20 Odd Things A Smartphone Addict Does
Do you think using a cell phone will make an addict more calm or more excited? (Hint: it’s probably not what you think.)
More about that in a minute, but first, let’s take a look at the way we use technology these days.
It should come as no surprise to anyone: with all of the people using smartphones today, there are some people that you can say truly have some type of smartphone addiction.
They are never without their phone by their side, on their desk, on the table or have their face buried into the screen as the look to see what is going on in the world while they miss what is going on in the world around them.
There are some quirks and peculiarities that may go along with having a smartphone addiction, and here are 20 odd things a smartphone addict does so you can see if you or someone you know falls into this category.
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1. You panic when your smartphone is out of your sight
You could be sitting casually at your desk, going about your business, when all of a sudden you realize that you cannot see your smartphone.
It may not even be turned on, but you need to know that it is safely within your sight at all times so that you can have peace of mind throughout the day.
2. You panic when you leave the phone at home
This is even worse than not having the phone by your side and in your sight the whole time.
It happens to everyone at some point, where you may accidentally leave your phone on your nightstand or in the kitchen as you were grabbing that cup of coffee before you go.
By the time you reach work, school or are out on whatever errand you had to run that day, you panic when you cannot find your phone, racing back to your car, tearing through your purse or calling your spouse to see if someone knows where the phone is and you will not rest easily until you get home to check on its safety.
3. You sleep with your phone in bed with you
A lot of people get appalled at the idea of doing this, but there are many people that go to bed with their smartphone right beside them on the pillow, almost as if the glow of the phone acts like something of a nightlight or security blanket.
They want it to be the last thing that they see each night and it is the first thing they grab for when they wake up.
4. You find ways to justify being on the phone all of the time
You can always seem to find some reason why you could be checking your phone when you really do not need to be doing it, you just want to do it.
You tell others and yourself that you might be waiting for an important message, text or e-mail from the office, which is why you need to check the phone all of the time, but the reality may be that you just need to check the phone all of the time out of some type of compulsion to see what is going on.
5. You use the phone even when it is damaged
The power button or the volume buttons do not work right? No problem, there are other ways to get your phone to work.
The screen is broken or shattered from dropping it on the tile floor in the kitchen? That is nothing a screen cover and a pair of gloves can’t take care of for you.
If you are finding ways to keep using your phone even when it is barely working for you, you may need to think about where you are at with a phone addiction.
6. You have multiple text chains and chats all going at the same time
It is one thing when you are talking with a group of friends or family members over plans that you may be making or discussing a work project with three or four other team members.
It is another thing completely when you have four or five text chains and chats all going on at once and you keep flipping back and forth between everything just to keep up.
7. You get upset about where your phone might be only to realize it in your pocket or your hand
You get that frantic look on your face as if you have just lost your child in a crowded mall as you look around in panic trying to find your phone.
You pat down all of your pockets or rummage through your purse, only to find that your phone has been in your hand the entire time.
8. You hate to turn your phone off
Are you avoiding going to places like the movies, doctor’s offices or airplanes just because there are going to be times when you need to silence your phone or turn it off completely?
Whether it is just for a few minutes as the plane is taking off or for 90 minutes while you watch a movie, you just cannot bear the thought of turning your phone off for that time period.
9. You look forward to turning your phone back on all of the time
Going back to the last entry, if you are sitting with your turned off phone in your hands waiting for the all clear from the plane captain or for those final credits to start rolling in the movie theater so you can turn your phone back on, you may have an issue with liking your smartphone a bit too much.
10. You are constantly texting/talking and not paying attention to your surroundings
It can be embarrassing enough to do this when you are walking down the street or a hallway at home, school or work and trip and walk right into someone or something and when it happens on that off occasion everyone thinks it is amusing and moves on.
If it is happening to you on a pretty regular basis it can start to become a big concern for you and those around you and if you find yourself doing this while you are crossing the street or even worse, driving, then it can be downright dangerous.
11. You find yourself liking status changes/updates as soon as they are posted
Sure social media is a lot of fun and can be a great way to keep up with everyone’s lives and there is nothing wrong with you checking to see what everyone you know is up to once in a while or posting a comment of your own.
However if you find that you are liking or favoriting updates within the seconds that they happen all of the time just as the post or tweet has gone up on your screen then you might be using your phone just a bit too often.
12. You talk to your phone all of the time instead of typing
Yes those voice applications are great when you are asking to search something online or find a phone number, but you may be getting too comfortable with the format if you find yourself talking to your phone all of the time to do everything and every task for you instead of taking the time to swipe a screen, open an application or type a message on your own.
It might be even worse if your phone is giving you answers all of the time and using your name while it happens.
13. You only turn your phone off on the airplane
You have already determined that you hate turning off your phone at the dinner table, in the doctor’s office and in the movie theater, among other places.
You only begrudgingly turn your phone off on the airplane because that air marshal might be the guy sitting next to you and keeps giving you dirty looks because they have asked three times for you to turn your phone off.
14. You feel depressed when you check your phone and there are no new notifications
If you are checking your phone so often that social media like Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest have not even had a chance to update their pages, or you feel sad that you have no new emails or texts since you checked 45 seconds ago or that your friend has not played his or her turn in the game you are playing and there does not appear to be anything new with anything at all, you are spending too much time on your phone.
15. If you are in need of phone repairs you get incredible anxiety over bringing the phone in
Yes it might be natural to be worried about losing data or pictures when you have to turn your phone in for repairs.
But if the thought of not having the phone with you even for a few hours, let alone a week or two, is more than you can take you might need a break from your phone more than you think.
16. You get everywhere early so you always have some extra time to check your phone
While everyone you know might be impressed because of your punctuality and you are always the first one to get to the restaurant, bar, club, mall or wherever you may be going, the truth is you relish that few extra minutes you have to yourself to spend going over social media on your phone, checking messages or playing Candy Crush.
17. You feel calmer and more comforted when you are using your phone
When your day has been frantic and busy for whatever the reason may be, instead of relaxing at home in your favorite comfy chair and reading, playing with the dog, talking with your spouse or having a drink, you are picking up your phone to spend some time looking over everything and playing with it, in reality that may not be the most relaxing thing for you to do. Somehow this action does manage to put you at ease more than anything else.
18. You go out of your way to find reasons to use your phone
Someone needs directions to get to that fancy new restaurant? You need a picture of that cute little dog on the street? You want to know who the ruler of Romania was in 1842?
Perhaps you find yourself as being the constant source of information for everything and everyone, even for people you do not know and just happen to overhear their conversation just so you can take the opportunity to make use of your phone for a few minutes.
19. You take pictures and video everywhere that you go
There is nothing wrong with wanting to take pictures or video when you are going on vacation somewhere special or you are out at a club with your friends and something crazy is happening.
It is even okay to break it out at the concert you are at when they start playing your favorite song. However, if you find that you are constantly seeing everything that is going on through the screen on your smartphone rather than seeing it all for yourself, you are likely using your phone too often and may need to take a break from it all.
20. You try to open applications that you already have open
You are so used to opening applications all day long for everything that you keep tapping on icons on your screen even though that screen has already been open for you for the last hour while you were using your phone.
If you find yourself fitting into more than one of these 20 odd things a smartphone addict does, it may be time for you to take a closer look at how you are spending your time so you can get away from your phone for a little bit and see the world as it really is without having to worry about all that is going on in your smartphone.
Smartphones can be a very addicting tool in your life despite what they can do.
