Your Phone’s Constant Ping Is Giving You Anxiety

While we can’t completely get rid of our phones, we can manage the anxiety that comes with them. Let us help you.

anxiety ringLet’s understand anxiety. (Source: Freepik)

Have you ever wondered why you can’t stop going back to your phone to check how many people have liked your Instagram post? Or seen your IG stories?

Every day we receive hundreds of smartphone notifications. Designed to distract us, these interruptions capture and monetize our time and attention. Although smartphones are incredibly useful, their current notification systems impose underappreciated but considerable mental costs; like a slot machine, they exploit our inherent psychological biases for variable rewards, explained Krishna Joshi, a clinical psychologist at Lissun.

There has been a lot of research into how a phone affects the brain in terms of changing our behavior, mental health, and well-being. A 2017 study on smartphone addiction found that notifications can change your brain chemistry, creating an imbalance in your brain. The study also showed a link between smartphone use and anxiety, depression and impulsivity. Additionally, having your notifications constantly on can cause a pattern called switching cost. This is when an interruption such as a notification takes our attention away from a task.

Joshi explained that the number of likes and positive comments we receive activates the reward center of the brain and hence addiction becomes very likely. The constant barrage of notifications can create a sense of urgency and a fear of missing out (FOMO), leading to a compulsive need to check and respond to notifications even if they are not critical or important, he said. note.

Phantom vibrations are felt by many people. These mysterious tricks the brain plays make us unnecessarily check our phones and find erroneous sensations coming from the phone.

This can lead to a range of negative emotions such as anxiety, distraction and reduced productivity. It can also lead to poor concentration, poor sleep, and other negative impacts on mental health and well-being.

While we can’t completely get rid of our phones, we can manage the anxiety that comes with them. Let us help you.

6 Ways to Deal with Nerdy Anxiety

  1. 01

    Get more real contacts

    To achieve greater balance in your life, researchers suggest having more in-person contact with friends, family, and colleagues, rather than relying exclusively on digital interactions. Research also indicates that relationships without face-to-face contact lack the trust needed to develop authentic relationships.

  2. 02

    Put your phone on silent

    It sounds simple, but if you can’t hear your notifications, they can’t stress you out. Make sure you set up a schedule to stop yourself from checking your phone just in case.

  3. 03

    Making the most of your phone’s wellness settings

    Automatic Do Not Disturb modes and priority notifications help you filter and minimize notifications, and features like unlock counters help you understand how you’re using your phone so you can break the cycle.

  4. 04

    Scheduled sending

  5. 05

    Turn off your phone at night

    Turning off your phone may seem stressful, but by removing the opportunity, you’re less likely to see something you don’t want when you check the time and you’re more likely to get the sleep you need.

  6. 06

    Batch notifications

    Sending notifications at predictable intervals throughout the day could improve psychological well-being. This is associated with feeling more attentive, productive, in a better mood, and in better control of your phone.

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First published on: 27-10-2023 at 09:30 IST



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