Today we were helping my mom pick out a new cell phone. Somehow, in the process of doing that, we ended up getting a new phone for both my husband and me. I was playing with my son during the majority of this happening, but regardless, I have a new cell phone. Honestly, part of me is excited. However, I have also started to worry about cell phones more.
Cell phones have not been a part of my world my entire life, although I started seeing them when I was in middle school. Our first one was in my family’s minivan and had about 15 minutes of time a month on it – it was strictly for emergencies, if needed. Of course, we have seen cell phones evolve quite a bit since then, and no doubt they have changed the world. The things they can do can be pretty amazing – calls, texts, emails, video, audio, pictures – it’s great to have all of that information right in your hand. Some things have never changed, though, and ultimately I like having a cell phone in case of emergency. It feels very comforting to know that I could call for help from pretty much everywhere if needed. So, there are some great things about cell phones, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to see some of the downsides.
Some of the negatives are easy to point out – texting while driving, people walking around with their heads down looking at their phones and potentially missing hazards, and a general lack of awareness with phones are some examples. But, I also worry about how it is affecting our sleep and our attention spans. I also wonder about how it is affecting time with others and our relationships. I know it has changed some of these things for me, and it scares me that I could be that unaware. That being said, I am trying to make an effort to spend less time on the cell phone. I think all aspects of my health – physical, mental, social, and spiritual – depend on it, and I hope that everyone at least considers how to use cell phones in such a way that benefits them instead of negatively affecting their health.