There are very few Americans that are as learned about addiction as Lance M. Dodes, M.D. He understands that addiction is often due to complex psychological factors that traditional abstinence/ 12-step programs are not treating. His theories are often rejected by the American publishers as they have a very narrow definition of addiction and it is often allied with morality. In the UK and Europe his ideas are widely accepted. If you feel you truly do have a problem with addiction, then nip to a library or bookstore and buy his book to help you understand that your addiction does not make you a bad person, nor do you have to give up something in order to quit it (you have a choice).
Modern theory and the idea of Smartphone addiction
Addiction is due to complex psychological factors and that is why so many people quit one addiction and move on to another if they are forced to stop. This may not be so bad for damaging addictions such as drug addiction, but in other circumstances it is unfair.
As Lance Dodes would agree, controlling addiction is about giving yourself back the power to make your own choices to the point where even discipline is not needed. It means that a former alcoholic may choose to have a drink at a party without reigniting an old lust for more, more, more. Find the reason behind your addiction and you disarm your addiction of its power.
People may be addicted to anything
This is bitterly true and yet is ignored by people claiming that chemical addiction is what addiction is all about. They discount the fact that some people quit things such as smoking one day and never feel the urge ever again. There are also people who forget that gambling and sex addiction are not chemical based. Even the endorphins they give off are not addictive otherwise people would get high just having a laugh.
Do a little research and you will see cases of how people have become addicted to everything from scratching their feet with matchbox sandpaper, to the lady who died thanks to her addiction to water (true story).
Look back at when your addiction started
This is a good way of pinpointing what started your addiction in the first place. It could have been when you bought a new game, when you first started getting texts from a lover, or from the first time your phone let you down. We all get a bit of a kick when the person we are involved with sends us a text, but have you become a junkie on that kick?
Ask yourself if you could remove an element of your phone and still be addicted. If your SMS feature was taken away, then would you use your phone as much? If it did not play games then would you use your phone as much? Have you considered that the function is what you are addicted to and not the phone itself?
Are there thing that trigger your addiction?
This is a tricky one to determine because it is slippery. When a smoker finishes eating a meal then that smoker often wants a cigarette. This leads people to believe that eating is a trigger, but people who eat less will often smoke more. Added to which, it is often a case of them being mildly bored after eating a meal, rather than them wanting to smoke after a meal. Added again is the fact that after a while the act of smoking after a meal becomes its own self contained habit.
If you keep in mind that there are a lot of factors at play then you may take a cold look at what is triggering your addiction. Do you find yourself checking your phone more when you or your partner have been having relationship trouble? Do you find yourself playing games on your phone when the TV or radio is off? Do you find yourself feeling uncomfortable in the silence and feel that you have to do something? Is that when your phone comes into play?
Has your phone become a comfort tool?
When we as animals feel a mildly or deeply negative emotion, we often require some sort of comfort. This sort of thing is very evident in body language. For example, look at the youngest prince in Britain. If you watch him on video when he is up in front of a crowd he will hold his hands behind his back.
You will see how one hand clasps the other almost as if he is holding his own hand. You may see people who tightly fold their arms when they feel threatened; they are actually comforting themselves with a hug. Police officers will often put their hands on their hips when they feel threatened, which is actually due to the fact their gun is close by (offering comfort).
Ask yourself if your phone has become your comfort tool, and if it has then ask yourself why you feel the need for comfort. The highway copper needs his/her comfort feeling because the job may be dangerous, Young prince Harry needs his because he has to face massive crowds. Figure out what is pushing you to need comfort. If you can figure it out then you can deal with your discomfort feelings directly and need not rely on your phone for psychological comfort.
Kate Funk is a freelance writer and blogger providing an essay writing help for everybody who needs it. She is mainly focusing on technology, gadgets and all the latest trends which are interesting for networking enthusiasts.
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