Ten Signs You're Addicted to Your Mobile Devices
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Obsessive Streak
You're constantly thinking about your mobile devices, whether you're on them or not. -
Perpetually Preoccupied
You're always on your devices, even during important functions and activities with family and friends. -
Extra Duty
You go online to do one thing and end up doing many more, sometimes forgetting to do the original task. -
Big Fib
You lie about online activities, saying that you're working when you're really playing games or posting on Facebook. -
Emotional Reaction
You get anxious or irritable if you can't get on your mobile device. -
Overtime
You routinely set aside a designated time limit for being on your device, but you typically exceed it. -
Offloading
Your offline life suffers. You neglect work duties, as well as family activities and chores. -
Pain Points
You experience negative physical changes, such as weight gain or loss, backaches, headaches or carpal tunnel syndrome. -
Withdrawn State
You don't engage in as many person-to-person activities as you did before. -
Guilt Trip
You feel ashamed or depressed after being on your mobile device for a long time.
We often joke that we can't live without our smartphones, tablets and laptops, and that we need connectivity as much as we need food and drink. But that sentiment stops being funny when our dependency crosses over into a more harmful state and descends into an unsettling addiction. Obsessive dependence on technology—like being hooked on gambling, alcohol or drugs—can cause high stress, physical deterioration, poor self-esteem, relationship issues and even job loss. Losing a job may seem drastic, but it does happen when professionals neglect their work and spend an excessive amount of time pursuing non-business-related activities on their mobile devices. These diversions include online games, videos, chats and social media. And it's not only about the amount of time you spend on a device; it's more about the way the activity affects you. With that in mind, consider the following 10 signs that indicate you (or a colleague) may be suffering from technology addiction. It will give you a sense of how your emotions, behavior and physical state are affected by your device usage. These signs were compiled by a number of online authorities, including Addictions.com and EveryDayHealth.com.