Experts Warn That Smartphones Enable Addictive Behaviors

Original article: Especialistas advierten que el celular facilita conductas adictivas

«People are not addicted to the bright rectangle or the moving colorful images themselves,» state specialists from the University Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Chile. «The reality is that the screens we carry in our pockets facilitate the availability of things consumed without self-control: social media, games, gambling, or pornography, among others.»

These are behavioral addictions, which are generally more socially accepted than problematic substance use.

Dr. Enzo Rozas, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of Chile’s Faculty of Medicine, explains that «individuals who develop an addiction to a substance or behavior often have certain vulnerability factors, among which increasingly proven biological and neurobiological-genetic components facilitate a psychological predisposition, along with some sociocultural elements.»

«Moreover, the excessive availability of these substances or activities can lead those who are more vulnerable to develop addictions,» emphasizes the physician.

Dr. Rozas also points out other psychological factors that contribute to a greater propensity for risk-taking: «Impulsive individuals or those who feel the need to avoid certain emotions or complex situations, as they lack the capacity to deal with them adaptively, may find substance use a way to cope with these issues.»

«It is crucial to focus on those who have a higher known vulnerability, whether due to some psychopathology or psychiatric condition, or significant family history, to prevent addictions effectively,» the specialist states.

As smartphones become ubiquitous in everyday life, even from a very young age, the discussion of addiction to this technology is a recurring issue within families.

That is why the distinction made by Dr. Rozas is vital: no one becomes addicted solely to bright lights or colorful images but rather to the content accessible through this technology: gambling, pornography, or online shopping.

How Is Addiction Defined?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), addiction is a physical and psycho-emotional disease that creates a dependence or need for a substance, activity, or relationship, characterized by a set of signs and symptoms involving biological, genetic, psychological, and social factors.

On the other hand, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, or DSM-5, redefines addictions as «substance use disorders,» unifying abuse and dependence along a spectrum of severity—mild, moderate, or severe—based on 11 key criteria, including persistent desire, loss of control, social interference, and continued use despite physical or psychological problems, among others.

Additionally, Dr. Rozas adds that «while behavioral addictions have been extensively studied in academia for a long time, this knowledge has not yet permeated the population so clearly.»

«It is much more intuitive and easier to identify substance addictions; from that perspective, behavioral addictions are still viewed with some passivity; it’s as if I submit to a screen, but I don’t actively engage, so to speak. This is why there has been some resistance to the fact that certain behaviors that are part of people’s lives can become a psychiatric disorder or addiction,» he remarked.

«However, we must remember that behavioral addictions did not emerge in the digital world; pathological gambling, for instance, is the most clearly studied behavioral addiction, and there are Eastern texts that define dice addiction three thousand years before Christ,» emphasized the specialist from the University of Chile.

Who Is Responsible?

Dr. Carlos Ibáñez, founder of the Center for Prevention and Treatment of Addictions (CESA) at the Faculty of Medicine and director of the University Psychiatric Clinic, points out that technology-mediated behavioral addictions—gambling, pornography—function «like tobacco or alcohol, which are available and for which there is an industry interested in promoting their consumption. There are both legal and illegal gambling industries that encourage their use through responsible gaming practices.»

«Comparing with other addictions, most people who drink alcohol are not alcoholics, and most who gamble in casinos or online are not problem gamblers. If we were to define low-risk gambling behavior or low-risk consumption, it would apply to the majority of people who gamble or consume; thus, responsible gaming does exist,» he detailed.

For all the above reasons, Drs. Rozas and Ibáñez agree that behind addictions, there is a very high probability that the person is experiencing either a mood disorder, anxiety, or bipolar disorder; a «dual pathology,» they indicate.

Therefore, they both agree that treatment must be comprehensive, not even parallel (for addiction and the underlying mental health issue), taking into account all individual, family, and social factors that lead to problematic consumption.

«The most important thing is to implement measures currently referred to as digital hygiene. Avoid notifications, limit usage at night, restrict children’s use, and ensure adolescents do not have screens in their bedrooms,» concluded the specialists.

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