April 3, 2006
Mobile phone use linked to anxiety
Australians are increasingly becoming so addicted to mobile phones they are suffering anxiety and self-esteem problems akin to substance abuse, writes The Sydney Morning Herald.
Excessive mobile users experience personal problems ranging from agitation if forced to turn them off, to low self-esteem if they didn't receive calls or texts.
"Because they can provide immediate pleasure, if you're not careful mobile phones can become as much of an addiction as snacking on junk food or smoking," said Diana James, from the Queensland University of Technology.
Preliminary research among 80 Queensland residents from different backgrounds and ages had found some were obsessed with their phones, becoming on edge if parted from them. "Some suffered withdrawal symptoms if they didn't receive calls or text messages, which could lead to anxiety and self-esteem problems," Ms James said.
"In some cases, some said they suffered sleep deprivation and even repetitive strain injury as they lay awake at night texting on their mobile."
While the researcher conducted focus groups comprising university students, some "panicked" when asked to turn their phone off during discussion. "They were afraid - they were quite agitated and were relieved when the session was over and they could turn their phone back on and check for messages," Ms James said.
James hopes to attract 2,000 participants to her online survey at www.mobilesurvey.com.au by May 31 to further analyse the "emotional, psychological, financial and social impact" of skyrocketing mobile phone use across the nation.
The Permanent Link to this page is: http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2006/04/011990.htm
