THE STORY CONTINUES UNDER THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS
By Pauline Milner
Special for the Saltwire network
You may not be aware of it, but you may see much of your world through your smartphone screen.
However, there are compelling reasons why you should break what has become a habit for so many.
One of the first things to consider is whether you want to see things around you as they actually happen or through a sterile screen. While having a beautiful photo of your children standing under an apple tree in full bloom provides a documented memory, it lacks the sweet smell, the feel of the sun on your skin, the sounds of birds chirping nearby, and the laughter that often accompanies moments like these. .
Even if you had a video, it would never truly replicate the memory you have of that particular moment.
Pew Research reported in a 2022 study that 85% of Canadians own a smartphone and 75% use social media sites. StatsCanada reported in 2020 that, on a typical day, 43% of Canadians checked their smartphone at least every 30 minutes, with 17% checking every five minutes.
Dr. Melissa Hoskins, a registered clinical psychologist in St. Johns, NL, has given many reasons for putting space between you and your smartphone.
Gone are the days of simply wondering that answers could be found in an instant, Hoskins said.
Besides giving us access to a wealth of knowledge literally in the palm of your hand, smartphones also provide us with the ability to shop, create playlists of our favorite music, pay for goods, find a location using GPS, and a plethora of other conveniences. .
While they are a powerful tool, there are strong incentives why you should put your smartphone down not permanently, but certainly more frequently than you do now. Hoskins provided the following practical considerations for reducing smartphone use:
- Effects on physical health: increased sedentary time, decreased quality of sleep, technical neck (incorrect posture due to prolonged smartphone use), impaired dexterity/tendonitis and eye strain.
- Decreased Focus: Not knowing when we might get a notification can lead to developing a fear of missing out, which is an addictive practice.
- Distracted driving: Car accidents can be caused by driver distraction when smartphones are checked while driving.
- Excessive spending/gambling: These activities can offer a dopamine hit a feel-good booster. Some individuals may fall prey to financial overextension due to the ease of participating in these activities.
- Disinformation: With constant access to the internet, people need to be aware of which sources they trust and also take the time to form their own opinions as well as deciding which influence is deemed important.
- Risks to privacy and security: In a culture where the attachment to our smartphones is normalized, there is always the inherent possibility of identity and money theft, stalking, unwitting recording and solicitation of minors.
- AI: Artificial intelligence is constantly evolving and evolving. Instant access to artificial intelligence can diminish our creativity, give us a false sense of connection, and keep us from honing our critical thinking skills.
- A multitude of studies and statistics support Hoskins’ suggestions.
According to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Canadians downloaded nearly 324% more data in 2022 than in 2015.
Distracted driving was a contributing factor in approximately 21% of fatal collisions and 27% of serious collisions, as reported in Transport Canadas database from 2016.
Information from Statistics Canada from 2018 indicated that 56% of Canadians aged 15 and older checked their smartphone as the last thing they did before bed. Additionally, 53% used their smartphone while watching television and 20% used one while eating dinner.
While these may seem like just a bunch of statistical numbers, they represent real people and demonstrate how integrated smartphones are in our daily lives.
While anyone who uses smartphones extensively can experience negative side effects, it is the mental health of our young people that is most at risk, according to a recent article in the Canadian Mental Health Association Journal. Specifically, the article stated that young people experience an increase in mental distress, self-harm behavior and suicide.
Humans are not meant to live their lives alone, and even with all that a smartphone has to offer, it will never be a real person.
While phones have the ability to connect us, that’s no substitute for in-person interactions, Hoskins said. The pandemic has limited our ability to connect with one another, and not only have we missed seeing face to face, but it has highlighted the desire we collectively feel to be together.
As a clinical psychologist, Hoskins has noticed an increase in problems with patients that could be a direct result of not being able to log off from their smartphones. He especially found an emotional numbing where people abuse their phones as a way to constantly check. Additionally, he noted that many people also use their smartphones as a way to track health data in an effort to bolster their physical health and that’s not always a good thing.
For some, this backfires and actually induces more anxiety and obsession with physical health symptoms, she explained.
When you decide to put some distance between you and your smartphone, Hoskins advised that moderation is key.
I recommend that people set boundaries regarding their relationship with smartphones, he said.
Her suggestions include setting limits on phone time, minimizing notifications, and removing control of your smartphone as the last thing you do before bed or the first thing you do upon waking in the morning.
Living in the moment without a desensitizing screen between you and the world around you is sure to reap rewards that benefit your physical and mental health.
As author Kate Northrup says, give the people in your life the gift of your presence by putting down your mobile device.
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