Because many of us are feeling overwhelmed these days with the trials of this dunya, probably the last thing we want to read about is yet another serious problem, especially when the source of that problem serves as a constant source of information, comfort, and distraction. In fact, nearly all of us have access to this habit-forming object, and we rely heavily on it throughout the day for our work, entertainment, communication, news, research, and scheduling. You guessed it — it’s our smartphones.
Whether we realize it or not, a large number of us are overusing, or even addicted to, our phones. More than just a way to check emails and make calls, smartphones have become a way to self-soothe, numb uncomfortable feelings, release regular bursts of dopamine, and escape reality, at least temporarily. The rush we get from “likes” on social media, the distraction we enjoy when we watch funny videos, and the inexplicable satisfaction of mindless scrolling – all of these can add up to a constant reach for our phones.
According to Exploding Topics, over half of Americans – 56.9 percent – admit they’re addicted to their smartphones. Muslims are not immune to the mood-boosting, habit-forming effects of apps, and many of us would agree that we check our phones a little too often. “Addiction,” however, is a strong word that most of us would prefer to avoid. So how do we know if we are actually addicted to our phones?
Here are some warning signs of smartphone addiction:
- You are constantly reaching for your phone.
- You spend much of your time on your phone.
- You wake in the night to check for notifications.
- You feel negative emotions such as anger, sadness, or anxiety when you don’t have your phone or can’t check it.
- Using your phone has led to an injury or accident, such as a car crash from texting while driving.
- The amount of time you spend on your phone affects your professional or personal life.
- When you try to limit your phone use, you end up relapsing in a short time.
- Someone in your life expresses concern about how much you are on your phone or your behavior while you are not using it.
If several of those symptoms accurately describe your relationship to your smartphone, it is possible you are addicted. However, smartphone addiction does not mean you’re a bad or weak person. In fact, software developers have become increasingly effective at making technology as appealing as possible on a neurochemical level. Apps are purposely engineered to make our brains want to use them more and more, and it literally hurts our brain to take a break from our smartphone.
“When you put your phone down, your brain signals your adrenal gland to produce a burst of a hormone called cortisol, which triggers a fight or flight response to danger,” psychologist Larry Rosen explained to 60 Minutes. “Cortisol starts to make you anxious, and your goal is to get rid of that anxiety, so you check in [on your phone].”
Tristan Harris, a former Google product manager, believes smartphone users are actually being controlled by the apps they use. He told 60 Minutes, “There’s always this narrative that technology’s neutral, and it’s up to us to choose how we use it. This is just not true. It’s not neutral. . . [Silicon Valley] is shaping the thoughts and feelings and actions of people. They are programming people.” Harris added, “The constant distractions of apps and emails are weakening our relationships to each other and destroying our kids’ ability to focus.”
Here are a few more concerning statistics about smartphone use:
- The average American checks their smartphone 144 times per day.
- Seventy-one percent of people spend more time on their phone than with their romantic partner.
- Almost two-thirds of children spend four hours or more per day on their smartphones.
- Forty-four percent of American adults admit not having their phones gives them anxiety.
- Cell phones cause more than 20 percent of car accidents.
- The average American spends more than five hours each day on their smartphone.
- Fifty percent of teens feel addicted to their mobile devices.
For Muslims, smartphone addiction can have serious spiritual consequences, as well. Wasat, or moderation, is a key component of our faith. We are not supposed to go to extremes, so addiction to anything inherently puts us out of balance. Our relationships with family, friends, and, most importantly, our Creator, can suffer if we are overusing our devices. In her article “How Our Phone Addictions Are Impacting Our Relationship With Allah,” Hiba Noor Khan writes:
“In this age which is nigh impossible to navigate without the internet, a life oriented towards God in the fullest sense must be cultivated with great care. I am witness to the fact that complacency with time and internet usage is no harmless thing. It has been intentionally designed to lock us in, to mine our attention for as long as possible, at any cost. The most sobering cost is not that children read less nowadays because the pages of a book don’t hook them in the same way that moving images do. Nor is it that fewer adults have the patience to gain in-depth knowledge, resorting to headlines or three-minute videos instead. The most disturbing and far-reaching effects are on our spiritual states and aptitude for worship” [emphasis added].
If you believe you might be addicted to your smartphone, you might dread the process of breaking that addiction. Here are some tips to make it a little easier.
- Ask Allah to help you. First, make the intention to reduce your dependence on your smartphone for the sake of Allah, knowing it will benefit your relationship with Him and also with those who have rights on you, like your spouse, parents, siblings, and children. Then call on Him by His beautiful names. Ask Al-Jabbar, the one who can repair anything that is broken, including an addicted brain. Call on Ash-Shafee, the one who cures. Turn to Ar-Raheem, the Extremely Kind and Merciful, and ask Him to make it easy for you to overcome your overreliance on your phone.
- Use proven methods. There are many ways to facilitate breaking unhealthy habits, so do a bit of research and see what works for you. Metacognition, for instance, is strategizing about the way you think, including how you use language. For instance, if your internal dialogue about reducing smartphone usage is, “It’s going to be impossible; I can’t function without my phone,” then you’re probably not going to succeed. Instead, reframe your goal as something positive that makes you feel empowered and optimistic. For instance, you might say, “I will make better use of my time and feel more connected with my loved ones, insha’Allah, when I shut down my smartphone at 6:00 every night.”
Another strategy, self-directed neuroplasticity, is when you intentionally rewire your brain to create positive habits. According to Healthline, “it’s a powerful, science-based method to break undesirable habits and create new, healthy ones.
- Aim for progress, not perfection. Even small steps to curb smartphone usage are beneficial. Some techniques that might help are:
- Avoid charging your phone in your bedroom. Keep it out of there at night to reduce the likelihood of scrolling before bed or waking up to check notifications.
- Silence all non-urgent notifications so your phone isn’t beeping at you throughout the day. Every notification has the potential to drag you away from whatever you’re doing, break your focus, and waste your time.
- Put your phone out of sight when you arrive home in the evening. When it’s tucked away in a drawer or cabinet, you can more easily forget about it and focus on your family.
- Remove social media apps from your phone. If you have to log into a desktop computer to check your Facebook or Instagram account, for instance, you probably will use them less frequently.
- Put your phone on “do not disturb” mode. This allows you to filter many unwanted distractions.
- Make the dining table a phone-free zone. Model good behavior for your children, and don’t use your phone while eating. Mealtime should be an opportunity to connect in real life with the people you love.
- Plan a phone-free day to get a taste of life without constant interruptions. You might be amazed at all the things you can accomplish and all the little moments that bring you joy if you don’t rely on your smartphone for distraction and entertainment.
While our smartphones might seem like indispensable tools for modern life, we do not need to be enslaved by them. Like with anything else, we Muslims must attempt to achieve wasat in our use of technology. That means recognizing that apps and programs are purposely created to ensnare us and to keep us logging in as much as possible. It means taking steps to strengthen our self-discipline by setting boundaries around smartphone use. It requires us to turn to Allah, asking for His help if we believe we are addicted, and committing to smart strategies to break our unhealthy habits.
