Smartphones Usage Among Adolescents

 Written by: Mir Aqa Itebar

Technology has made life easier for human beings, but its negative effects should not be ignored. Overweight is on the rise.

According to research from the Milken Institute in the United States, one of the main causes of overweight is smartphones, tablets, video games and TVs. Technology is becoming more and more attractive so that children and adolescents can easily become addicted to it and get into trouble.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some people about this issue.

Sherin Agha, a resident of Oryakhel village, Qarabagh district of Kabul province says, “

I was using my mobile phone for 12 hours a day, my nerves were negatively affected, I lost my sight, I could not tolerate the words of people on the street and the words of my family members at home.”

Maryam Hotak, a resident of Kabul city says, “I have been using my mobile phone for more than 12 hours. In these twelve hours, I have a lot of problems. I use earphone and now I have a problem with my ears and if watch TV or if I look outside the room, tears come from my eyes.”

Rabia Wardak says, “I use mobilephone about 8 hours a day.  It wastes my time and I suffer from headaches.”

A psychologist, Rahila Safi talks about this issue, “The use of smartphones reduces vision and sleep quality; causes driving accidents; neck syndrome, which is directly related to the lumbar vertebrae and causes obesity because of the lack physical movements.

All of these issues cause a person to leave behind in life and willnot be able to make changes in his/her life. Continous use of smartphones shows a kind of addiction, and this addiction might have negative effects on his/her home relationships.”

What do some youths think about the reasons for using more smartphones?

Jawid Khistani says, “I have no other job so I always use my mobile phone. ”

Allah Mohammad says, “The studies I do are through mobile phones, because I can find and read the same books or any subject at a low price and without any problem.”
 
Rahila Safi says, “unemployment, parental neglect, , ignorance of the effects of smart phones, lack of knowledge of the disatvantages of mobile phones cause youngsters to use mobile phones more then need.”

Mirwais, a resident of Qarabagh district, Kabul province says, “I use the Internet on my mobile phone for 2 hours a day, I do not use it more because it causes low vision and I do not use it at night because it produces more light in the dark and affects my eyes and I have not face any health problems due the use of smartphone.”

Hosai Jabbarkhel says, “I have been using a large screen mobile phone for 8 years, but I consider the time to use it. I read books for a few hours, I do my house chorses, I have enough time for my family members I do. This is the only reason why I am not addicted to mobile phone.”