Every person down your street has a smartphone. According to a recent study, around 6 billion smartphone users exist globally. Out of that count, India and China alone contribute to 1.5 billion-plus in total. 

Whether it’s for our education, careers, or relationships, they have become indispensable. But, did you know how harmful its prolonged use can be? Here’s how drastic its effects can be:

Top 3 Harmful Effects of Prolonged Smartphone Use

#1. On Your Eyes and Neck

A University of Toledo Ohio study states that our smartphone’s blue light can be linked to blindness. Wait, blindness? Yes! That’s intense, right? 

So, the next time you find yourself glued to the screen, put the phone down and take a small break. That’s the simplest step you can take. So much so that even our necks have become victims of excessive use of smartphones. 

Not just that, scientists also claim that looking down at our smartphones continuously for hours can increase neck pain 6-fold. Apart from physical pain, you may also experience psychological disorders like anxiety, depression, and others.

#2. On Your Social Capabilities

Smartphones have opened a completely new and distinct world. There’s no denying it! However, they’ve also caused a massive decline in people’s ability to interact with their friends and peers. Almost all social interactions, right from friends and family to dating, occur on smartphones. It’s depressing!

According to psychologists, excessive use of smartphones and social media can be correlated to many subtle neurological harms, especially in teens. 

Teens having an extremely active presence on their social media accounts were more prone to exhibiting low self-esteem and self-confidence. Additionally, they were also more vulnerable to anxiety, depression, social isolation, and other disorders.

#3. On Your Mental Health

Have you ever observed the compulsive itch to check your smartphone every now and then? That is, sometimes, without even receiving any notifications, we keep checking our phones.

Well, this is a side effect of uncontrolled and unaware use of smartphones. This compulsive and unrestrained use of smartphones leads to more stress, attention deficiency disorders, insomnia and many more psychological disorders. 

Additionally, a Microsoft study found that the average human attention span has decreased to just 8 seconds. How is it relevant to you or smartphone usage? Well, this indicates that prolonged use of smartphones reduces your ability to focus effectively on your work or studies.

In the End

Smartphones are one of the most marvelous innovations of the 21st century. Although they may come with many beneficial features, they have significant downsides too. With limited use, it can open up a ton of opportunities for you. So, it’s up to us to utilize them effectively and with full awareness.