Smartphone: When does it become…a drug, is there a way to detox?

If it had to be compared to a traditional gadget, it would undoubtedly be the Swiss Army knife, a multitool with more than 33 uses, palm-sized. Our mobile phone is the smartest multitool ever created in the history of humanity, and at the same time, the most addictive. That is why our relationship with it is full of challenges, a relationship of passion and hatred, like no other with an object.

How else could we manage a device that allows us to communicate instantly with anyone we want, however we want, and at the same time entertains us, is our closest partner, our wallet, the catalyst in our transactions with the government and banks, and the security alarm for our home? We buy, sell, get informed, record our lives and broadcast them – even live – work, hold meetings, and engage with others from thousands of kilometers away. Our world before and after smartphones is like the era before and after electricity.

Although the time we spend with our mobile phone varies for each of us, depending on the type of usage, the average recorded in studies is rather concerning. For example, the American organization Common Sense Media recorded about 4,000 notifications daily on the phones of young individuals, of which they managed to check 1,000, meaning they were engaged with their phones all day.

Moreover, 5% of the notifications arrived in the middle of the night. Among working adults, these rates “skyrocket.” A pan-European survey by Ipsos recorded mobile phone usage even while moving for 81% of drivers and 66% of pedestrians. And if the largest percentage was related to GPS, an equally large portion was for phone calls, while a not insignificant 22% participated in professional meetings while driving.

The survey recorded this behavior across all age groups, but mainly among those under 35, with the percentages of Greeks in all categories being above the European average. Since some start their day by checking messages, work or exercise while listening to music on their phones, play mobile games, or fall asleep with the help of relaxing videos, the hours they don’t use their phone are rather few, meaning that, essentially, working-age people live with their phone throughout the day. Nikos Vasilakos, a Mental Health Consultant, has estimated that people seeking help for a more balanced life spend at least 4.5 months per year using their mobile phones.

I communicate, therefore I exist

Two of the most well-known forms of social anxiety related to smartphones are FOMO and NOMOPHOBIA. Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) refers to the fear of missing out on what is happening. It is a tendency that has emerged from social media and involves a sense that others are living interesting lives from which the individual is absent, pushing them to stay constantly connected and watch what others are doing, explains Paris Kalfas, Deputy Head of the Early Intervention Unit for Problematic Internet Use at KETHEA.

“The real problem behind this is loneliness, the lack of meaningful relationships with family, lack of self-awareness and self-esteem, inability to express and manage emotions, inadequate boundaries set by family, and other factors related both to the individual and their personality, as well as to the environment, be it human, spatial, or value-based, and the medium itself, which is addictive and contributes to overwork, excessive use, and dependence.”

No Mobile Phone Phobia (NOMOPHOBIA) is the intense sense of anxiety someone feels if they are without their mobile phone or unable to use it. Some compare the feeling of awkwardness when they forget their smartphone somewhere to walking around “naked,” thus defining the phone as one of the absolutely essential things in life. A study by the reputable Pew Research Center in the U.S. does show a trend for smartphone detox among individuals aged 30-49, while significant fluctuations are recorded in the 18-29 age group.

“Perhaps returning to a very simple phone could be a radical solution for some, but there are also more sustainable methods you can apply. For example, setting specific times when you avoid using your phone (e.g., during meals or family activities), designating areas where the phone should stay out of sight (e.g., bedroom or study area), disabling notifications, and using apps that help you monitor how much time you spend on your phone,” notes N. Vasilakos.

“I wish it had been run over”

However, the fear of losing or damaging the device is not so unreasonable, as within the smartphone we have “our whole life.” D.K. is a photographer and recently experienced this small nightmare when his phone “disappeared” while he was on his motorcycle on Kifisia Avenue.

“And I was in total darkness, searching for the phone for about an hour and a half. I went to two gas stations before they let me make a call. I called my phone, and it was ringing… so it was on! That’s even scarier. I wish it were off, broken, or stepped on.” The worry was primarily about the bank codes, and then files with personal moments. “Once you get past the initial shock that the banks are okay, you say: ‘Ah, man, I’ve lost some photos.’”

D.K. lost the first photo with his puppy, but fortunately, most of his gallery was backed up in the cloud. Regular backups and… closed pockets in the jacket are his advice.

“Lock it, like your house”

Yosef Kanakaris is a collaborator at the National Network of Infrastructure, Technology, and Research, an agency overseen by the Ministry of Digital Governance, and through gov.gr, during the lockdowns, he taught us a new way to relate to our mobile phones and services. He reminds us that our ID, driver’s license, and other personal “documents” are stored in our digital vault and cannot be lost. Nor can the codes linked to our accounts (email).

Regarding data security, he emphasizes: “The device offers alternative locking options, not just PIN, but also biometric data (e.g., fingerprint). We can train ourselves to protect our devices.” After all, our phones are becoming increasingly smarter when it comes to security.

Now there is the possibility of automatic locking if the device “detects” that it is being… hurriedly moved (i.e., someone has taken it and is running), and in some phones, it’s even possible to remotely activate the option to delete codes via Google, and usually, their algorithm can detect if unusual activity is taking place (e.g., in payments).

Regular updates of the operating system, strong passwords, and deleting messages from unknown senders are the basic principles for avoiding fraud. “Users need to understand that their data is their property, and it is their responsibility to protect it. Just like our house – we lock it,” emphasizes Mr. Kanakaris.

Signs of Addiction in Teenagers

Unlimited use hides great risks

“Children need to detox from their mobile phones. They need some limits. If you don’t set boundaries, they get confused,” says Efi Sakarellou, headmistress at the 1st General Lyceum of Pallini – Pierre de Coubertin. The implementation of the mobile phone ban in this school is done alongside informational seminars, discussions with educators and psychologists, and guidance for the students. Teenagers have adaptability, as demonstrated by a school in the Netherlands, where the experiment of a complete smartphone ban was successful in changing the children’s habits. But how can we tell if our child is addicted to using a mobile phone? “When the time spent on recreational activities increases, they abandon extracurricular activities, their school performance declines, they stay up late, and they start using the internet to feel good,” says mental health consultant Nikos Vassilakos.

What should we do if our teenage child has a real problem?

“We should seek help from specialists. The therapeutic programs of KETHEA accept teenagers and young adults aged 13-21, as well as their families, with individual sessions, meetings for parents, group and family sessions, as well as support for lessons, career guidance, and sports activities. For teenagers aged 13-16, working with the parents is mandatory and crucial, even if the child doesn’t attend,” emphasizes Parris Kalfas on behalf of KETHEA.

What young parents should know:

• Avoid contact with devices for children under 4 years old, as it affects brain development.
• Up to 5th grade, children should not have their own mobile phone, and later, the device should be supervised by the guardian.
• Devices should be used as tools (e.g., for map navigation) and not exclusively for games.
• Parents should set a good example, as children imitate what they see.
• The agreed-upon screen time for the mobile should be adhered to.

Where do they go when we retire them?

Most of us “retire” our old phones to…drawers. The correct practice, however, is recycling or at least reusing the device by someone else. According to Eurostat, Greece has a recycling rate of 17.7% – much better than the European average (10.3%). According to the data from Recycling Devices S.A., which has been active in this field for over 20 years, around 69 tons of mobile phones have been collected and sent to management units from 2019 to the present, which is estimated to correspond to about 692,000 devices.

“By giving our devices a second chance, we gain multiple benefits for society, the environment, and the economy. Through recycling, raw materials, such as precious metals, are saved,” says Christianna Bohali, Communication Manager of Recycling Devices. What we should know is:

• Before discarding a device, we must delete all our personal data.
• It is estimated that millions of devices in Greece are unused, and recycling them could contribute to energy savings and drastically reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
• We can recycle them in specialized bins outside electronics stores or find a nearby collection point at electrocycle.gr.

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