Remember when kids would gather outside to play indigenous games like mogosha, upuca, imidongwe, or ugqaphu? Those days are long gone! Now, people are glued to their gadgets, either watching makeup tutorials, or video games, and scrolling through TikTok. However, normal dependence on your smartphone can quickly turn into an unhealthy addiction.
It’s wild how some people can’t even leave their phones behind for a quick bathroom break!
“I am struggling with phone addiction, which is slowly impacting my life,” admits Lisakhanya Mangqangwana from Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape.
The cycle of distraction
Mangqangwana describes her obsession as chaotic and unhealthy, causing her to lose her routine due to endless scrolling in an attempt to keep up with everything happening in the world.
“My eyesight is suffering too, resulting in headaches, blurred vision, and eye strain.”
Lisakhanya Mangqangwana
She adds, “I feel stuck in a cycle of distraction, unable to focus or connect meaningfully with others.”
Mangqangwana mentions that forgetting to charge her cell phone at night feels like a betrayal in the morning when she needs to catch up with the world. She also notes that even in class, her scrolling habit often takes her focus off her studies.
Setting boundaries for better well-being
For Sinelizwi Peter from Middledrift in the Eastern Cape, despite the little voices whispering to take out her phone or type while charging, she has set boundaries.
“I’ve trained myself to recognise the physical sensations that signal excessive phone use – a tingling in my fingers or a faint buzzing in my ears,” she says.
Peter notes that when she feels these cues, she knows it’s time to focus on herself.
“By being mindful of my phone usage, I’ve noticed improvements in my sleep quality and reduced eye strain.”
Sinelizwi Peter
In the past, she says, she would be drawn to her cell phone and even go to sleep with her headphones on. These habits made it difficult for her to get enough rest and fully concentrate during the day.
She adds, “It’s these small, intentional changes that have made a big difference in my overall well-being.”
Risks of digital detox anxiety
Dr Dineo Sefoloko of #Keready Clinics, based in KwaZulu-Natal, warns that constant smartphone use profoundly affects sleep quality, leading to poor concentration and attention span.
She explains that constant exposure to other people’s lives and occurrences on social media may provoke anxiety and stress due to the comparisons people make between themselves and the seemingly perfect lives depicted online.
“People who are constantly on their phones also suffer from digital detox anxiety, being unable to be away from their phones for too long. Moreover, people often tend to become more depressed due to feelings of isolation and loneliness caused by the lack of meaningful in-person interactions.”
She also notes that there is no evidence showing any harm related to using your smartphone while it is charging.
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Understanding blue-screen syndrome
Sefoloko tells Health For Mzansi that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified radiofrequency waves emitted by cell phones as a possible carcinogen (a substance, organism or agent capable of causing cancer).
She explains that a small study involving four women with no predisposing factors for breast cancer, who were followed over several years and had ten hours of direct contact with their cell phones on their breasts, resulted in the development of the same type of breast tumour.
“It is thus advisable for people, especially young girls, to avoid prolonged periods of direct skin contact with their phones.”
Furthermore, she notes that when we are on our screens, we often neglect to pay attention to our posture or the other physical health hazards involved.
“It is indeed true that too much screen time can impair our vision, causing what is known as computer vision syndrome – which is eye strain caused by prolonged exposure to screens of all kinds.”
Dr Dineo Sefoloko
“Other symptoms of this syndrome include dry eyes, neck and shoulder pain, and headaches.”
The poor posture and sedentary nature of screen time, she cautions, can also lead to back pain.
Poor sleep
Sefoloko shares that a study published by the University of Tsukuba in Japan has found that people who sleep with their phones on their pillows are more likely to be obese.
“It is said that the blue light emitted from phones can interfere with sleep and disrupt melatonin production, which then disrupts one’s sleep or contributes to a lack of sleep.
“When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more of a hormone called ghrelin, which increases hunger, and less of a hormone called leptin, which is supposed to increase satiety. This ultimately results in weight gain.”
She also notes that poor sleep hygiene is the main concern, which then leads to many other physical and mental health issues.
So, it might be a good idea to switch off now and then – your health depends on it.
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