ABC-7 Special Report: Tech addiction’s symptoms similar to alcohol, drug dependence

Editor’s Note: Be sure to watch Stephanie Valle’s special report on technology addiction at 10 p.m. tonight, only on ABC-7.

A whopping 90 percent of American adults own a cell phone, according to the latest research by the Pew Research Center.

And of those, 64 percent own smartphones.

But does the phone really own you?

Some experts believe tech addiction is real.

A side effect of the addiction may be visible on the UTEP campus during the transition between classes.

As expected, the grounds are bustling with students. But many of the students are quiet, with buds plugged into their ears, or walking while staring at phones.

“We don’t appreciate the view,” said UTEP student Giovanna Motta. “We just walk and are texting.”

Motta may speak with wisdom and insight, but she admits that she, too, is addicted to technology.

“I wake up in the morning (and the) first thing that I look at is my phone,” Giovanna admitted.

She isn’t alone.

“I’m definitely on it more than I should be, and I feel weird when I don’t have it on me,” said another student.

Another told ABC-7, “Social media is a big thing for me. I get most of my news through Twitter. I guess I am becoming addicted to my phone.”

To those who are not addicted to their phones, the constant reliance on pocket technology is troubling.

UTEP anthropology professor Dr. David Carmichael told ABC-7 he has begun handing out a study guide with success strategies to his freshman students. One of the strategies suggests limiting the use of social media.

“The psychologists I’ve been reading show it is addictive,” Carmichael said. “You see that when more than half of students at the college and high school level are concerned about when the next time is they’ll be able to check their email. Or check their texts.”

“I see people walk out of class and get on their phones instantly,” he added.

Carmichael said the feelings experienced by those who rely on their phones mimic those of addiction withdrawal.

“It’s almost this anxiety about when will be the next time they can get on their media, and feeling stressed and depressed if you can’t,” Carmichael said. “Those are all real signs of addiction.”

Being addicted to a phone doesn’t sound as dangerous as being addicted to drugs or alcohol.

But the effect on the brain — and society — may be just as dire.

Carmichael said an overload of technology interaction is shown to lead to awkward face-to-face interaction, reduced social skills and increased rude behavior.

But it isn’t all bad, said the UTEP professor.

“One of the advantages of social media is it allows us to build new tribes. We can choose to interact with people who have the same interests and ideas as we do. And that can be very useful,” Carmichael said.

But seconds after stating that, Carmichael found the downside.

“That also means, you’re picking and choosing who you’re going to interact with. And you can choose to not interact with those with whom you already know you disagree. So, we have less of a shared experience than we’re used to.

“We run the risk of not being able to find common ground on anything,” Carmichael concluded.

He laughed as he said, “Oh, it gets worse.”

Carmichael cited research showing social media is rewiring young people’s brains — leading to depression and Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD, and hindering critical thinking and decision-making development.

“Once your brain is wired in that direction — it’s going to take significant effort to undo that,” he said.

When asked if he, as a person who has studied humans and human culture and behavior over thousands of years, has ever seen such a large number of people experience an addiction at one time, he replied, “No, I haven’t, and I don’t know of an example like that. … Half of people communicate with people on the Internet more than they do face-to-face. I think that it’s unprecedented in human history.”

With the use and production of new technology not appearing to slow down, Carmichael said we need to learn how to separate ourselves from our gadgets.

“Shut down all your electronic communication for one week and spend time thinking about what you believe and why,” he suggested.

Other tips, which you can find at http://wapo.st/1XtjNVl, include turning off Wi-Fi after a certain time of day, turning on “airplane” mode to avoid distractions, or even sitting by a tree for an hour to listen to nature.

“If we become too dependent on the technology, we lose our mental acuity in ways that are disappointing,” said Carmichael. “We should care about that. We should resist that loss.”

For UTEP student Giovanna Motta, the first step is admitting the problem exists.

“The hard part is, if you don’t use your phone, or you aren’t connected all the time, it seems like you’re going to miss the world,” she said. “But actually, you’re already missing it.”