By Seoyoung Kim, International Student, South Korea

Some people, especially those who are young, might recognize that nowadays a lot of people are so busy, they don’t have time to rest their mind. Also, a lot of us have no time to feel bored because we are exposed to so many external stimuli. Smartphones are accounting for a vast amount of that stimuli.

For Gen Z, the smartphone is essential in many aspects of their lives but whether people realize it or not, many are addicted to smartphone which matters to their overall mental well being. Americans spend an average of 5.7 hours daily, furthermore Gen Z spends 6.5 hours daily on smartphones.

A student at Saint Peter’s University which is located in Jersey City has said that “I can’t stop watching my phone. I cannot concentrate on my work because I keep checking my phone and keep scrolling my Instagram feed which makes me feel awful since I feel like I lost my patience.”

She added, “Once I made a day off to get rest. I spend much of the time on my bed with my phone. I thought I took enough recess however, I felt more exhausted than usual the next day.”

According to Addiction Center, phone addictions may lead to a sleep deficit, lower concentration, insecurity, poor grades, stress, and even psychological disorders. The center has also mentioned that the negative impact of the excessive use of smartphones is like gambling. It is because smartphones actually affect our mental by affecting the brain physically. Grey matter in the brain is closely related to the part that enables individuals to control movement, memory, and emotions. A recent study has discovered that brains with a phone addiction showed change in their brain’s grey matter.