“SMARTPHONE” when the word enters in our ear the brain automatically hits some thoughts related to our smartphone, an immediate response of brain gives us an indication & it arises a desire to check the smartphone as soon as possible. ‘What & how much notifications are there? we want to know first, our emotion & hormones drive by this feeling.
As everyone want to take full advantage & use of technology if he/she has & if it is interesting then no one can keep themselves away and disconnected from this small gadget. We often listen in television and read in newspaper about the psychological problems associated with smartphone. But do you know various postural problems are also associated with excessive smartphone. But today I will inform you about both the problems i.e. Postural problems and Psychological problems associated with longer smartphone usage. So first of all psychological problems:
- Smartphone addiction
- Nomo phobia (No Mobile Phone Phobia)
- Sleep disorders
- Sleep-text disorder
- Cyber sickness
- Selfitis
- Phantom Vibration Syndrome
1. Smartphone addiction: “When you use a smartphone even when you know that you should not use it or when you make excuses for its usefulness.” Smartphone addictive behavior can include an intense focus on the smartphone or a specific application, for example, checking, posting, or interacting on social media platforms. If the smartphone or application will be removed from the addicted person, panic attacks or feelings of discomfort emerge.
- Nomo phobia (No Mobile Phone Phobia): Nomo phobias the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. It is; however, arguable that the word “phobia” is misused and that in the majority of cases it is only a normal anxiety. Nomo phobia is considered a disorder of the contemporary digital and virtual society and refers to discomfort, anxiety, nervousness or extreme distress caused by being out of contact with a mobile phone.
- Sleep disorders: If you like to use your phone or browse on your laptop before bed, the bright blue light from the screen may be stopping your body from producing sleep regulating hormone melatonin and promoting insomnia. Melatonin is a hormone which is essential to restful sleep, and is naturally produced as the day becomes darker.
Figure 2- Sleep Disorder - Sleep-text disorder: “Sleep texting is a growing phenomenon in which people (usually adolescents and young adults) send text messages while asleep.” When you send a text to someone while you’re sleepy, awoken from sleep, or just not paying attention, and it makes absolutely no sense.
Figure 3- Sleep Texting - Cyber sickness: Cyber sickness is a new term coined for the modern day version of motion sickness that is mostly found among the smartphone users. It is a side effect of the 3D features of iPhones and iPads. Cyber sickness is caused by a disagreement between a person’s eyes and the movement perceived by their balance system. It happens when the brain is tricked into believing that they are moving while they actually not.
Figure 4- Cyber Sickness
- Selfitis: It is defined as “the obsessive compulsive desire to take photos of one’s self and post them on social media as a way to make up for the lack of self-esteem and to fill a gap in intimacy.”The disorder has three levels:
- Borderline Selfitis: taking photos of one’s self at least three times a day but not posting them on social media.
- Acute Selfitis: taking photos of one’s self at least three times a day and posting each of the photos on social media.
Chronic Selfitis: Uncontrollable urge to take photos of one’s self round the clock and posting the photos on social media more than six times a day.
- Phantom Vibration Syndrome: Phantom vibration syndrome or phantom ringing is the perception that one’s mobile phone is vibrating or ringing when it is not. The increasing usage of cell phones has lead some individuals to experience a phenomenon known as “phantom vibration syndrome.” The syndrome known as “phantom vibration” is characterized by an individual falsely perceiving that their cell phone is either vibrating or ringing at a time when it clearly isn’t. Those that experience PVS may be engaging in an activity away from their cell phone, yet believe that it’s ringing.
Now the time for postural problems:
- Text Neck Syndrome
- Texting Thumb (De Quervain’s syndrome)
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- Thumb arthritis
- Smartphone Pinky
Figure 6- Phantom Vibration Syndrome - Text Neck Syndrome: “It is a overuse syndrome involving the head, neck and shoulders, usually resulting from excessive strain on the spine from looking in a forward and downward position at any hand held mobile device, i.e., mobile phone/smartphone, video game unit, computer, e-reader.” A term ‘text neck’ is coined by US chiropractor Dr Dean L. Fishman. It refers to overuse syndrome or a repetitive stress injury, where you have your head hung forward and down looking at your mobile electronic device for extended periods of time.
- Texting Thumb: Texting Thumb is technically known as De Quatrain’s syndrome. It is a repetitive stress injury that affects the thumb and wrist. It can be a form of tendonitis, tenosynovitis or a combination of both of those disorders. It decreases grip strength or range of motion.
Figure 7- Texting Thumb 3.Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the pressure on the median nerve – the nerve in the wrist that supplies feeling and movement to the parts of the hands. It can lead to numbness, tingling, weakness or muscle damage in the hands and fingers.
Figure 8- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: Cubital Tunnel Syndrome also known as ulnar neuropathy is caused by increased pressure on the ulnar nerve, which passes close to the skin’s surface in the area of the elbow. It can cause severe pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness in the hands and arms.
Figure 9- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome - Thumb Arthritis: Arthritis of the carpometacarpal joint, where the thumb connects to the wrist. It causes severe joint pain in the fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, or back.
Figure 10- Thumb Arthritis - Smartphone pinky: Smartphone pinkyis the result of using your little finger to support the weight of your phone. When you hold a heavy smartphone in your hand, it rests and presses on the inside of your end pinky joint, a susceptible spot for pain to develop.
Figure 11- Smart phone Pinky Now you are surprised after knowing these problems and it is obvious to be surprised because we glued on our smartphone and never think about the consequences. Some people may be aware about some of these but never bother to do any changes in their daily smartphone usage. But it is necessary to give attention if your body gives you signals because our smartphone has limitless positive usage but negative aspects act as sweet poison that affect body slowly and the effects can be seen after some years later. If we have to be healthy with the use of most demanding technology i.e. Smartphone, we have to keep in mind only some preventive tips that will keep away from such type of bodily problems in future.
- First suggestion from the doctors and researchers is to use minimum your smartphone.
- Take Frequent Breaks while smartphone use.
- Hold Mobile devices at eye level so that neck will not strain.
- Stop overuse of your smart devices and limit the time you spend on your tablets and smart phones.
- Use an alarm and keep your phone out of your bedroom.
- Take sufficient (8 hours) sleep at night.
- Read a paper or book.
- Remind yourself the email, text, or post is not urgent.
- Don’t be multitasking means do not do other activities with smartphone like eating and using smartphone.
- Spent time with nature at least daily.
- Put your phone away at dinner, movies and when out with friends.
“Be Smart With Your Smartphone”