Addicted?



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As many of you may know, one of the most distracting objects known to the human population is electronics. Computers, Playstations, Wiis, Xboxs, and cell phones are just some of the many out there. Many of you have probably experienced getting home from school and going straight to Facebook, Modern Warfare, Just Dance, or even just texting your friends. Maybe you’ve experienced the need to do one of those activities.

Some of you may be saying that’s ridiculous, but being addicted to electronics can actually occur. What would you do without your cell phone? Some of you may be fine, but some may have a breakdown. At the University of Maryland, Professor Susan Moeller conducted an experiment with her students. She requested that her 200 students in journalism class shut all of their electronic devices off for twenty-four hours. They were also asked to keep a journal of how they felt and what was different. Her results were not expected. She found that some of her students had words in their journals like “withdrawal” and “dependency” on their devices. Some also felt nervous and jittery, but the results weren't just in their head. The students started having physical signs of withdrawal and addiction. They felt the, “need to drum their fingers on a desk or make noises with their mouths to keep themselves occupied.” http://www.ntdaily.com/?p=52832

So if you are having these symptoms, you should take action. Try to do something besides using the computer, phone, or video game console. Try to go out and do something, go outside and play catch with your friends. Instead of texting your friend, call them up and see if you can hang out and do something productive. Turn your phone off for a week, or deactivate your Facebook. You would be surprised on how much you don’t miss it and how much other stuff you accomplish.