Cell phone addicts - Is this you?

Having a cell phone has become an addiction. You know it, I know it. Cell phones are the new technological drug, think about what drugs do. Check out the signs that someone is addicted to a drugs according to Rehab.com (https://luxury.rehabs.com/drug-addiction/10-most-common-drug-addiction-signs/):

1. Cravings. People may experience intense urges or cravings for the drug as their addiction develops.

2. Physical dependence. Physical dependence to drugs can develop as people grow accustomed to the persistent presence and influence of the substance. The changes in physiology that accompany this process leave people feeling badly or functioning sub-optimally when the drug is no longer in the system.

3. Tolerance. Over time and with prolonged use, people can build up a tolerance to the drug, meaning they need more of the drug to achieve the desired effects.

4. Withdrawal symptoms. Some people experience withdrawal symptoms when they attempt to stop using abruptly or when they wean themselves off the drug over a period of time. This is the presence of a withdrawal syndrome indicates that physiologic dependence is at play.

5. Poor judgement. When an individual is addicted to drugs, he or she may do anything to obtain more, including risky behaviors such as stealing, lying, engaging in unsafe sexual activity, selling drugs, or crimes that could land the person in jail.

6. Drug-seeking. People may spend excessive amounts of time and energy finding and getting their drug of choice.

7. Financial trouble. People may spend large amounts of money, drain their bank accounts, and go outside their budgets in order to get the drug. This is a major red flag.

8. Neglect responsibilities. When people choose using or getting the drug over meeting work or personal obligations, this is a classic sign of addiction.

9. Develop unhealthy friendships. When people start using new substances, they may spend time with others who have similar habits. They may hang out with a new group of people who may encourage unhealthy habits.

10. Isolate. Alternatively, they may withdraw and isolate themselves, hiding their drug use from friends and family. Some reasons for this may include perceived stigma or increased depression, anxiety, or paranoia as a result of their drug addiction.

So maybe you need some help comparing the two so let me help you out.

Cravings aka urges. How many times in a day do you feel compelled to check your cell phone?...I'll wait. This one is self explanatory.

Physical dependence. I don't know how many times I've heard someone say "I left my phone at home and I feel so incomplete without it". Reality is, you don't necessarily need your phone, but you go into a minor anxiety attack when you realize you left it at home. Am I right?

Tolerance. Think back to when you first got your phone. You set up all your info, personalized it then let everyone you had a new phone. You probably put your phone down and maybe only got on it a couple of times that day. But as time went on, you added more apps, checked it more frequently and poured every aspect of your life into that cell phone. The more you contributed to it, the more you needed it, therefore you need to be on it more and more in order to fulfill your daily tasks, wants and needs.

Withdrawal symptoms. We touched on this a bit with the physical dependence. You forget it at home and freak out. But then you go home and feel calm again because you now have your phone. Have you ever tried the week challenge where you do not have your cell phone for a week? I have and it wasn't even that I didn't use it. I only utilized it for phone calls. Like phones were intended to be used for. I am going to tell you how I reacted, though everyone's results may be different. First I felt the urges to check my phones but remembered I couldn't. Then I didn't know what to do with my extra time and everything I thought about doing didn't seem to match up to what I could be doing on my cell phone. I would sometimes hear things like notification sounds of a Facebook message, but I disabled Facebook so there were no sounds. Then every time someone else's phones went off I would look at my own. Here's where it gets good. I ended up cleaning and organizing my house. Then my husband and I choose movies to watch with the kids. Then we took the kids to the park and walked around a bit while our dog ran around. We had all kinds of funny conversations and I felt like I was learning things about my kids I never knew. I got so much accomplished in that week that I continue to monitor my cell phone use. Not to the extent that it's only used for calls, but enough to where I have time for my family.

Poor judgement. I laugh out loud at this one. I don't have to go into deep detail with this one but anyone who has ever been on Facebook or Twitter can name at least 10 posts that have poured over in straight ignorant thoughts that would NEVER have been said aloud had it not been for the ability to quick swipe their post. People do not THINK before they post because the access is so easy. Then if they regret it, it's too late, it's already been shared and reposted numerous times and you are not targeting for the dumb things you decided to post in the heat of the moment. The sad thing is, it's not that you are "not yourself" online, it's that you are more yourself than you have ever been and we all get to witness the ugliness you have inside. So yes, it's poor judgement to spill out your true colors on your cell phone.

Drug-seeking. So that one week of not having a cell phone was tough and I slipped up a few times...by getting on my computer. I was seeking the drug in other ways. If I couldn't get it on my cell phone, I had to open up a laptop to get to what I wanted. Tsk tsk, just sad. But I bet you would too.

Financial trouble. This one was tough for me to think about. I mean yeah I've spent money on my cell phone and sometimes on game apps that I become addicted. But I haven't had financial trouble because of this. I think this is because cell phones are financially available and there are so may methods to get a cell phone. If you have gone this deep into the addiction of your cell phone where you can't pay your bills, please admit yourself.

Neglect responsibilities. I bet you have procrastinated plenty of times on completing a task, chore or responsibility because you were hooked into that little cell phone screen. I bet you have forgotten to complete a task, chore or responsibility because you were hooked into that little cell phone screen. If there is one thing that I commend my job on, it's on the decision to ban cell phone usage during work hours. First of all, we are too busy to have time to look at our cell phones but if we could, I guarantee things would slip through the cracks.

Develop unhealthy friendships. I am a little tickled by this one. Unhealthy is calling 1,000 people you add on Facebook "friends". When I think of a friend I think of someone I can trust, lean on when I need to talk to someone, or someone I spend a lot of time with. I may like everyone on my cell phone contacts or Facebook "friends" list but they are not all my friends. Hell, we may have only encountered each other in life a few times. But we are not friends. Some of you just learned things about me they never knew just the other day in Blog "30". It is not healthy to think that because someone added you to Facebook or follows you on other social media sites that they are your friend.

Isolate. I am going to use this in a different context than it is used on the Rehab site because you're not technical isolating yourself while you are being connected with everyone on your cell phone. What you are doing is limiting contact to virtual instead of in person. How many people on your friends list have you seen in the last week? month? year? Because you have a cell phone you isolate yourself from going to people's houses, meeting them at the mall, grabbing a drink and apps at a chain restaurant. All the things we used to do to stay connected are mostly gone. It's depressing to think about what my girls are going to miss out on growing up if I don't push them out the house. Catching the bus to Rivercenter every weekend was the some of the best memories I have. Sleeping over at my best friends house and going to church with her family in the morning was awesome. Sneaking out the house to see my boyfriend is now a thing of the past, it's all just a text or message away.

I realized I was addicted about 2 years ago and it's been a bit of a battle ever since. That one week challenge woke me up. I do not have Facebook on my phone, to check my Facebook or post to Facebook I have to walk my ass upstairs, log onto my computer and do it. I only have Instagram on my phone to post pics and even with that, there are days that I spend too much time on that. I can admit that. I didn't always.

When my husband first pointed out that I am always on my phone I denied it and got mad at him for saying I was (typical reaction of an addict). But I started noticing things I was doing. We'd be watching a movie, I'd be on my phone and have to ask him "what happened? I missed it" on certain parts. He would be talking to me and I wouldn't hear a thing he said. He would look sad as if he had no one to talk to...because he didn't. My kids would irritate me when they tried speaking to me and I was on my phone. I know I sound pathetic but remember when you're pointing on finger at me you got 4 more pointing back at you.

Have I justified myself enough to you? Get off your damn cell phones!

Live your life and spend time with the ones you love, they won't always be around.

#cellphone #addic