Bucher 1

Cade Bucher

Mrs. Cramer

College Comp PD.4

14 April 2022

Phone Dependency and Addiction Among Teenagers

Mobile phone dependency has grown rapidly over the past few years, with npr.org stating

that fifty-three percent of children and eighty-four percent of teenagers own their own

smartphone. This has led to addiction in a high percentage of teens, causing noxious and

dangerous actions that the kids or teens take part in. Phone addiction in teenagers is unhealthy

because it leads to bad habits and violence, as well as poor performance in schools and jobs.

Some of the habits that teenagers develop because of phone addiction include sleep

issues, stress, and anxiety. These are just a few of numerous side effects of phone addiction.

Phone addiction is caused by a large amount of things but is mostly linked to the apps that teens

indulge in while they use their phones. The websites and apps that they use work with certain

colors, sounds and vibrations to get teens used to them, and make them feel a separate way when

they are without them (Gomez). An example of a dangerous effect of heavy phone usage would

be a decrease in the brain's grey matter, with Gomez saying, “A recent study scanned

participants’ brains with a phone addiction and discovered a change in the brain’s grey matter.”

The scans also revealed that the shape and size of the brain was like the brains of drug users.

This, along with the information stating grey matter volume had decreased in phone addicts,

provides an overwhelming amount of information regarding negative effects (Gomez).

In addition, it is shown that there may be a correlation between abusive and violent

parenting and phone dependency. The Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey showed that
 Bucher 2

abusive parenting style largely raised phone dependency and addiction in children and teens.

Along with this, the study found that 17.3% of the adolescents that participated reported that they

felt anxious when they were not in possession of their phone or other device (Kim and Chun).

Some studies done in the past can be linked to side effects as well. Kim and Chun state, “Past

research suggests that MPD (mobile phone dependency) among young users is associated with a

host of internalizing problems...)”. Some of the problems listed include depression, suicidal

ideation, headaches, tinnitus, and other physical related symptoms. With the combination of

negative mental and physical effects related to cell phone addiction, it is overtly obvious that

they are a distraction and a threat to teens around the world.

Even though the evidence would suggest phones are hazardous, it can be argued that cell

phones are more beneficial than they are negative to teens and even adults. Although phones are

shown to worsen mental health, they can also help it. There are apps that one can download that

give words of encouragement, and reminders for things such as eating and drinking water to help

the person physically. Another benefit of cell phones is communication. It allows for long-

distance messaging or calls between friends, family, or businesses. Discover Seven Stars’ blog

listed a few more positive things about phone usage, including improved communication,

organization, help in emergencies, access to information such as global news, and many more

(The Difference Between, para. 3). This goes to show that not only does phone addiction affect

productivity in students, but also adults in the workplace, but it should be noted that this is not

directly focused on phone addiction. Instead, it is a broad set of terms that can apply to healthy

users.

While this may be true, the pros cannot outweigh the cons, as a person’s mental health

should be prioritized over communication with friends. Another priority should be school, which
 Bucher 3

is also negatively affected by phones and phone addiction. According to a study done by The

Conversation, they found that the banning of phones at schools led to an increase of 6.4% for test

scores in students that were 16 years old, compared to the average test scores before phones were

banned. It is not only important for teens and even undergraduate students to do well in school,

but it is nearly as important in a job as well. A survey conducted by OfficeTeam in 2017

determined that an office employee spent an average of 56 minutes per day using their phone for

things that were not work-related. This adds up to around five hours per week in which that

employee is not being productive, which may not seem like much, but it can add up quickly.

To conclude, the vast majority of studies and piles of research would suggest that cell

phones are a hazard to teenagers’ mental health, and the other components of their daily life.

Granted, it is still possible to use phones in a healthy and non-addictive way, however the

statistics prove that more often than not teenagers are, to some degree, addicted. With that being

said, cell phones and other devices are an immediate threat to teens’, and even some adults’,

mental and physical health. This is due to strategic methods apps use to hook someone, and the

abundant health risks phone addiction imposes.

 Bucher 4

Works Cited

Beland, Louis-Fillipe. "Banning mobile phones in schools can improve students'

academic performance. This is how we know." The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2021,

theconversation.com/

banning-mobile-phones-in-schools-can-improve-students-academic-performance-this-i

s-how-we-know-153792. Accessed 8 Apr. 2022.

"The Difference Between Positive & Negative Smartphone Use in Teens."

Discover Seven Stars, 28 June 2021, discoversevenstars.com/blog/

difference-positive-negative-smartphone-use-teens/. Accessed 9 Apr. 2022.

Gomez, Suzette. "What Is Phone Addiction?" Edited by Dayna Smith-Slade. Addiction Center,

17 Dec. 2021, www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/phone-addiction/. Accessed 24 Mar.

2022.

Kamenetz, Anya. "It's A Smartphone Life: More Than Half Of U.S. Children Now Have One."

NPR, 31 Oct. 2019, www.npr.org/2019/10/31/774838891/its-a-smartphone-life-more-

than-half-of-u-s-children-now-have-one. Accessed 7 Apr. 2022.

Karnasiewicz, Sarah. "7 Scary Things You Never Knew About Cell Phone Addiction." Health, 2

Feb. 2018, www.health.com/condition/anxiety/cell-phone-addiction. Accessed 24 Mar.

2022.

Kim, Harris Hyun-soo, and Jongserl Chun. "Is the Relationship between Parental Abuse and

Mobile Phone Dependency (MPD) Contingent across Neighborhood Characteristics? A

Multilevel Analysis of Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey." PLoS ONE, vol. 13,

no. 5, 3 May 2018, p. e0196824. Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

 Bucher 5

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A537218321/OVIC?u=pl1949&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=bad6cc12. Accessed 23 Mar. 2022.

Lin, Trisha T.C., et al. "Sociable People Beware? Investigating Smartphone versus

Nonsmartphone Dependency Symptoms among Young Singaporeans." Social Behavior

and Personality: An International Journal, vol. 43, no. 7, Aug. 2015, p. 1209+. Gale in

Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A430168937/OVIC?u=pl1949&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=ff2e01d2. Accessed 23 Mar. 2022.

Monks, Michael. "How Cell Phones Affect Your Productivity (And Safety) At Work."

WVXU, 29 July 2019, www.wvxu.org/technology/2019-07-29/

how-cell-phones-affect-your-productivity-and-safety-at-work. Accessed 9

Apr. 2022.