Cell Phones: Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation

Cell phones have proven to be an addiction that is difficult to stop. So let's research have smartphones destroyed a generation in this paper. The current generation is engaging in increased use of smartphones and forgetting that they should also live life from a different perception. They need to interact more socially and physically without having to rely entirely on the use of cell phones. Cell phones are now destroying the current generation by taking most of their energy as well as time. This has a direct impact on how people live as well as how they interact with their social surroundings. The earlier generation, on the other hand, did not rely that much on the use of cell phones (Twenge, 2018). They did not even have the technological know-how of how they can be used, and this meant that they had to spend most of their time doing other constructive things in their lives. This is the perfect way of living as there should be a control in everything that one does. Use of smartphones by the iGen causes so many negative impacts such as the development of mental disorders, lack of social support and leading of an unhappy life.

One major impact of cell phone usage is the mental effects. One argument made is how it affects mental health. According to Twenge’s article, “The suicide rate is still higher for boys, in part because they use more-lethal methods, but girls are beginning to close the gap” (Twenge, 2018). This is an important and notable piece of information, however, Twenge does not state the mental health positive side of the spectrum. With every good, there does come a positive in some way, shape, or form. For example, in college now if I did not have my smartphone to keep in touch with my family or friends my mental health would be far worse due to how homesick I get while missing my friends, family, and the events back in my hometown.

Over usage of cell phones affects the functioning of an individual which leads to significant psychological effects such as depression. The iGen represents several kids who are growing in a world where they are super connected to their phones and especially the internet. Their entire life depends on the internet, and as a result, they tend to spend more time on their cell phones either watching content, playing video games, chatting, or video calling. All these seem to be fun activities, and that is a primary reason that has contributed to the increase in the prevalence of the use of cell phones (Price, 2018). However, most of these kids have been reported to drown in depression. They are less social, and as a result, they do not know how to solve their problems. They rarely interact physically with their parents, and this means that their relationship is not that great. As a result, they end up being depressed since they are stressed over so many social problems that they would have solved if they had a better relationship with their parents.

Continued use of smartphones is leaving most of these kids unhappy about life. They do not engage themselves in real-life activities that result in happiness. They end up living in a lonely world which is not functional at all. They make more online friends than physical friends. The world is now experiencing more psychological problems as they are living an abnormal life that cannot take them through their growth and development stages successfully (Twenge, 2018). This means that they are more vulnerable to psychologically. Most of these kids are developing a mental health crisis without their knowledge, and therefore there is a need for their parents to control the amount of time they dedicate to using their cell phones.

Other mental conditions include attempted suicide. It reaches a time when their overindulgence in using their phones becomes more stressful because they feel lonely. Their social needs continue increasing to an extent it causes so much depression and loneliness. Such effects end up convincing them that suicide is the only option (Price, 2018). Such incidences have been now consistent amongst teens, and the main reason is a lack of social aspect in their lives.

The social impact of using of cell phones by the iGen is that they lack the social support they should gain from having actual physical friendships. They spend so much more time on their phones than they do face-to-face with their friends. This is to mean that they are living a life with no social support and this is bad for their growth. They also lack time to engage in social activities such as sports, participate in events, or being active on family gatherings (Twenge, 2018). These events are essential as they help them to attain social cohesion in which they can easily protect themselves from negative social consequences. Proper social interactions protect them against mental health concerns.

On the other hand, the use of cell phones by the iGen is somehow advantageous to them. For instance, they are too busy to start engaging in evil acts such as drug abuse or having unprotected sex. They also have less time to drink alcohol, and this means that they are somehow safer than the previous generation who do not engage that much in using their cell phones (Cavanagh, 2017). They also hold off to having sex, and this means such things as unwanted pregnancies or STDs cannot be part of them. Additionally, the use of cell phones by teenagers enables them to access the internet which is rich in so many research materials. They can use the platform to research further on what they learn in school and perfect their performance.

In conclusion, it is the responsibility of the parents to take charge of controlling the amount of time their children spend on the phone. A balance needs to be obtained for them to benefit and lead a healthy social life that is free from depression or other mental effects. To go as far as to say that smartphones a ruining a generation when they are also beneficial at the same time to me, seems unjust. However, the verdict as to whether or not smartphones are truly toxic lies in the eye of the beholder.

References

1. Cavanagh, S. R. (2017). No, Smartphones are Not Destroying a Generation. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/once-more-feeling/201708/no-smartphones-are-not-destroying-generation
2. Price, C. (2018). HOW TO BREAK UP WITH YOUR PHONE: The 30-day plan to take back your life. S.l.: TRAPEZE.
3. Twenge, J. M. (2018). Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/