In recent months, we have seen enough of the Marie Kondo’s phone box from Facebook ads to all the articles written about how cute the box is and how it will magically help kick “phone addiction” in the butt. Amidst the hype, does the phone box truly address the root causes of digital clutter and phone addiction?
If we really want to kick any addictions, we have to look at mental health and no pretty box can do that for us even with phone addiction. First, we have to be aware of our addiction and understand why are we constantly needing our phones. There are several factors that contributes to why we become addicted to our phones.
According to dianova.org, “nomophobia” short for “NO MObile PHone PhoBIA” is the term currently used to refer to the anxiety individuals feel when they are not sure where their phones are or when their phones are out of battery. This term was coined during the 2008 study done by YouGov, a UK- based organization commissioned by the UK Post Office, to survey the anxieties experienced by mobile phone users.
While nomophobia is not recognized by The diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-V, it is still related to the underlying impact of social media and technology addiction. Currently under DSM-V, Internet Gaming Disorder or IGD, is a legit diagnosis on the effect of excessive internet gaming causing mental health crisis.
One big monster why we are glued to our mobile phone is instant gratification. It is basically fear of missing out (FOMO) on overdrive. The constant fear that we are missing out on whatever is going on in the internet world is driving us to depression. We need that dopamine hit when the notification chimes. We feel the need to immediately respond to text messages or comments on instagram or something bad will happen.
Our proposed solution is be conscious and set our phones in silent mode and not have any sounds or vibrations. We can always set specific sounds for emergency only for a selection of family members so we know that it is them when they text. We may also establish a clear boundary, such as only use our phone during certain time of day for work only. Or not allowing phones to be in dining room awhile seated for a family meal. Our high school teens has “phone spa” at school, which is just a basket to keep their phones during class. We just have to be mindful in keeping the boundary.
Another factor contributing to phone addiction is that we use it as an escape pod. After a hard day at work or dealing with children’s tantrum all day, we do need an escape. The easiest way is to do mindless things like playing games or watching silly videos on youtube to unwind. However, we think the best way to destress is to just be in a relaxing room and have a power nap to recharge or go for a 30 minutes stroll outdoor and breath in some fresh air. And we have to stop using our phones 1 hour before bed so we can have better sleep
Another issue that ties in with phone addiction is dealing with superficial social connection. Platforms like instagram, tiktok and facebook formed the substitutions for less face to face interactions with people in general. We use facebook likes and comments as validations because those are the easiest to get. We cannot form genuine bonds with posts and sending short messages. We think it is time to find a new hobbies and go out and form a group for like minded souls to connect.
You do not need the Marie Kondo’s phone box unless you need a faraday cage to block signals to keep your digital stuff safe then go ahead and get it for that purpose. But again there are cheaper options out there. Let’s op for genuine connections, self care and stress management vs being controlled by technology.
Please read this article by the NYT for additional tips: Smartphone Addiction Tips