12/2 Summary: "Smartphone addiction could be changing your brain"
From CNN
(Summary)
Cell phone addiction, which is the fear of not being able to use your cellphone or other smart device, is on the rise. This habit, for instance, negatively affect your social life and relationship with others, or your ability to work or study, because you want to be connected to your smartphones all the time. The addiction can also lead to the distracted driving and injuries related to pedestrians using cell phones. Moreover, it can be the cause of text neck and poor posture. The blue light emitted from cell phones can disrupt melatonin production and therefore sleep. Plus, cell phone addiction may affect brain functioning. According to a study, which 19 teenage boys participated, compared with the boys who were not addicted, the brains of those who were addicted had higher levels of GAVA than those of glutamate-glutamine, which means the former are more vulnerable to distractions. Also, addicted teenagers in the study had higher scores in anxiety, depression and levels of insomnia and impulsivity. The good news is that their conditions were improved with cognitive behavioral therapy. You are advised to keep your cellphone away from your everyday life as much as possible. (195 words)
