A recently published study uncovered certain astonishing facts about mobile phones. Using smartphones abates our ability to decipher the deeper meaning of the information we receive. Isn’t that true? We read the information on our screen and go on with our lives. But this lifestyle stands as an obstruction on the creative side of our brain. This disadvantage of mobile phones essay attempts to underline the psychological and physical damage done to our bodies with the use of mobile phones.
The Disadvantage of Mobile Phones Essay
“’ No cell phones?’ Macey said as if we’d just told her all students were required to shave their heads and live on bread and water.” – Ally Carter
The devastating effects of cell phones have crossed social demarcations and entered personal boundaries. Disadvantages of mobile phones have created long and short-term side effects on children of all ages.
According to a recent study, more than 50% of kids aged 12 have their own cell phones. Also, an average smartphone user is estimated to check their phones, at least 47 times a day. This means that a significant portion of a human’s life is spent using mobile phones. Since the past few years, people are starting to recognize ‘smartphone addiction’ as an actual problem. The increasing cases of smartphone addiction in kids and adults equally has significantly impacted their mental and physical features. When compared to the creativity level of an average 12-year-old child in 1990, the Gen Z kid will flair awfully. This is because of their increased exposure to cell phones.
Visit any local school and observe the activity of the students inside. The lack of concentration in students at the library, playground, or a classroom will be evident. Over the years, the side effect of smartphones on students has increased multi-fold. It shows itself in the form of increased mental health problems, lack of focus, and escalating peer pressure. In the mere clock time of 1 hour, the students become restless and start searching for their phones. This terribly affects their creativity and hinders their growth in any field. Be it studies, sports, or music, no child of the current generation can avoid the itch of checking their mobile phones.
Mental Disadvantage of Mobile Phones
Similarly, the side effects of mobile phone on child are improving the business of therapists these days. Almost every second child faces peer pressure, not from actual bullying, but by looking at the social media accounts of his peers. When they cannot match the level of their peers by posting pictures at luxurious restaurants and beaches, they start demeaning themselves. Certain drastic steps like plastic surgeries and fat-reduction therapies are the result of body shaming that these students face. They never learned to appreciate their body because the social media influencers created a mainstream ‘perfect’ shape that everybody is required to have.
Physical Disadvantage
Another major disadvantage of mobile phones is reduced energy levels. Especially in the personality shaping years of 10-16, the increased exposure and usage of mobile phones drain energy in the children’s bodies. They are perpetually exhausted because of the exposure to harmful radiations. Rooting from this follows other concerns like lack of focus, drowsiness, and smartphone addiction. Speaking of which, the constant usage of smartphones has been given the extreme name of ‘smartphone addiction’ for a reason. It is because smartphones are modern-day drugs. Tell a child to give up his mobile phone and observe his activities for a day. You’ll see how paranoid he gets with every passing hour.
Now that the energy levels are deeply impacted, a child does not have the potential to perform physical activities for a long period of time. This gives birth to obesity. According to a study, researchers concluded that using a smartphone for more than 5 hours a day can significantly escalate the risk of obesity in a person’s body. Sitting down or standing straight in a place, constantly for hours, physically impacts your muscles and bones.
Emotional Disadvantage
Apart from the physical and mental states, the emotional state of a child is deeply impacted. This is credited to the impression of the ‘perfect world’ that social media displays. Every picture posted on social media portrays a happy life at a happy place, but life doesn’t work that way. For children who’ve been constantly using mobile phones for many years, the life that they are living in is the worst possible life. This increases their unreasonably high expectations from their family, friends, and others, to ultimately disappoint them.
As a result, their tolerance level reduces exponentially, and they start getting angry at little things. The temper problems isolate them from their loved ones, and they are left with no other choice but to stay alone. Nothing satisfies them any more as they’ve created a wall of expectations around them that is difficult to break. Thus, their life becomes much more complicated than it is.
Major concerns like depression and anxiety arise from such complications and this leads to the increase in suicide rates. The value of human life decreases with the glorification of mental problems that decrease a student’s capacity to deal with the situations in life. Thus, to make our kids mentally and physically stronger, it has become necessary to tone down their mobile phone usage to an absolute zero.
Conclusion
As a conclusive measure, the mobile phone usage of every child must be restrained and monitored by the parents. It becomes the moral duty of every guardian to increase their child’s interest in books and newspaper. This will collectively improve their mental and physical stamina to help them deal with the reality of the world.
