| Cell phone addiction has become a growing problem |
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| Written by Administrator |
| Thursday, 15 October 2009 21:27 |
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By Traci Mitchell Hugo High School Student Reporter “Cell phone addiction” — how ridiculous does that sound? Everyone has a cell phone. We need them. What if we break down on the side of the road, or we forget to make an important phone call? This “cell phone addiction” thing is taking it a little too far; don’t you think? Hold on, I got a text message. Okay, seriously, go to your nearest computer or go ahead and even Google it on your cell phone. Cell phone addiction is even on drug rehabilitation sites. I couldn’t believe people were actually taking this so seriously. I found hundreds of articles. I even read about the two girls from Spain who actually went to a mental hospital because they couldn’t complete “normal tasks.” These girls were ages 12 and 13. Couldn’t their parents just have taken the cell phones away? Is this real? Are we actually addicted to our cell phones? I went to a Web site called www.drugrehadtreatment.com/tenn-cell-phone-addiction.html, and that’s where I found the “warning signs”: • Feeling restless or uncomfortable when not using a cell phone. • Having irrational reactions to being without a phone if it is lost or forgotten. • Substantial increases in the amount of time spent talking on a cell phone. • Increasing cell phone bills that cause financial distress. • Problems at school and work from constant cell phone use. • Taking unnecessary risks such as using a cell phone during inappropriate times (driving, etc.) In my opinion, we should all be in rehab right now. I hardly know anyone who doesn’t match the “cell phone addict” criteria. If this is real, that just means that it will only get worse over time. We become more reliant on technology in our daily lives. Besides, it’s more than just a cell phone — its an alarm clock, watch, MP3 player, camera and calendar. Just imagine what cell phones will be in the next decade. We may not even need laptops or gaming devices anymore. What is happening with our technology? Cell phones are supposed to make our lives so much easier, keeping us safe in case an emergency and keeping us connected to family and friends. What if we’re letting our technology control our lives, maybe we’re losing sight of their purpose. Whether you agree with the whole “cell phone addiction” thing or not, you have to admit this will leave you thinking or a little worried. Think however you’d like, but we all know you’re secretly looking for a mental hospital. |
