Information Technology Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Addiction’

Teen Cell Phone Addiction

Oh yeah what a topic! As the mom of a 15-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son this topic is definitely a hot one. Growing up in the type of world that we live in now, I can’t envision how my parents ever survived without keeping in touch with me. I had the freedom to leave the home and return many hours later, during which time my parents had no intent where I was or who I was with.

Both of my kids have cell phones, mind you these were gotten so that I knew where they were and whom they were with. Now, as time has gone on this has turned into something much more. Cell phone uses as well as numerous web sites have caused the teens of this day to become addicted, or what I feel is somewhat concerned with the use or viewing of them. Somehow, I connect the two of these issues together, but that could be just me.

My daughter does not seem to communicate anymore.  She will sit and move for a text with an answer from someone rather than just call the mortal and talk. I find this very disturbing because the teens do not seem to be healthy to communicate anymore without the use of text messaging, which I also personally feel is the biggest cell phone aspect of addiction. Walking out the door without the cell phone in her pocket would probably cause my teen to have a complete meltdown. Some of the phones of this day now even offer more options, such as being healthy to get on the web and uploading options to facebook or other sites.

Like some addictions such as smoking and drugs, cell phones have been added to this list. This is quite scary as a parent. I want to be healthy to keep in touch with my child when they are not home, yet I fear for the future of having a world with people who can't speak to anyone. 

Forward years into the future at a job and your boss asks you a question what will the response be “wait let me get to my office and I will text you what I think?” My kids have sent me a text message from the next room! Hello, I am within hearing distance! Are you kidding me? Setting limits and being healthy to adhere to them I believe is the only compromise with cell phones. As you achievement around today, wherever you seem to go, there isn’t a teen travel without a phone attached to their fruit or fingers busy moving sending a text message.

Now, to be clean many adults, including myself at times, yeah I like text messages and using my cell phone at times too, we are in a world of addiction to cell phones, but where will this lead? What with our world be like in 10 years when these addicted teens are grown up? What can we do to change this? Somehow, I don’t believe it will change as I believe that the addiction is too world wide at this point. So, what is the answer? I guess we will all find out as time moves on. 

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I am addicted to the Internet. I am a busy working parent and still I find the time to check my e-mail, chat with my friends in Yahoo Instant Messenger, read news, forums and on and on.

I need “to know” and I need “to have” more than ever before. I want to get my latest news. I want to spread the news to my on-line and off-line friends, who, I might add, are doing exactly the same. I need to get a new book or . . . shoes or . . . gadget just because it is there and simple to buy, no need to drive and look for parking at the mall. Don’t you love these FREE shipping offers? All this is in addition to already being entertained on the World wide web watching YouTube, listening to iTunes etc. Do you do the same?

It is not hard to find out if you’re addicted to the Internet. Do you find that when you get online you’re frequently surprised by the amount of time that has passed? Do you find yourself staying home instead of enjoying a beautiful day outside because you’d rather use the Internet?

A current study from Stanford University School of Medicine found that more than one in eight Americans show signs that they could be suffering from some form of world wide web addiction.

How do you cure this problem? Google “Internet Addiction” and log on to a bunch of websites? Instant Message other sufferers? Join an World wide web support group? Or purchase self-help books from our favorite on-line store (after performing an extensive price comparison)? You might as well offer a drink to an alcoholic trying to cure his addiction.

In China, parents send their children as young as 12 to the first officially licensed clinic for World wide web addiction at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital. That is after their children skip school to spend time playing online games and visiting chat rooms. These children are admitted suffering from depression, nervousness, panic, fear, agitation, unwillingness to interact with others, sleep disorders, the shakes and numbness in their hands. The regular schedule at the center begins at 6 a. m. and includes electric shock treatment and the administration of intravenous drips to “adjust the unbalanced position of brain secretions”.

This sounds a tiny extreme to me. How about a gentler American way of approaching this problem? How about using a new high-tech device called SnoopStick?

SnoopStick is a very small USB flash drive device that will grant someone to fully monitor and limit your access to the World wide web from any other personal on the Internet. Just run the set-up program on your personal then unplug the device and give it to your trusted friend. Your friend will plug Snoop Stick to any Windows-based personal (in her home or office) and at any time will be healthy to monitor your World wide web use and disable your access to the World wide web if needed. You can also specify the times when you will be healthy to access World wide web and SnoopStick will enforce this schedule.

Stay aware, alert, and in control of your World wide web with Snoop Stick.