CellphoneAddiction
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Does depression lead to cellphone addiction, or vice versa?
In another classic "chicken-or-the-egg" type of conundrum, a newly released study is claiming that instead of a so-called "cellphone addiction" causing people depression and lower self-esteem, as we'd previously heard, the supposed addiction may actually be triggered by those very same negative feelings. In a study of school-aged South Korean children, Dr. Jee Hyan Ha found that those students who used their phones the most (90 or more times a day, including SMS) also tended to score higher on a psychological test intended to measure a person's level of depression. Although none of the students' scores reached the level of clinical depression, the heaviest users were observed to have significantly more self-identity issues than average, suggesting to researchers that communicating via cellphone made the "addicts" feel popular. So which is it: does heavy cellphone use lead to depression, or does depression lead to heavy cellphone use -- or is it just a vicious cycle with no end and no beginning?[Via textually]
Study likens cellphone dependence to an addiction
A recent study by the Queensland University in Australia discovered what we've already pretty much known from several years of smartphone ownership, which is that people's reliance on their cellphones can often take the form of an addiction. Diana James and her colleagues analyzed the behavior of mobile owners 45-and-under in situations where they were separated from their phones, and found that many displayed the same withdrawal symptoms common to smoking, gambling, or eating addictions: lower self esteem, nervousness, and in some cases, even deep agitation. Besides emotional problems, excessive calling and texting can lead to steep cellphone bills and even the occasional repetitive stress injury, warns James, who says that if you're using your phone to make yourself feel better at the expense of your job or your health, then you may have a problem. Don't worry, though, you're not alone...[Via textually]
