Cell Phone Addiction in Teens – Symptoms & Treatment

Cell phone addiction in teens is getting common with the passing time. Parents nowadays face so many challenges while raising their children. Teens use smartphones for learning, communication, and entertainment purposes. Using mobile phones today is so usual that nobody notices if their kids develop smartphone dependence or not.

Well, every parent must be concerned about the digital space of their kids. Studies showed that teens are most vulnerable to develop mobile dependence which can increase their chance to encounter cyber threats.

But, before concluding if your child is a mobile addict, you first need to clear your concept about cell phone addiction.

So, what is mobile addiction, and how does it affect teens?

Let’s discuss in detail and see how smart devices trap kids and make them addicted to the cyberworld.

Cell Phone Addiction – What Is It?

Excess of everything is bad, and so is mobile dependence. Cell phone addiction is the dependence on mobile devices to talk, text, or use apps, games, and social media, etc. Teens with mobile addiction can’t stay minutes without using their cell phones.

Biologically, ringing cell phone alerts stimulate the brain of mobile addicts resulting in the release of dopamine to create a euphoric state. Mobile addicts get happy while receiving likes, comments, and app notifications. Mobile addiction is similar to substance dependence. It is considered a clinical behavioral disorder that can negatively affect the lifestyle of teens.

Statistics on Teen Cell Phone Addiction:

Teens glued to their mobile devices show a clear sign of cell phone dependence.

Do you know that 11 teens die every day because they were using a mobile phone while driving?

Well, cell phone addiction can cause some severe life threats.

Here are some stats on the excessive phone usage of teens;

• 78% of teens check their cell phones every hour.
• 72% of teens feel the urge to reply to text messages instantly.
• 62% of teens admit that they use their phone after bedtime.
• 59% of parents think that their kid has developed cell phone dependence.

The threat of excessive mobile usage is ever increasing. For parents, it is crucial to managing the screen time of their kids and set a strict routine when it comes to using digital devices.

Symptoms of Cell Phone Addiction:

Kids start using mobile devices at a very early age. It all begins with jingles and poems and ends up with social media addiction. Living in the modern era, no one can avoid using mobile devices. That is why, instead of vigorously putting restrictions on the usage of mobile devices, parents must keep a record of the online space of their kids.

If you have doubts that your child can be a phone addict, then here are some common signs that can be seen in a cell phone addict teen.

Obsessiveness Towards Mobile Phone:

Phone addicts are too obsessive about their mobile devices. Such behaviour makes parents worry and think if their kids are hiding something from them. According to a Canadian city involving more than 5000 children, 70% of the parents are unaware of the digital activities of their children. Teens do watch explicit or violent content when given mobile phones and internet freedom. If your child is a cell phone addict, he/she may feel discomfort when you ask for their cell phone pin or password.

Repetitive Checking of Smartphone:

Compulsive or frequent checking of the smartphone is another sign of mobile dependence. Teens spend a lot of time on their mobile phones. They get excited with notification sounds of receiving a comment or like on social media. If you observe your child using a cell phone day and night, then consider it as a red flag of mobile addiction.

Continuous Use of Cell Phone in Free Time:

Kids stick to their smart devices when nobody is noticing. However, teenagers avoid using cell phones when their parents are around. But, whenever they find alone time, they indulge in cell phone activities such as; chatting with friends, watching movies, listening to music, playing games, etc. Some kids use mobile phones secretly and hide their phones when parents come around.

Impatience & Irritability in The Absence of Mobile Phone:

Does your child feel agitated in the absence of his/her mobile phone?

Kids with a mobile phone addiction always worry to charge their cell phones so that they don’t have to live a second without their mobile. Such kids are mobile maniacs, and their parents must stop their dependence on smart devices.

REAL ALSO: Increased Rate of Sexting Among Teens Shocked Parents to The Core

Social Challenges in Real Life:

Mobile addicts spend the majority of their time using smartphones and tablets. That is why, when it comes to socializing, they face difficulties. Mobile dependent kids find ways to avoid face-to-face human interactions. The digital world is indeed an escape from reality. That is why phone addicts feel uncomfortable when you ask them to mingle with family & friends.

Serious Health Problems:

Excessive use of mobile phones results in poor eyesight, weak posture, headaches, anxiety, depression, lack of concentration, etc. As a result, kids perform poorly in school and get bad grades.

Well, with such adverse effects, using too many cell phones seems daunting.

So, how can parents help kids overcome mobile addiction?

Cell Phone Addiction – How to Treat It?

Leaving an addiction is always challenging. Parents must tell their kids about the etiquette to use cyberspace. It all starts with educating your child about the importance of keeping privacy online. If your child is a mobile addict, tell him/her about the potential cyber dangers that can harm them. As a parent, you also need to teach your teen about the significance of a healthy lifestyle.

If you still find your kid addicted to cell phones, here is another option – kid’s monitoring apps.

Child tracking apps allow parents to snoop into the digital space of their kids and help them explore the online activities of their kids.

Using a parental control app, you can discover whether your child indulges in a bad online company or not. You can also control the online activities of your kids.

Here, we are going to mention the features of the top child tracking app TheWiSpy.

• Call Recording
• Surround Recording
• SMS Tracking
• Social Media Monitoring
• GPS Tracking
• Geo-fencing
• App Blocking
• Content Restrictions
• Screen Time Control
• Multimedia Monitoring
• Remote Controls
• IMs Tracking (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, etc.)
• And Many More.

In today’s modern world, using a kid’s surveillance app is the only option to keep parents updated about the online and offline activities of teens and tweens.

Conclusion:

Teenage mobile addiction is a common topic nowadays. Parents are struggling to find ways that can help them help their kids with mobile dependence. Despite conventional methods, using child tracking software can assist parents to explore the online space of their children. By this, parents can find out if their kid uses the internet space safely or not. Also, with remote control features, parents can set screen limits, content restrictions, and block app usage whenever they want.

So, are you ready to control your kid’s mobile addiction with a parental control app?