New study says spending too much time on smartphone could be a sign of anxiety

• A new study says spending too much time using a smartphone could mean a desire to shut out self from reality


• The researchers from the University of Illinois studied 300 cellphone-using university students


• Researchers said that by using smartphone, the students are providing an escape from a sometimes unpleasant reality

ILLINOIS, USA – A new study reveals that spending too much time using a smartphone is an evident sign of anxiety.

The study published in a journal of Computers in Human Behavior said that spending too much time using a smartphone, especially if using applications and entertainment features, could mean a desire to shut out self from reality and escape certain unpleasant experiences and feelings.

The researchers from the University of Illinois studied 300 cellphone-using university students and found out that anxiety and depression mainly affects young adults who then used their smartphone as a means of social protection.

Researchers said that by doing this, the students are providing an escape from a sometimes unpleasant reality.

“Handheld devices, with their countless applications and entertainment options and their constant presence at our fingertips, make it easier than ever before to disconnect with the problems [and] stresses of reality, and avoid actively engaging with them,” Tayana Panova; a co-author of the study said.

An article by Times Live published on March 18 said that the researchers studied students’ responses to a questionnaire about cell phone use and their feelings.

The team asked 72 students to spend five minutes writing about a personal flaw or weakness that made them feel uncomfortable, which placed them in an anxiety-inducing situation. Afterwards, the participants had to wait for 10 minutes while the writings were supposedly reviewed.

While doing the test, a 1/3 of the participants had no access to their smartphone or any other device, another 1/3 had access to their smartphone, and another 1/3 had access to a basic video game.

Photo Credit: Independent

After analyzing the data, the group allowed access to their smartphone had the lowest anxiety levels. The participants were 64% more likely not to experience anxiety than those with access to no device.

CTV News mentioned in an article published on March 18 that among the participants who were allowed cellphone access and felt very anxious during the test, 82% used their mobile throughout the experiment while only 50% of anxious participants used video game in the other group.

At the same time, 50% of non-stressed participants reached for their cell phone compared with 25% of the video game group.

The researchers concluded in the study that smartphones can serve as “security blankets” which reassure and comfort anxious users.

However, the researchers emphasized that it’s a person’s underlying feelings and emotions that determine whether they will manifest this kind of behavior and not the simple fact of owning a cell phone.

Meanwhile, the researchers also suggest that this kind of behavior can make individuals more vulnerable to anxiety, as their feelings are not being expressed and alternative coping skills are not being developed. Not being able to express feelings have an adverse effect on mental health.

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