I’m sure I’m not alone in this - my smartphone addiction has become a real problem. I feel constantly drawn to it, and no matter how hard I try, it’s so hard to stay off of it. It has invaded every aspect of my life and spent far too many hours scrolling through social media, playing games, or aimlessly scrolling through the web.
As awful as it sounds, I had almost started to accept this lifestyle until recently where I was able to reflect on the effects that this excessive use has had on my mental health. It’s taken away the joy of going outside and exploring nature or having meaningful conversations with loved ones who don’t look at a screen all day long.
The most shocking part is that instead of avoiding potential stress from my daily activities, using my phone only increases it by making me insecure about how others perceive me or comparing myself to other people online who project a much more glamorous life than mine actually is. It’s a struggle not to get caught up in the world of perfection shown online while dealing with reality at the same time./
So now I’m actively trying to find better methods of managing anxiety caused by phone overuse and live a healthier lifestyle. It helps that I have disciplined myself to face the urge when using my phone for more than an hour straight and refuse any distracting notifications when I work on projects (for example turning off email notifications). By doing those things and more, I’ve slowly found myself focusing less on what’s online but more on what’s happening around me in real life.