Are Phones Turning Us Into Zombies?

Nowadays, everyone is glued to their phones at every moment. Groups of friends barely talk to each other and people spend their time on their phone instead of paying attention to what’s in front of them. Instead of talking to people in awkward situations or asking for directions, people seem to pull out their phones.Back then, kids would go outside to hang out and play or talk with their friends and now, they barely want to come outside for school. People of all ages seem to be dependant on technology.

People use smartphones and tablets for a dangerous amount of time. A survey done by Bankmycell, a company that sells smartphones and tablets, found that the average person uses their smartphone or tablet about three to five hours a day. This a surprising amount of hours that people spend on their phone when they could be taking going outside or hanging a out with a friend.

Not only are people using their phones instead of doing something productive, but they are also using their phones while they are talking to people in person. People seem to prefer to talk to people behind a screen rather than in person.  This company also found that eighty five percent of people are constantly checking their phones while speaking with friends or family. Not only does it stop people from listening to one another, but it also is just a bad form of etiquette.

Adolescents have been using technology so much, it is the only thing they seem to do nowadays. Bankmycell surveyed parents and teachers about kids and teens being addicted to their smartphones. Sixty seven percent of surveyed teachers observed many students being negatively distracted by their mobile devices. Forty seven of the surveyed parents reported that they think their child is addicted to their smartphones. People, especially kids and teens, are being way too reliant and dependant on technology.

Sadly, the growing use of technology is becoming very unhealthy. People are not getting the sleep they need and have a higher possibility to suffer from mental illnesses because of this technology addiction. The company found that teens that spend about five hours a day on electronic devices are fifty one percent more likely to get under seven hours of sleep. In addition, most teenagers who spend five hours a day on electronic devices are seventy one percent more likely to to have suicide risk factors. It’s very clear that even though electronics can be useful for many things, they are no good for any person’s mental health.

All in all, this smartphone addiction is increasing and becoming more dangerous as the years passed. Technology is doing a lot of harm and changing the way people act. We no longer pay attention to what’s around and spend all of our time looking down at our phones. Instead of being social and talking to people, we prefer to be social behind a screen. They’re making people look and behave “like zombies.”