Researchers discovered evidence that smartphone addiction may lead to chemical imbalance in the brain of young people, but fortunately, there are some treatment options available to everyone.
Not everyone can go to therapy to correct chemical imbalances in the brain, but there are some things that anybody can do to try to control smartphone addiction.
Brain Imbalance Due To Smartphone Addiction
A study was conducted by researchers on 19 young subjects diagnosed with smartphone addiction and 19 other young healthy subjects. For both groups, the average age was 15.5 years old.
The researchers discovered that that subjects who were addicted to smartphones yielded higher scores when testing for impulsivity, insomnia, depression, and anxiety. A magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study the brain chemistry of the subjects also revealed an imbalance that prevents the regulation of some brain functions, resulting in anxiety and drowsiness.
After cognitive behavioral therapy, the researchers were able to correct the chemical imbalance in the brains of the subjects who were addicted to smartphones.
How To Cure Smartphone Addiction
The researchers carried out a modified form of therapy that is used for people with video game addiction. This involved 75-minute sessions of exercises focused on mindfulness once a week, including recognizing impulses to use a smartphone, finding something else to do, and expressing emotions.
For people with smartphone addiction who do not think therapy is best for them, there are some things that you can try to cure yourself and fix any chemical imbalance that may be forming in the brain.
One of the strongest ways to control smartphone addiction is to set personal rules on smartphone usage, including the only periods that using the smartphone is allowed and the number of apps installed at a time.
People with smartphone addiction may also try leaving their devices in one room and moving to another to be with friends, family, or even alone but doing something else.
Of course, these would be easier with the support of loved ones, who can help you monitor your smartphone usage and make sure you are following your own rules. Be careful on who you ask for help, though, as some family members actually affect others' behavior with their own smartphone obsession.
Lastly, a few days before the new study on smartphone addiction, product and furniture designer Klemens Schillinger actually revealed the Substitute Phone. The "device" looks to help people overcome their smartphone addiction.
The Substitute Phone comes in five "models" that are made up of slabs of black plastic and marbles. The marbles provide people with a way to curb the impulses of smartphone addiction, including swiping, scrolling, and pinching to zoom on the displays of devices.
