The "A" Team's Six Ways To Cope With Cell Phone Addiction.

Hello, my name is Allen L. Williams and I am a member of a awesome study group at Clark College known as The "A" Team. The three study partners I have in our "Intro To Mass Media" class are: Dante Kim, Korin Grems and Tim Dezort. During the duration of the quarter, my team and I have come across a major dilemma that is spreading all over the world like an unstoppable virus. That virus is known as "Cellphone Addiction."

Some experts say that people have become so addicted to their cellphones, that they can't even sit through a 90 minute movie without breaking away from it to text or call someone. A writer by the name of Michael Y. Park wrote an article for Fox News on this very topic referring to cell phone addiction as "An Epidemic" that is sweeping across the United States. This problem is not just in America, but all over the world. In Japan, it is documented that one in three mobile phone users are addicts.

According to the International Telecommunication Union, cellphone users has increased by 45% from 2000 to 2010, surpassing users of the internet, fixed telephone lines, mobile broadband subscriptions, and fixed broadband subscriptions. Our roads and highways are more dangerous then ever. Why? Because based on other studies, a whopping 73% of people who have cellphones talk on them while driving. It would seem that cellphone addicts are about as dangerous as drunk drivers now.

Advertisers love to exploit this addiction by making it very easy for people to feed their craving. Everything from television commercials, to magazine ads, to special offers sent by e-mail or snail-mail builds up all around us the same way bacteria builds up plaque and gingivitis on our teeth and gums. There are even online sites that provide "Text Abbreviations & Terminology" which tends to be used so commonly, that "text-talk" even shows up on essays turned in to school teachers by their students.

There are of course many people who hear about this sort of thing and then respond to it by stating: "I'm not addicted to my cell phone, I can stop using it any time I want." (Isn't that what all addicts say?)No matter what kind of addiction a person may have, whether it's alcohol, heroin, or facebook, there will always be people who say they are not controlled by anything. The bad news is that denial is probably the one thing that will destroy an addict from the inside out.

The good news is that not only can we fight off plaque and gingivitis with good oral hygiene methods, we can also fight off the intoxicating effects of cell phone addiction. How can we do this? Well, the first step to dealing with an addiction to acknowledge the fact that there is a problem. The following 12 questions should help people come to a conclusion to whether or not they are cellphone addicts.

1. Do you feel naked without your cell phone?

2. Do you use your cell phone while waiting in line?

3. Do you get irritated when someone doesn’t reply to a text message?

4. Do you use it while driving?

5. Do you use all the applications on your phone?

6. Do you use it in the bathroom?

7. Do you use your phone as your event planner?

8. Do you spend more time talking on your phone rather than in person?

9. Is your phone bill the most expensive bill you have?

10. Have you complained about other people using their phone, but do the same thing?

11. Is it in your hand right now? Is it next to you?

12. Do you leave it on when you go to sleep?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you may be addicted to your cell phone. The “A” team has come up with a few suggestions to help cope with your addiction.

1. Document the time used on your phone. This will illustrate how much time you ACTUALLY spend on it. Important vs. unimportant time.

2. Cut back. Now that you know how much time is wasted, try cutting back your usage.

3. Put it away when talking in person. When you are talking to someone face-to-face, put your phone away or turn it off.

4. You're not that important. You don’t need to respond to everything right now. You don’t have to check your emails every 5 minutes to stay connected.

5. Cell phones are tools not status symbols. Do you remember why you bought it in the first place? Do you really need the next big phone with all the useless applications? What your main reason for owning a phone? Social or business?

6. Turn it off. Do you leave your phone on at night waiting for a response to your last text? Does your phone get in the way of your every day life or has it become a part of it? Can you function without your cell phone? Turn it off and live your life freely without any interruptions.

Cellphones are useful and convenient, but too much of it will consume every part our lives if we are not careful. The "A" Team hope that you found this article to be helpful and informative and we wish you all the best. Thank You.

This Message Was Put Together By "The A Team" Students of Clark College for our "Intro To Mass Media Class." (Allen L. Williams, Korin Grems, Dante Kim, and Tim Dezort)