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Last Friday, I sent text messages to my mom and a few of my friends informing them that I would be turning off my phone and not jumping on my laptop. For the next two days, I had no access to the outside world, social media or emails, all of which had recently caused me to become extremely mentally overwhelmed.
When I told people that I was doing a “detox” for the weekend, the barrage of questions started to flow. All the “Why?!?” and “Are you okay?” inquiries led me to believe that my actions would be abnormal and the beginning to an end of survival altogether.
If the thought of me purposely turning off my device for an extended period of time was atypical, then is it safe to say that we are too dependent on our phones or technology in general?
According to a study by the University of Maryland, respondents said that they are too dependent on their phones, in addition to the Internet. The Greatist mentioned that the participants “complained that they felt bored, disconnected, uncomfortable, and anxious without their phones and computers.”
While the respondents of this study were not actually diagnosed with an “addiction,” there is evidence to support the idea that our attachments to our phones and devices is something of a problem. Psychiatrist and director of Stanford’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Clinic, Dr. Elias Aboujaoude, said to NPR that “Similar pathways seem activated” when you compare the brain of someone online to the brain of someone with a substance abuse problem.
And it makes sense. During my hiatus, I realized how my dependence on my phone had grown over the years. I started doing things like asking my husband for the time since I rely on my phone for that information (only having one clock in the house for décor) as well as information on the happenings of world (I still watched television but that’s no longer my immediate news source). But when I got tired of relying on him for information, I found myself replacing technology with finally making time to read a long-awaited book.
Although I can’t blame everything on my phone, I figured that would be the best place to start when it comes to taking a tech detox since it does house all of the things that pertain to work, people and endless amounts of mindless entertainment. I just felt like I needed a break from it all.
A somewhat slight, but serious situation was my wake-up call. For the past few months, when thinking about my never-ending to-do lists, coupled with unexpected phone calls and interrupted schedules (I’m Type A so any change in my plans can send me into a frenzy), I would experience tightness in my chest. I ignored it at first but soon realized what triggered these symptoms. Unfortunately, I didn’t want to label this sign, as I didn’t deem it to be that serious. I just brushed it off as the effects of me being swamped and needing to step away from everything for at least a few days.
I then realized that I want to be around a long time for my kids, especially since Black women have a higher rate of heart disease than White women. I decided that something had to change soon.
I’m still a work in progress but I realize that setting boundaries will help with my anxiety and help to curb the stress that can come from daily obligations. While I still have my social media accounts intact and my phone constantly on, I’m more aware of my priorities and have become more lenient about changes in my schedule. I know when to log off and back away from my devices when I feel overwhelmed. And while the detox didn’t necessarily change my life, I’m open to doing it more often in order to keep myself together. Because while those emails, phone calls and stories can wait, gaining a sense of peace can’t.
