Youngsters and Their Crazy Cell Phones: Worse Than Drugs or Key to a Bright Future?
It’s Friday night and Timmy is ready to make plans with his friends. But something has gone terribly wrong. Little Timmy starts shaking and begins to go through withdrawals. Sweaty, clammy and cold, he curls up into a ball in the corner of his room drifting away from his own existence. What could possibly be wrong with Timmy? Was he having a seizure? Was he going through withdrawals from the latest club drug? No. Timmy simply could not find his cell phone. Yes that’s right. Teens and Young adults alike consider cell phones one of the most vital aspects of their daily life.
According to a recent study conducted by psychologist Dr. David Sheffield, 1 in 6 young adults may be addicted to their cell phones. The study showed that many were so attached to their mobile devices that they used it to alter their mood. No more overdosing on robetessin for me. As a health psychologist at the University of Staffordshire, Dr. Sheffield’s study of more than a 100 students showed that a third of the students used texts and phone calls to lift their mood. And seven percent would “rather lose their job or relationship than give up their mobile phone”. No wonder we’re in a recession.
However, this addiction could be a positive for teens and young adults. A survey in September 2008 conducted by The Wireless association in conjunction with Harrison interactive shines a new light on the potentiality of cellular phones in accordance to teens. The online study taken by more than 2.000 teens revealed how they would like to see their wireless devices develop in the future. The study showed that sixty-six percent of the more than 2,000 teens want opportunities to be educated anywhere in the world through their mobile devices, and sixty-three percent want their wireless services to bring users closer to global issues impacting teens. Perhaps this futuristic view of cell phones will come as a significant aspect in educating future adolescents. Or it will merely be a nicotine patch to the already growing addiction. Either way, cell phones are here to stay and might just be heading in the right direction.
This blog post written by Alex DeCamp
