COLUMBUS, Ga. — When Adrian Weldon has a few minutes to spare, he’s probably going to use them to text.
“I came here to kill time and text,” he said, sitting at Lakebottom Park on Thursday afternoon. “At least it’s not driving and texting.”
Weldon said he uses his phone mostly for texting, sending quick messages while he’s at work and can’t call people, and when he’s bored. When asked whether he’s addicted, he says he’s not sure.
“My girlfriend says I am,” he said.
If Weldon is addicted to his phone, he’s not alone.
While addiction to apps or texting is not a recognized medical condition, there have been numerous studies on whether the technology causes more harm than good.
A study by Case Western Reserve School of Medicine found that teens who spend a lot of time texting or on social media also are more likely to use drugs or alcohol and get into fights.
Using a smartphone or computer just before bed can lead to sleep loss, according to a study from the National Sleep Foundation.
But ignoring your phone can be difficult.
A recent article in The New York Times by author and brand consultant Martin Lindstrom claimed the top three sounds with the most powerful effects are baby giggles, the Intel chime and a vibrating phone.
Weldon confesses to feeling lost without his phone. He never turns it off.
“Even when it’s charging, it’s on,” he said. “I left it once and went home on my lunch break just to get it.”
Smartphones also can be habit-forming, according to a study by the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology and Intel Labs.
Researchers found that smartphone users in the U.S. and in Finland checked their phone repeatedly throughout the day, usually for less than 30 seconds.
They observed that the checks are usually triggered by the same things — a person may always check e-mail while commuting or always check the news when bored.
“It’s a boredom buster,” said Mary Virginia Wehrenberg. She said she typically uses her smartphone truly as a phone but that apps and texting also are a great distraction when you’re stuck waiting for something.
