Have you ever gone to a theater to see the show of the decade, only to have the entire performance ruined by someone’s phone going off? Or flip the script: Have you ever missed a bus and then needed your phone to call for a ride? Are you torn between wondering whether phones are good or bad? Then this article is for you!
First, why would you get a phone in the first place? Well, a big thing about phones is that they provide easy communication. If a child is at a friend’s house, then the parent can call or text to see if the child needs a pick-up. Another thing is mental health anchoring. The Columbia University Department of Psychiatry says that the communication that can be accessed with phones can help anchor people. Phones can help people connect to their friends, counselors, or family. Mental health apps can also help calm people when they need it. Finally, entertainment. There can be hours of entertainment on the phone. Between all of the accessible video games, videos, and more that can be found on a phone, it is almost impossible to get bored.
But that leads to why you shouldn’t get a phone. Entertainment can all be found online, so why would you ever need to put down your phone? Well, the National Library of Medicine says that “Associations between mobile phone use and adverse mental health outcomes (can be) found…” There are direct connections between phones and mental health issues. Additionally, using phones can cause people to detach from their families. Some children will not talk to their family unless they are forced to put down their phones. Finally, phones can be addictive. With “endless scrolling” and AI showing people what they want to see, it can be very difficult to put down devices.
So, what do you think?
