Depressed people use smartphones more often than others. Is it true?

Despite the fact that all of us have long been accustomed toUsing smartphones, scientists still have not fully studied their effect on our health. Numerous studies have already shown a connection between depression and smartphone addiction. However, one thing is still not clear - are smartphones the cause of depression, and vice versa, is a depressed state making people more likely to go into virtual space? A new study conducted by scientists from the US state of Arizona, gave a definite answer to this question.

According to statistics, 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression today.

In their work, a group of scientists led byProfessor Matthew Lapierre focused specifically on the psychological dependence on smartphones, and not on overly long use of electronic devices. According to researchers, there are plenty of scientific papers on the total duration of use of smartphones. And this despite the fact that a person can spend a lot of time with a smartphone with great benefit - for example, conducting business negotiations. But dependence on a smartphone is extremely dangerous and almost all young people aged 18-20 years are exposed to it.

Why is smartphone addiction dangerous?

To find out if smartphones cancause depression or the cause of dependence on a smartphone are psychological problems of a person, scientists conducted a survey among 18, 19 and 20-year-olds. Volunteers were required to evaluate the relevance of statements like “I panic when there is no smartphone next to me” on a four-point scale. Also, through a survey, researchers found out the degree of loneliness of each person. A few months later, volunteers answered the same questions again.

By the way, many teenagers suffer from another psychological illness - Tourette’s syndrome.

Whatever the results of the study,scientists knew what to do next. They decided that if the survey proved that loneliness and depression were the cause of addiction to smartphones, they would save people from addiction through psychotherapy. If smartphones themselves turn out to be the cause of depression, scientists will be able to improve the psychological state of people by eliminating addiction.

Sometimes it’s not scary if a person uses a smartphone for a long time - what if he just works?

Survey results show that smartphones themselvesare the cause of depressed people. If you believe the answers of the volunteers, in the absence of a smartphone nearby, they begin to feel very anxious. If he is nearby, they begin to actively use it and sometimes completely forget about their lives. As a result, they waste time in vain, do not achieve their life goals, and generally cease to feel happy.

By the way, political news can also be the cause of depression.

How to get rid of smartphone addiction?

As a rule, people begin to rummage in theirsmartphone when experiencing stress. To get rid of addiction and not aggravate the state of their mental health, they need to choose more healthy methods of getting rid of stress. Scientists include quite banal, but actually effective and enjoyable activities - communication with friends, sports and meditation. Walking in the park, by the way, is also great, because they give people a sense of happiness.

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Most likely, this is far from the last study on the impact of smartphones on humans. Soon we will probably find out something else interesting.