Leave it to psychologists to label yet another behavior an “addiction” — short message service (SMS), also commonly known as text messaging (or just plain “texting”). But let’s back up a bit, because this is becoming commonplace with any new technology that seems to eat up people’s time and attention.
In modern times, we can trace the desire to call certain behaviors without drugs “addictions” to the rise and popularity of coin-operated and home video games in the 1970s and 1980s. Parents watch their children move from spending hours in front of the television to spending hours in front of a video game (or going to the video arcade to escape their parents’ watchful eye). The following pronouncements were not uncommon in the research literature at the time:
“It is suggested that the potential usefulness or harm of video games is still open to empirical validation; however, the potential for abuse is inherent” (Soper & Miller, 1983).
Inherent. Well, that’s such a generalization, it could be made about anything. The potential for abuse of the phone is inherent. The potential for abuse of one’s friendships is inherent. The potential for abuse of getting really into any hobby you enjoy is inherent. By definition, something we enjoy doing is usually not a problem, no matter how much you do it or how much other people think you’re crazy for doing it so much. Look at how much athletes work-out for instance. Are they addicted to working-out, or is it something that is rewarding to them (not only potentially financially, but intrinsically as well)?
In 1995, along came “Internet addiction disorder,” a term cooked up by researchers by taking the symptom list for “pathological gambling,” and changing the word “gambling” to “Internet use” and giving it to a self-selected sample of people who said, “Hey, I think I use the Internet too much.”
I could create a dozen new disorders tomorrow doing the exact same thing, but unfortunately it would be no more scientifically valid.
Since that time, of course, a lot more research has been conducted. But alternative hypotheses which could readily explain this behavior are rarely considered in this research, and no long-term studies have been done to see whether this is a problem related to the relative “newness” of the Internet as a technology (just as few researchers look for “video game addiction” or “television addiction” to join the diagnostic manual any longer, as people became acclimated to the technology and adapted to it for everyday use).
So here it is 100 years after the invention of the radio, 60 years after television became popular, and more than 30 years after video games hit the scene. Are any of these technologies — technologies where people spend many hours every day (depending upon the decade) glued to it — “addictions” today? Nope. Not a single one. As a society, we learned to cope with them, integrate them into our lives, and even though we may spend too much time with any given one at a time, basically recognize the value of life (and living it) beyond the radio station, TV screen, or video game.
Really, is SMS and texting an addiction, or just the latest technological fad that people obsess about for awhile? Ten years from now, it too will just be a blip on the screen of history.
Reference:
Soper, W. Barlow; Miller, Mark J. (1983). Junk-time junkies: An emerging addiction among students. School Counselor, 31(1), 40-43.
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9 Comments to
“SMS Addiction and Texting Addiction”
For deaf people its the way we use a mobile, and actually be independent (save video calls, phones with IM).
Emergency services for deaf people at least in the UK have opened up SMS as a method of contacting the police, ambulance etc … and even car breakdown services
One has to ask the question, could mobile phone *voice* calls be an addiction? Somehow, I suspect not and sometimes there’s a certain stigma attached to particular methods of communication.
On a personal note, although SMS is the only way I am able to use a mobile phone, I don’t like it (only do so if I really have to). Prefer to send my message much faster, even if its via Skype or Twitter on the web.
It’s about time someone shown a light on this. I think we’ve been covering this up for far too long.
i agree with the fact that its just a blip in time. maybe everything we do alot can be considered an “addiction” and yes, i agree that as time goes on more and more and more technological advances are made more and more people will want to be involved with that technology.
as every new generation is introduced to a new piece of technology, they will be more attached to them than previous generations. take most adults with texting. they just arent used to it so they comunicate in different ways (like email) than the younger generation. just will we as the younger generation have a problem with comunicating in person because of this new lovely communication?
we could not say that texting is an addiction. Thee are many considerations to open up such as how many times the person done texting for a day, for an hour or even minute..perhaps texting is such an easiest for them to communicate and involve in the conversation.
people obssession on texting depends upon his behavior..it’s how he/she adjust himself to the technology.
“Really, is SMS and texting an addiction, or just the latest technological fad that people obsess about for awhile? Ten years from now, it too will just be a blip on the screen of history.”
Very much true, it will be just a blip. Like when pong came out, I’m sure there we addicts. But look at video games now. See too much pong anymore? The world is always changing.
Should a 14 yo steal a cell phone and in a two week period run up a bill in the neighborhood of $1,000.00 while texting be considered in your opinion an addiction? I have always thought that addiction was something that one does that disrupts their daily life and has an adverse affect on those around them. I would consider stealing for the phone to exercise their pleasure of texting along the same lines as stealing to get drugs to get high.
“Should a 14 yo steal a cell phone and in a two week period run up a bill in the neighborhood of $1,000.00 while texting be considered in your opinion an addiction? I have always thought that addiction was something that one does that disrupts their daily life and has an adverse affect on those around them. I would consider stealing for the phone to exercise their pleasure of texting along the same lines as stealing to get drugs to get high.”
No it is not right for that 14 year old. At the same time like the deaf person from the UK posted, deaf people need to text whether on a phone/mobile device, tty or computer to communicate! We can’t hear on the phone so have to use other ways.
-Another deaf person from USA
I have a foster son that spends all day every day doing texting. He got in trouble last week and I had to take his phone away. He said if I did that he would just start to shut down. He would probably stop eating, start sleeping all day, etc etc. He said this would happen because he’s been through it before when he didn’t have his phone. Those sound alot like withdrawal symptoms to me. He’s so ADDICTED to texting, that when he is unable to do it, his mind wants to shut off. That’s not healthy. He shouldn’t need a phone to keep his mind from shutting off. It’s completely retarded. Maybe he’s playing a game, who knows. But if it is real, that your article has little to no meaning for me as it doesn’t explain behavior like this.
Texting isn’t bad in itself. It’s when and where you use it that can make it look like an addiction.
I’m a college student, and whenever I’m in class, I can’t help but notice half of the other students are always toying with their cellphone and sending text messages under their desk numerous times. I’ve once seen desk neighbors play games on their cellphone as well. For some reason, I don’t think this is appropriate. If I was a teacher and knew that my students weren’t paying attention to my class, I would feel bad.
Another example, is at a movie or a play. It’s a dark room. I always notice alot of people looking at their cellphone. It’s noticable because a cellphone screen is like a flashlight, and it’s usually pointing upward, so you see a blue/white spot on the ceiling. If the room is built like an amphitheater, you can clearly see flashes of light in your eyes coming from bottom rows.
If you can’t refrain from texting with your cellphone during a play or a movie, or during class, there’s a problem I think.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 25 Feb 2008
