The Smartphone Addiction
Epidemic
Creating a Smartphone Monster
The Reluctant Adoption of Smartphones
The author remembers the day when she brought a smartphone for her
mother, who was initially reluctant to use it. The author had done her
research and believed that it would be beneficial for her mother, a senior, to
learn how to use new technology devices. Despite her mother's initial eye-
rolling, the author persisted and spent hours setting up her mother's email
account, contacts, and even figuring out the ringtone.
The Gradual Acceptance and Addiction
The author acknowledges that her mother is one of the smartest people she
knows, but the influx of information was all very new and confusing for her,
as she came from a generation that didn't have mobile phones, let alone
smartphones. After a few days of phone calls, her mother's anxiety slowly
diminished, and she stopped asking how to do every little thing on her
phone.
The Smartphone Addiction
It wasn't until the author had the urge to go shopping with her mother that
she became conscious of the "monster" she had created. The author's
mother had become a smartphone addict, using her phone for everything,
from checking emails compulsively to texting at lightning speed. The
author's attempt to get her mother's attention by reaching for her phone
triggered a mother-daughter "cat fight" in the middle of a shopping mall,
with the mother clutching her smartphone as if her life depended on it.
The Husband's Reaction
Later that evening, the author told her husband about her mother's
smartphone dysfunction and how they would have to slowly wean her away
from using it, hoping she wouldn't have any withdrawal symptoms. The
husband's reaction was to literally cry from laughing so hard, finding the
humor in the situation, which the author did not initially share.
The Causes and Effects of Smartphone Addiction
The author identifies several causes of smartphone addiction, such as using
the phone for work, trying to find popular apps and games, and having a lot
of free time. The effects of this addiction include dependence on the
