statement to say that cell phone addiction will have taken over the majority of society. In order to prevent teenagers from being prone to chronic cell phone addictions is by making sure that the teenager ’ s parents limit the amount of time allowed on the cell phone. Another method that could be used by parents is for them to ask their teenagers to turn in their phones by the end of the night to ensure that their children are getting their necessary sleep and are not spending all of their night on the phone instead.

The result of the excessive cell phone usage creates social, behavioral, and affective problems in the lives of future teenagers all around the world. Despite the fact that there is no definitive manner by which this addiction can be put to a stop once and for all, there are a number of alternatives that could be taken by certain parents in order to ensure that their children do not become prone to the kind of addiction that is often linked to yield unproductive teenagers who do not have much ambition in life. In today ’ s increasingly technological world, it is without a doubt that it would be invariably difficult to put a stop to the kind of addiction that is present in the world today. One way that would help would be for researchers to conduct more studies on cell phone addiction and related addictions through bibliographic databases that refer specifically to Internet, video games, and cell phone addiction ( Carbonell, Guardiola, Beranuy, & Bellés, 2009).

Carbonell, X., Guardiola, E., Beranuy, M., & Bellés, A. (2009). A bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature on Internet, video games, and cell phone addiction . Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, (97) 2, 102-107. Retrieved from http://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2670219

Choliz, M. (2010). Mobile phone addiction: a point of issue. Addiction (105) 2, 373-374.

Grohol, J. (n.d.). Coping with cell phone addiction. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/ lib/coping-with-cell-phone-addiction/

Hersman, D. (2015). Cell phones: A potentially deadly addiction. Retrieved from  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-hersman/cell-phones-a- potentially_b_7161074.html

Murdock, S. (2015). Our addiction to cell phones is costing lives: Here’s how we can stop it. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/09/cell-phone-addiction- driving_n_7543464.html

Park, W. K. (2005). Mobile phone addiction. In R. Ling & P.E. Pedersen (Eds.) Mobile Communications , 253-272. London, UK: Springer.

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Article • Nov 07, 2023

Are we addicted to our cell phones understanding the science of addiction.

Most of us use our smart phones continuously throughout each day. We use them for work, to stay connected, and even to find distraction. But are we addicted to our phones? Have we become to reliant on these convenient tools, and if so, what does that mean for us moving forward?

Raise your hand if you’ve ever wondered if you’re “addicted” to your phone. (Hand silently goes up…)

If you know that eerie sensation when you accidentally leave home without your phone, if you’ve ever panicked that you can’t be reached if you don’t carry it with you everywhere (even to the restroom), if you can’t go more than an hour before refreshing your social media apps of choice… you may have self-identified as “addicted” to technology. Many of us are guilty of spending more time than we’d like (or even want to admit) with technology. And many parents, educators and professionals who work with children are highly concerned that children, especially teenagers, are even more addicted.

Coming out of the pandemic, when phones became our lifelines to keep us connected to others and the outside world, many people now say they can’t go a day – or even an hour – without looking at their phone. And for children who entered adolescence during stay-at-home orders and spent a school year (or more) online, phones and technology have become more than just a tool. They’ve become a lifeline.

So the question is: are we addicted to our phones? And if so, what does that mean for us moving forward? Let’s take a look at what we know about the science of addiction.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “addiction”? For many people, it conjures an unhealthy reliance on a substance or an activity. You might picture an addiction to drugs or alcohol, gambling or dieting. When you picture a person with an addiction, you probably think of a person who is unable to stop, a reliance on the substance or behavior that has taken over their life, impacting their health and relationships.

essay about addiction to gadgets like cellular phones

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is a “treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences.” Like other diseases, addiction disrupts the normal healthy functioning of the body (in this case, specific brain circuits).

Addiction generally falls into two categories: substance addiction and non-substance addiction. Substances can include medications, non-prescribed drugs, alcohol, caffeine, or cigarettes. Non-substance addictions are behavioral in nature and can include addictive activities such as gambling, eating, exercising, shopping, viewing pornography or playing online games.

The DSM-5 (or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) is the American Psychiatric Association’s manual used by clinicians and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders. It is generally seen as the go-to resource for health care professionals and contains descriptions, symptoms and other criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.

The DSM-5 currently does not list phone addiction (though it has been proposed). Of the various types of behaviors that can lead to addiction (non-substance addiction), currently the DSM-5 explicitly names online gambling as the only technology-related diagnosable addiction.

It does, however, list in detail the criteria for substance addiction which can serve as a guide for understanding other types of addiction that are not currently in the manual.

There are eleven criteria for substance use disorders that fall into four categories:

  • Impaired Control (using a substance more than intended, not able to cut down or stop despite wanting to)
  • Social Problems (neglecting responsibilities, stopping activities, unable to complete tasks)
  • Risky Use (risky settings, continued use despite known problems)
  • Physical Dependence (needing more to get the same effect, withdrawal symptoms)

essay about addiction to gadgets like cellular phones

Most importantly, dependence or addiction to substances alters the chemistry of the brain and functionally changes the brain circuits involved in stress, the reward system and self-control.  

What does this all mean when we apply it to the use of phones?

Each of the four categories of substance addiction have overlaps with what we typically consider “phone addiction”. And while data on phone use varies, one 2023 study covers all of these in simple stats.  

Impaired control:

The study shows that 75% of Americans feel uneasy leaving their phone at home and 47% feel a sense of panic or anxiety when their phone battery goes below 20%.

Social problems:

The study shows that 46% of people use or look at their phone while on a date and 69% have texted someone in the same room as them.

The study shows that 27% of people use or look at their phone while driving and 60% sleep with their phone at night.

Physical dependence:

The study shows that 89% of Americans check their phone within the first ten minutes of waking up and 75% check their phones within five minutes of receiving a notification. And in the event of a house fire or other major disaster, 82% would take their phone with them before evacuating.

And what about the chemistry of the brain that gets altered with addiction?

It’s certainly not the black rectangle in your hand that causes the addiction – but rather the content on it. As technology has advanced, app developers and content creators have tapped into the science behind dopamine to make content engaging and keep users coming back for more. Notifications, “likes” and platforms that encourage a user to keep scrolling tap into the brain’s dopamine and encourage more use.

essay about addiction to gadgets like cellular phones

The science of addiction has also brought us extensive knowledge on the science of quitting. This is undoubtedly a very complex issue that is dependent on each person’s addiction, life experiences and environment. But there are several key components that most experts include when working with people experiencing addiction.

These include:

  • Set a goal. For most, quitting “cold turkey” is not a sustainable method. But goals such as, “I will be done drinking by my birthday” or smaller goals like, “I’ll limit myself to one drink today” are more achievable.
  • Remove temptations from the environment. This can mean getting rid of the addictive substance, deleting the stored credit card on file, or otherwise making the addiction one step more difficult to indulge.
  • Replace the addiction with something else. It is not enough to simply quit – the brain and body need to have an alternate activity to distract from the addiction. This activity should ideally replace the need for the original activity, so taking a walk instead of using a substance to de-stress or meeting up with a friend for coffee instead of going to a bar. 

Note: This is an oversimplification of a complex process that is best done with a professional trained in addiction. These are listed as just some of the components of a full addiction recovery plan.

These same components can be a resource in helping navigate phone addiction. If you’re one of the people who sheepishly raised your hand at the beginning of this article, let’s see how we can take these addiction lessons learned and apply them to our phone addictions.

Given that it can be nearly impossible to give up our phones entirely, since they have so many practical and necessary uses, these strategies can work to help us curb the addiction and have a healthier relationship with our devices.

Consider these tips:

Set a goal.

Work to identify a long-term goal or a series of smaller goals. A broad goal such as “stop using my phone so much” is likely to be ineffective. Instead, consider something like:

  • Don’t use my phone while I am eating.
  • Charge my phone in a different room from where I sleep.
  • Reduce my screen time by 10% using the tracking metrics on my phone
  • Have one hour of screen-free time every evening

Remove temptations from the environment.

Pay attention to the aspect of the phone that seems to cause the biggest challenge. Maybe it’s a social media app that you can’t stop scrolling through. Maybe it’s the constant notifications of a group text. Maybe it’s a game that you can’t stop because it will break your streak. Whatever seems to keep you most hooked on your phone or cause you the most stress or anxiety, identify a way to limit it. This might mean turning off notifications, muting certain conversations or deleting apps entirely. There are also features built into the phone that will disable apps after a set amount of time.

Replace the addiction with something else.

A big part of phone usage is that it’s something to do that keeps us entertained when we’re bored, exhausted, have had a long day, or don’t feel like doing anything else. Because we’ve become so accustomed to pulling out our phone any time we have an idle moment, we haven’t had as much practice sitting around and doing nothing. This means that we’re probably not going to have great success just trying to stop using our phones during these times. Instead, we need to fill that void with something else. Try picking up one of the magazines in the doctor’s office lobby, read a book before bed or find a hobby that uses your hands that can be done while sitting on the couch.

We don’t necessarily need an entry in the DSM-5 to validate what many are already experiencing – that for many, the reliance on phones has gotten out of hand. And while the nature of technology means that this conversation will always be changing, we can learn a lot from the decades of research that have already been done on addiction in general. But as they say in addiction, the first step is owning that you may have a problem. And when we are aware that our use of phones is not where we want it to be, that can be the start of a journey to a healthy relationship with our devices.

essay about addiction to gadgets like cellular phones

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Smartphone Addiction and Associated Health Outcomes in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review

Zubair ahmed ratan.

1 School of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave., Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; ua.ude.liamwou@142raz (Z.A.R.); ua.ude.liamwou@890am (M.S.A.)

2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Khulna 9203, Bangladesh

Anne-Maree Parrish

Sojib bin zaman.

3 Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; [email protected]

Mohammad Saud Alotaibi

4 Department of Social Work, College of Social Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca 24382, Saudi Arabia

Hassan Hosseinzadeh

Associated data.

Not applicable.

Background: Smartphones play a critical role in increasing human–machine interactions, with many advantages. However, the growing popularity of smartphone use has led to smartphone overuse and addiction. This review aims to systematically investigate the impact of smartphone addiction on health outcomes. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to carry out the systematic review. Five electronic databases including Medline, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus were searched to identify eligible studies. Eligible studies were screened against predetermined inclusion criteria and data were extracted according to the review questions. This review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181404). The quality of the articles was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Results: A total of 27 of 2550 articles met the inclusion criteria. All of the studies were cross-sectional and focused on physical, mental, and neurological health outcomes. The majority of the studies focused on mental health outcomes and consistent associations were observed between smartphone addiction and several mental health outcomes. Anxiety and depression were commonly found to mediate mental health problems. A wide range of physical health sequelae was also associated with smartphone addiction. Furthermore, there was an association between smartphone addiction and neurological disorders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there are consistent associations between smartphone addiction and physical and mental health, especially mental health. Social awareness campaigns about smartphone addiction and its impact on physical and mental health are needed. Further studies, especially randomized controlled trials, are warranted to validate the impacts of smartphone addiction.

1. Introduction

The 21st century is known as the age of information technology. Wireless communication and the internet are remarkable entities resulting in revolutionary changes in the field of communication [ 1 ]. In 2007, computer-based phones (smartphones) were introduced [ 2 ]. Since then, smartphones have become an indispensable part of daily life in all communities and countries. As such, smartphones have become one of the fastest-growing sectors in the technology industry [ 3 ]. Over the past decade, smartphone ownership and use have been exponentially increased globally. For instance, there were about 2.1 billion smartphone users in 2017 and the number was projected to exceed 2.8 billion by 2020 worldwide [ 4 ].

A number of novel problematic behaviors have emerged in the information technology era, such as gambling, internet gaming, and sexual behaviors, which may lead to compulsive engagement [ 5 ]. Extreme instances may lead to individuals feeling unable to control these behaviors without external influence, and these behaviors may be considered non-substance or behavioral addictions [ 6 ]. Internet addiction is one of the earliest examined forms of information technology addiction [ 7 ]. The relatively newer concept of “smartphone addiction” (SA) has also been studied based on previous internet addiction research [ 8 ]. Smartphones distinguish their use from traditional Internet use on computers or laptops because smartphones allow users to access the internet continuously regardless of time and space. Smartphone addiction is fueled by an Internet overuse problem or Internet addiction disorder [ 9 ]. The increased use of smartphones has resulted in most in people communicating daily online, as a result of interactive texts and social media, instead of face-to-face human contact. Smartphones fetch a limitless range of cognitive activities for users; smartphones forge opportunities for individuals to engage in a range of online activities such as participating in social network sites, playing video games, and “surfing the web” [ 10 ]. However, the smartphone poses a negative impact on our ability to think, remember, pay attention, and regulate emotion [ 11 ]. The increase in popularity and frequency of smartphone use has led to the emergence of clinical cases of people presenting with abuse symptoms [ 12 ].

The concept of addiction is not easy to define, and the usage of the term addiction has been considered controversial; however, central to its definition is the dependence on a substance or activity [ 13 ].

Smartphone addiction (SA) is generally conceptualized as a behavioral addiction including mood tolerance, salience, withdrawal, modification, conflict, and relapse [ 14 ]. Literature suggests that there are associations between SA and mental health [ 15 ], physical health [ 16 ], and neurological problems [ 17 ]. Furthermore, tolerance, salience, withdrawal, and cravings [ 8 , 18 ] have been associated with excessive smartphone use. However, the evidence is not conclusive [ 19 ]. Still, there is debate in the literature about the positive or negative relationship between the amount of screen time or smartphone use and health outcomes. Existing studies have provided useful data; however, it is difficult to draw consensus without a systematic review.

This systematic review is an attempt to collate empirical evidence about the health impacts of smartphone addiction among the adult population. This study aims to provide evidence to inform policy or recommendations to control and prevent smartphone addiction.

The protocol of this systematic review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181404). It was carried out using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines ( Figure 1 ). Literature searches were conducted in the five databases including Scopus, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, and psycINFO databases. The search strategy for this review was initially developed by a series of consultations with the investigators and some preliminary searches (Z.A.R., A.M.P., S.B.Z., M.S.A., and H.H.). Expert librarians from the University of Wollongong were also consulted to refine and finalize the search strategy. All studies including controlled trials, case-control, cross-sectional, and cohort studies were included. Eligibility criteria included studies which explored smartphone exposure focusing on the adult population (aged over 18), published in the English language. This review excluded case reports, ideas, editorials, meta-analysis, review articles and opinions. Search terms included “smartphone”, “addiction”, “overuse”, “problematic use”, “excessive use”, and “adults”. Details of search strategies are provided in Supplementary Table S1 . Since the smartphone gained popularity in 2011 (after the debut of the smartphone), the literature was searched from January 2011 until July 2021. The reference lists of the selected papers were also searched for any eligible papers however no papers were found.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is ijerph-18-12257-g001.jpg

Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review (template taken from PRISMA flow diagram).

Three authors (Z.A.R., S.B.Z., and M.S.A.) independently reviewed all the retrieved abstracts and selected eligible papers. Any disagreements were resolved by discussion with senior researchers (A.M.P. and H.H.). The quality of each included study was assessed by using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies and were given a rating of either “good”, “fair” or “poor” and the results of the quality assessment are presented in Supplementary Table S2 . The NIH quality assessment is a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of the methodological quality of cross-sectional studies [ 20 ].

3.1. Overall Search Findings

A total of 2550 potential studies were identified. After screening and removing duplicates, twenty-seven (27) studies were eligible for this review. A detailed study selection process based on the PRISMA flow chart is presented in Figure 1 . Sample sizes ranged from 30 to 5372 adults ( Table 1 ). Seven were conducted in South Korea [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ], three in Saudi Arabia [ 28 , 29 , 30 ], four in China [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ], four in Turkey [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ], one in India [ 39 ] one in Taiwan [ 40 ], one in Switzerland [ 41 ], one in the USA [ 42 ], one in Italy [ 43 ], one in Thailand [ 44 ], and three were international studies [ 45 , 46 , 47 ] ( Figure 2 ). Smartphone addiction was measured in the study sample using different scales, however, the Smartphone Addiction Scale, Short Version (SAS-SV; n = 8) was the most common measure ( Table 1 ). Among the selected studies, nine studies were considered to be “good”, seventeen articles were considered to be “fair”, and the remaining one was considered “poor” ( Table 2 ).

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Global map indicating country of selected articles.

Smartphone addiction and associated health outcomes.

Authors,
Country,
Year
Sample SizeType of PopulationAge/Age RangeGenderType of StudyOutcome Measurement ToolPattern of SurveyAssessment Tool (SA)
Hye-Jin Kim [ , ],
South Korea,
2017
608University/college studentsControl:23.01 ± 2.32, SA: 22.54 ± 2.05Male = 183,
Female = 425
Cross-sectionalSelf-reported experience of accidents was assessedOnline questionnaire-based surveySAPS
Yeon-Jin Kim [ ],
South Korea,
2015
4854GeneralAge range 19–49Male = 2573,
Female = 2281
Cross-sectionalThe Symptom Checklist-90-Revised-SCL-90-ROnline surveyK-scale
Deokjong Lee [ ],
South Korea,
2019
94General22.6 ± 2.4
(Age range 16–27)
Male = 61,
Female = 27
Cross-sectionalMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanOnline advertisements, MRISAPS
JeonHyeong Lee [ ],
South Korea,
2014
30University studentsN = 22.6 ± 1.3, Moderate Addiction Group (MAG) = 21.5 ± 1.9, Severe Addiction Group (SAG) = 22.4 ± 2.0Male = 12,
Female = 18
Cross-sectional Motion meter (Performance Attainment Associates, West Germany) Survey, the range of motion (ROM), a range of motion meter (Performance Attainment Associates, West Germany)SAPS
Kyung Eun Lee [ ],
South Korea,
2016
1261University/ college studentsM 23.6 ± 2.7,
F 21.5 ± 2.7
Male = 725,
Femle = 511
Cross-sectional studyZung’s Self-Rating Anxiety ScaleFace-to-face interviewYoung’s Internet Addiction Test
Yeon-Seop Lee [ ],
South Korea,
2012
125General21.4 ± 2.0Male = 32,
Female = 93
Cross-sectional Phalen’s tests, Reverse Phalen’s tests, UltrasonographyStructured questionnairesStructured questionnaires
Mi Jung Rho [ ]
South Korea,
2019
5372General26.43 ± 5.954
(Age range 19–39)
Male = 2443,
Female = 2929
Cross-sectional Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Dickman Impulsivity Inventory-Short Version (DII).Web surveyS-Scale
Aljohara A. Alhassan [ ],
Saudi Arabia, 2018
935General public 31.7 ± 10.98 younger age group
(18–35 years),
middle-age group (36–54 years), and older age group (≥55 years)
Male = 316 (33.8%),
Female = 619 (66.2%)
Cross-sectional The Beck’s Depression Inventory second editionWeb-basedSAS-SV
Alosaimi, F. D. [ ],
Saudi Arabia,
2016
2367University studentsnot mentionedMale = 43.6%Cross-sectional Not mentionedAn electronic self-administered questionnairePUMP
Dalia El-Sayed [ ], Saudi Arabia, 20201513University studentsM = 20.58 (1.71)Male = 825 (54.5%)
Female = 688 (45.5%)
Cross-sectionalTaylor Manifest Anxiety Scale and Beck Depression InventoryNot reportedThe Problematic Use of Mobile Phones (PUMP) scale
Jon D. Elhai [ ],
China,
2019
1034Young adults19.34 ± 1.61Male = 359, Female = 675Cross-sectional Depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21), Fear of missing out (FOMO) scaleWeb surveySAS-SV
Yuanming Hu [ ],
China,
2017
49Young adultsControl: 23.07 ± 2.01, SPD: 22.11 ± 1.78Male = 26, Female = 23Cross-sectional Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analysisSurvey questionnaireMPATS
Jon D. Elhai [ ], China,
2020
908GeneralAge averaged 40.37 years (SD = 9.27)Male = 156, Female = 752,Cross-sectionalDepression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21)
Generalized anxiety disorder scale-7 (GAD-7) for COVID-19 anxiety
Web-based surveySmartphone addiction scale-short version (SAS-SV)
Linbo Zhuang [ ], China, 20212438Young patientsAge, 18–44 yearsMale = 1085, Female = 1353Cross-sectional studyMagnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination,
Cervical Disc Degeneration Scale (CDDS)
Not reportedSmartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)
Yasemin P. Demir [ ],
Turkey,
2019
123Patients who had Migraine>18 years and <65 yearsMale = 69, Female = 54Cross-sectional comparativeMigraine disability assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire, The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Migraine Quality of Life Questionnaire) 24-h MQoLQ, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)Written survey questionnairePUMP
Kadir Demirci [ ],
Turkey,
2015
319University studentsMean age = 20.5 ± 2.45 years Male = 116,
Female = 203
Cross-sectional Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)Not reportedPUMP
Ayse Gokce [ ], Turkey,
2021
319University Students18–33, 21.03 ± 2.05Male = 104,
Female = 215
Cross-sectional studyThe Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS);
Eating Attitudes Test (EAT).
Face-to-face surveyProblematic Mobile Phone Use Scale
Betul Ozcan [ ], Turkey,
2021
1545 21.39 ± 2.21 yearsMale = 43.2%,
Female = 56.8%
Cross-sectional studyPittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)Not reportedSmartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV)
S HariPriya [ ],
India,
2019
113College students22.15 ± 1.69
(Age range 19–25)
Male = 63,
Female = 50
Cross-sectional studyPittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQSF)Written survey questionnaireSelf-reported questionnaire
Hsien-Yuan Lane [ ], Taiwan,
2021
422University students20.22 (SD = 2.34 years)Male = 79,
Female = 343
Cross-sectional studyTri-Dimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ),
Chinese Version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (CPSQI),
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI),
Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
OnlineChen’s Smartphone Addiction Inventory
Anna Maria [ ]
Switzerland, 2021
240Young adults18–35 years old, Mean age = 23.33,Male = 120,
Female = 120
Cross-sectional12-item Social Anxiety Scale,
a question on the daily duration of smartphone use,
a single-item measure of dispositional truth
OnlineSmartphone Addiction Scale Short Version
Jon D. Elhai [ ],
USA,
2018
300College students19.87 ± 3.79Male = 24.3%,
Female = 75.7%
Cross-sectional Penn State Worry Questionnaire-Abbreviated Version (PSWQ-A), Dimensions of Anger Reactions-5 (DAR-5) ScaleWeb surveySAS-SV
Matteo Megna [ ],
Italy,
2018
52Psoriatic patients26.9 ± 7.8 (age range 18–35)Male = 24,
Female = 28
Cross-sectional Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI), Early psoriatic arthritis screening questionnaire (EARP), ultrasound scoreFace-to-face interviewSAS-SV
Arunrat TangmunkongvorakulI
[ ],
Thailand,
2019
800University students18–24
(Age range 18–24)
Male = 395,
Female = 405
Cross-sectional Flourishing Scale (FS)Face-to-faceYoung’s Internet Addiction Test
Zaheer Hussain [ ],
Global (majority in the UK, 86%),
2017
640General24.89 ±  8.54
(Age range 13–69)
 Male = 214,
Female = 420
Cross-sectional Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Short-FormOnline surveyIndependent questionnaire (Problematic smartphone use scale)
Miles Richardson [ ],
2018,
Global (majority UK, 82.8%)
244General29.72 ± 12.16Male = 90,
Female = 149
Cross-sectional Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Nature Relatedness ScaleWeb surveyPSUS
Asem A. Alageel [ ], worldwide,
2021
506Postgraduate studentsAge 21 years and above
(21–24 = 9.41%,
25–29 = 35.88%
30–39 = 44.51%,
>=40 = 10.20%)
Male = 158
Female = 348
Cross-sectionalPatient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) for depression, Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS),
the Fagerström Test for Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire (FTCd),The adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1)
OnlineSmartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)

Summary of outcomes.

Author and ReferenceOutcomesSpecific OutcomeQuality
HYE-JIN KIM [ ] AccidentFair
Yeon-Jin Kim [ ] Depression and anxietyFair
DEOKJONG LEE [ ] Gray matter abnormalitiesFair
JeonHyeong Lee [ ] Musculoskeletal problemsFair
Kyung Eun Lee [ ] AnxietyFair
Yeon-Seop Lee [ ] Carpal tunnel syndromePoor
Mi Jung Rho [ ]Mental health problems were related to problematic smartphone use: (1) self-control (66%), (2) anxiety (25%), (3) depression (7%), and (4) dysfunctional impulsivities (3%)Psychiatric symptomsFair
Aljohara A. Alhassan [ ] Factors associated with higher depression scores were high school-educated users (β = −2.03, adj. = 0.01) compared to the university educated group and users with higher smart phone addiction scores (β = 0.194, adj. < 0.001).DepressionFair
Alosaimi, F. D. [ ] Risk of sedentary behaviorFair
Dalia El-Sayed [ ] Depression and trait anxietyGood
Jon D. Elhai [ ] AnxietyGood
Yuanming Hu [ ] Lower white matter integrityFair
Jon D. Elhai [ ] COVID-19 anxietyGood
Linbo Zhuang [ ] cervical disc degenerationGood
Yasemin P. Demir [ ] less than 0.05); a strong positive correlation between MPPUS and ESS (r = 0.675, less than 0.05); and a negative correlation between MPPUS and 24-h MQoLQ (r = −0.508, less than 0.05) Increased headache duration, poor sleep qualityFair
KADİR DEMİRCİ [ ] Depression, anxiety, and daytime dysfunctionFair
Ayse Gokce [ ] Increased smokingFair
Betul Ozcan [ ] Poor sleep qualityGood
S HariPriya [ ] Poor sleep quality, less physical activityGood
Hsien-Yuan Lane [ ] Psychological distress, poor sleep qualityGood
Anna Maria [ ] Social anxietyFair
Jon D. Elhai [ ] Worry and angerGood
Matteo Megna [ ] Psoriatic arthritisFair
Arunrat TangmunkongvorakulI [ ] < 0.001) Psychological well-beingFair
Zaheer Hussain [ ] AnxietyGood
MILES RICHARDSON [ ] Connectedness with nature and anxietyFair
Asem A. Alageel [ ] Insomnia, depression, adult ADHDFair

3.2. Main Findings

3.2.1. mental health.

As outlined in Table 2 , mental health was associated with SA in fourteen studies [ 22 , 25 , 27 , 28 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 36 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 45 , 46 , 47 ]. Depression and anxiety were the most common mental health conditions associated with SA [ 22 , 25 , 28 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 36 , 41 , 45 , 47 ]. Several depression measures were used; however, the Beck Depression Inventory was the most common measure used [ 28 , 30 , 36 , 40 ]. Alhassan et al. (2018) revealed that less-educated people and young adult users of the smartphone were at high risk of depression. Another study [ 28 ] found that the groups who were classified as smartphone-addicted had an increased risk of depression (relative risk 1.337; p < 0.001) and anxiety (relative risk 1.402; p < 0.001) [ 28 ]. Miles Richardson et al. (2018) found that problematic smartphone use (PSU) was positively related to anxiety [ 46 ].

Social anxiety was also associated with SA [ 41 ]. For instance, a study conducted in China during COVID-19 reported that COVID-19 anxiety was associated with the severity of problematic smartphone use [ 33 ].

Interestingly, female participants were more susceptible to SA [ 36 ] and showed significantly higher dependence on smartphones than men [ 25 ]. Further, a study conducted among university students in Thailand demonstrated that not only were female students more likely to be smartphone addicted, but smartphone addiction among female participants was likely to be negatively associated with psychological well-being [ 44 ].

3.2.2. Physical Health

Musculoskeletal problems.

The effect of SA on the musculoskeletal system was identified in four studies [ 24 , 26 , 34 , 43 ] ( Table 2 ). Among those studies, two studies reported cervical problems [ 24 , 34 ], one study demonstrated nerve thickness [ 26 ], and one study showed psoriatic arthritis [ 43 ]. Lee et al. (2014) compared cervical spine repositioning errors in different smartphone addiction groups and revealed that there were significant differences between non-addicted, moderately addicted, and severely addicted groups; the severe smartphone addict group showed the largest changes in posture, the cervical repositioning errors of flexion (3.2 ± 0.8), extension (4.9 ± 1.1), right lateral flexion (3.9 ± 1.0), and left lateral flexion (4.1 ± 0.7). [ 24 ]. A study conducted among 2438 young patients suffering from chronic neck pain found that cervical disc degeneration was more likely to be associated with SA [ 34 ]. Another study conducted among university students revealed that excess smartphone use can cause nerve injury [ 26 ]. Megna et al. (2018) found that SA was linked to higher signs of inflammation in the musculoskeletal structures of hand joints.

Sleep Quality and Sedentary Lifestyle

Five studies showed an association between smartphone addiction and sleep quality [ 29 , 35 , 38 , 39 , 40 ]. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used in all five studies ( Table 1 ). A study conducted by Fahad et al. (2016) among 2367 university students reported 43% of the participants had decreased their sleeping hours due to SA, and 30% of the participants had an unhealthy lifestyle including weight gain, reduced exercise, and the consumption of more fast food when diagnosed with SA [ 29 ]. Another study conducted among migraine patients reported that SA can increase headache duration and decrease sleep quality [ 35 ].

One study conducted by Hye-Jin Kim et al. (2017) revealed that SA is associated with different types of accidents, such as traffic accidents; falls/slips; bumps/collisions; being trapped in the subway, impalement, cuts, and exit wounds; and burns or electric shocks [ 21 ]. The study found that self-reported experience of accidents was significantly associated with SA [ 21 ].

Neurological Problems

Two studies reported the neurological effect of SA [ 23 , 32 ]; one study found alterations in white matter integrity [ 32 ] and another study reported smaller grey matter volume [ 23 ]. Hu et al. (2017) used a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging technique to identify white matter integrity in young adults with SA and found that smartphone-addicted participants had significantly lower white matter integrity [ 32 ]. Lee et al. (2019) found that smartphone-addicted participants had significantly smaller grey matter volume (GMV) in the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) [ 23 ].

4. Discussion

In recent years, several articles have examined the role of smartphone addiction and associated health outcomes among the adult population, however, substantial gaps still remain. To the best of our knowledge, no previous systematic review has been conducted to summarize these findings among this cohort. Our review is the first systematic review that utilizes empirical evidence from the last decades that demonstrates the relationship between smartphone addiction and health outcomes among adults. Interestingly, studies conducted in different parts of the world showed similar effects on health outcomes as a result of smartphone addiction. Hence, the consistency across the studies strengthens the study findings, emphasizing the association between SA and health outcomes.

Our findings suggest that depression and anxiety are significantly linked with smartphone addiction. One national USA survey found that 46% of smartphone owners believed they could not live without their phones [ 48 ]. Overuse patterns of smartphones involves a tendency to check notifications all the time, and such behavior patterns can induce “reassurance seeking” which broadly includes symptoms such as depression and anxiety [ 49 ]. This “reassurance seeking” pathway corresponds to those individuals whose smartphone use is driven by the necessity to maintain relationships and obtain reassurance from others. Bilieux and colleagues explained this reassurance-seeking behavior with the theoretical model of “problematic mobile phone use” [ 50 ]. In addition, this checking behavior is related to the next pathway, the “fear of missing out” (FOMO). One study found that FOMO mediated relations between both depression and anxiety severity with SA [ 51 ].

From our results, it is evident that musculoskeletal pain and insomnia are the two most common physical problems related to SA. Fingers, cervical, back, and shoulder problems are most commonly linked to excessive smartphone usage. Prolonged use of smartphones can cause defective postures such as forwarding head posture, which can produce injuries to the cervical spine and cause cervical pain [ 52 ]. Numerous studies found De Quervain tenosynovitis (characterized by pain in the wrist over the radio styloid process—the thumb side of wrist) was associated with different electronic devices like gaming controllers, tablets, and smartphones [ 53 , 54 ]. Texting and chatting through smartphones have been considered a risk factor for De Quervain tenosynovitis [ 55 ].

Poor sleep quality and difficulty in falling asleep or maintaining sleep has been identified as one of the negative consequences of SA, which is similar to our results [ 56 , 57 ]. Moreover, in line with our finding, another systematic review revealed that SA is related to poorer sleep quality [ 58 ]. One study found that 75% of the young adults (age < 30 years) take their phones to bed, which may increase the likelihood of poor sleep quality [ 59 ]. Smartphone addicts are unsuccessful at controlling their smartphone use, even in bed. Again, fear of missing out could be the reason of taking phones in the beds as they do not want to miss any notification [ 60 , 61 ]. In addition, blue light emitted by smartphones can have a negative effect on circadian rhythms, leading to negative sleep consequences, such as going to sleep later than intended and thus reducing overall sleep time [ 62 ].

The neurological effect of SA is not clear yet from this review. However, currently neuroimaging studies play an important role in understanding the complexity of addictive behavior [ 63 ], as they can assess any pathological change in the brain. Two studies in this review reported the negative changes in grey matter and white matter integrity in the brain with the assistance of neuroimaging ( Table 2 ), which is similar to the neuropathy caused by substance abuse [ 64 , 65 ] and Internet addiction [ 66 , 67 ]. However, the modest sample size and the lack of a clinical evaluation are the potential limitations of these studies [ 23 , 32 ].

This review indicates that smartphone addiction shares similar features with substance abuse. A consistent relationship has been demonstrated between SA and physical and mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, musculoskeletal problems, and poor sleep. However, smartphones have become a part of daily life, facilitating work, education, or entertainment. Therefore, it is important not only to utilize the advantages of the smartphone but also to reduce the negative consequences. To address SA in a proper way, a validated definition and consistent diagnostic criteria of SA is required. The findings from this research suggest that healthcare providers and policymakers should recognize the problem and take necessary steps in raising community awareness about SA and its physical and mental impact.

5. Limitations

This systematic review has several limitations. First, all of the selected studies were cross-sectional ( Table 1 ), therefore drawing conclusions about causal directions of associations is not possible. Secondly, all the papers were excluded if not in the English language; however, SA has received attention in Asian and European countries, and findings may have been published in other languages. This may lead to exclusion of studies conducted in diverse cultures and may bias the results of the review. Thirdly, most of the studies that were qualified to be included in this review were performed in developed countries, which may question the generalizability our findings to developing countries. Finally, most of the outcomes were reported over less than one year of follow-up. No standard scale and cut-off scores were used for the determination of smartphone addiction.

6. Conclusions

The current review describes the effect of smartphones on health outcomes in the adult population. Although the diagnostic criteria and effect of smartphone addiction are yet to be fully established, this review provides invaluable findings about the health impact of smartphone addiction and has significant implications for policy and decision makers. There is a need for more longitudinal studies to validate and strengthen this review’s findings.

Supplementary Materials

The following are available online at https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/ijerph182212257/s1 , Table S1. Electronic search strategy.

Author Contributions

Z.A.R. conceptualized and designed the study, conducted initial searches, assessed the eligibility of the retrieved papers in the titles/abstracts and full text. S.B.Z. and M.S.A. independently reviewed all the retrieved abstracts and selected eligible papers. Z.A.R., A.-M.P., S.B.Z., M.S.A. and H.H. critically assessed the eligible studies and extracted data. Z.A.R. analyzed and interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. All authors critically reviewed the manuscript. A.-M.P. and H.H. reviewed and approved the final manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research received no funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

Authors declared no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Smartphone — The impact of smartphone on daily life

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Impact of Smartphones on Adolescents: The Problem of Addiction

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Published: Nov 19, 2018

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Table of contents

Introduction, signs and symptoms of smartphone addiction, the impact of smartphone addiction, works cited, impacts in the physical health, impacts in the psychological health.

  • Increasing loneliness and depression:
  • Feeling anxiety:
  • Increasing stress:
  • Disturbing your sleep:
  • Encouraging self-absorption:

Impacts in the Social Health

  • 70% check their phones in the morning within just one hour of getting up
  • 56% check their phones before going to bed
  • 48% check their phones over the weekend
  • 51% constantly check their phones during vacation
  • 44% reported they would feel very anxious and irritable if they did not interact with their phones within a week.
  • Roberts, J. A., & David, M. E. (2016). My life has become a major distraction from my cell phone: Partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction among romantic partners. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 134-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.07.058
  • Chóliz, M. (2010). Mobile phone addiction: A point of issue. Addiction Research & Theory, 18(5), 489-498. https://doi.org/10.3109/16066351003628299
  • Demirci, K., Akgönül, M., & Akpinar, A. (2015). Relationship of smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 4(2), 85-92. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.4.2015.010
  • Elhai, J. D., Levine, J. C., Dvorak, R. D., & Hall, B. J. (2016). Problematic smartphone use: A conceptual overview and systematic review of relations with anxiety and depression psychopathology. Journal of Affective Disorders, 207, 251-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.030
  • Thomée, S., Härenstam, A., & Hagberg, M. (2011). Mobile phone use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults—A prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health, 11(1), 66. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-66
  • Bianchi, A., & Phillips, J. G. (2005). Psychological predictors of problem mobile phone use. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 8(1), 39-51. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2005.8.39
  • Lee, S. Y., & Kim, M. S. (2017). Mobile phone addiction and its associated factors in college students. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 50(3), 179-183. https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.16.086
  • Chóliz, M., Villanueva, V., & Chóliz, M. C. (2009). Factors influencing mobile phone addiction in adolescence: The role of self-esteem and the need to belong. In R. Zheng, S. Y. Li, Z. Hou, & J. Liu (Eds.), Advances in Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare (pp. 923-932). CRC Press.
  • Samaha, M., & Hawi, N. S. (2016). Relationships among smartphone addiction, stress, academic performance, and satisfaction with life. Computers in Human Behavior, 57, 321-325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.12.045
  • Billieux, J., Maurage, P., Lopez-Fernandez, O., Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Can disordered mobile phone use be considered a behavioral addiction? An update on current evidence and a comprehensive model for future research. Current Addiction Reports, 2(2), 156-162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-015-0054-y

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essay about addiction to gadgets like cellular phones

Home / Essay Samples / Information Science and Technology / Negative Impact of Technology / Gadget Addiction: A Growing Concern in the Modern World

Gadget Addiction: A Growing Concern in the Modern World

  • Category: Information Science and Technology
  • Topic: Dependence on Technology , Disadvantages of Technology , Negative Impact of Technology

Pages: 1 (547 words)

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