The mobile phone is a fundamental part of our lives, it is our main tool to communicate with the rest of the world and it can also provide us with leisure and be useful for work. We have become accustomed to being continuously connected to the point that in some cases we develop dependence on that little device and we cannot go long without consulting it .

The mobile phone is a fundamental part of our lives, it is our main tool to communicate with the rest of the world and it can also provide us with leisure and be useful for work. We have become accustomed to being continuously connected to the point that in some cases we develop dependence on that little device and we cannot go long without consulting it.

It is clear that the current mobile phone is capable of simplifying our lives in many ways , it allows us to be in contact with everyone, answer almost all kinds of questions that we may have and offers us extra services such as listening to music, controlling our heart rate or keep up to date on what interests us the most. All this with a gadget that you carry in your pocket. But it is also possible that this device goes from being a tool to make life easier for us to one that dominates it. Can you be mobile dependent?

The answer is that without a doubt yes, in fact it is becoming more and more frequent to talk about this situation. And that can go unnoticed because it is not always easy to be aware, especially those who suffer from it. As with other types of dependencies, it is necessary to reach an extreme situation or for someone to open your eyes to realize that you have a problem and you turn too much into that device, which has become one more extension of yourself and that you give more importance than other aspects of your life.

Signs of dependence on mobile

To know if you have dependence on the mobile phone, it is necessary to stop and reflect for a moment on the relationship you have with this device.

Is it the last thing you look at before going to bed, even from bed?

Is it the first thing you look at every morning?

If it doesn’t sound or vibrate every five minutes, do you run to look at it in case something happens to it?

Have you ever left it at home and felt overwhelmed by being away from the device for a long time?

When you run out of battery, do you feel like something is missing ?

Does not having data affect you negatively and you are desperately looking for Wi-Fi when you leave home?

If you have answered yes to most of the previous questions, it would not be wrong to say that you have an excessive dependence on the telephone, which for you has ceased to be another tool to make things easier for you to become a fundamental tool to develop your life normally. We could say that you cannot live without your cell phone next to you, that you feel safe with it and that you tremble when you don’t have it or you run out of coverage.

Another way to realize that you have an excessive dependence on your mobile is to compare yourself with the use that other people make of that device. See if your friends, colleagues or family are as aware of him as you. If you notice a lot of difference compared to your peers, perhaps it is that there is something that is not working well.

Social isolation

Mobile phones allow you to communicate with anyone in the world, but they also make you isolate yourself when you are surrounded by people. Sometimes they are becoming a social problem because there are those who are losing skills to communicate face to face or to enjoy the moment they spend with other people.

If you are one of those who, when you meet for a coffee, you spend time writing messages or consulting your social networks, not only are you rude to those who accompany you at the table, but you may have a serious dependency problem.

Difference between dependency and need

There may be exceptions, certain times when you have to be hanging on the phone or talk to someone about something in particular, but when it is a habitual behavior, what there is is a problem with the relationship you have with your device. Sometimes, such as for work reasons, you may have to constantly keep an eye on the phone. That cannot be considered dependency, it is simply that they require you to be connected. Another thing is if on your days off or your vacations you are also clinging to your mobile and you cannot disconnect from it.

Do an experiment

If you have doubts about whether you really have dependence on your mobile or not, I suggest you do an experiment. One day, when you are going to leave the house, put down your cell phone. Think of a time when you are going to be away for a while and when, a priori, you would not need the phone. To start you can try going shopping without it or just go for a walk.

If during the time you are apart you feel overwhelmed , even anxious about not being able to use the phone, you are overdependent. Know that you are not an exception, that there are more and more cases like that and that there are therapies that can help you break the bond you have with your phone. In case you think you are in this situation, consult your doctor to recommend what to do.