Cell Phones: Put Down or Pick Up?
Cell phones nowadays are everywhere. Kids, teens, adults, and seniors alike are all equally engrossed in the pocket-sized technology that connects everyone in the world to one another. This is severely affecting the way that children develop, and they should not be addicted to something they don’t even understand. Kids and teens should be outside, instead of stuck with their eyes glued to their phones.
Since the emergence of technology in the mid-2010s, the connectedness to nature has dwindled to levels much below that of the norm. Health.org states that mental health issues like depression and anxiety can arise because of the addiction that kids have to their phones. While many would agree, there are some downsides to leaving your phone inside all day. While it is of course detrimental to be addicted to technology, the withdrawal from taking a phone away in an attempt to cure the issue actually can be as severe as an addiction to drugs, not to mention, people won’t be notified in case of an emergency.
However, most would agree that phones hurt more than they help. Both Julia and Katherine Kuhns have observed refusal to leave screens alone in the young children in their home. Health.org also states that getting out in nature can possibly lower the addiction we feel to our phones and can help our sleep time return to normal, as the time we spend on our cell phones can interfere with sleep, self-esteem, and even memory spans. Individuals who have put down their phones have taken 90 percent fewer selfies and use their phones half as much each day compared to those who don’t. Katherine Kuhns has admitted that her kids spend around two hours a day watching tv, and has said her “two-year-old throws tantrums” when it’s taken away. This addiction can be easily remedied by people of all ages, so the next time you feel yourself picking up your phone, set it down and spend five minutes outside instead.
Maddie Kuhns, Grade 12. Interests/hobbies include reading, writing, listening to music, NHS, and German Club. Maddie's goal is to attend Susquehanna University...
Aunty Lou • Apr 4, 2023 at 10:28 am
An absolutely riveting piece. Nathan’s florid writing leaps off the page and into the hearts of scholars hungering for true literature. Remarkably worded and beautifully expressed. The next Chaucer.