Phone Dependency Soars: 45% of Americans Confess Addiction
By Movieguide® Contributor
Harmony Healthcare IT just revealed that 45% of Americans say they are addicted to their phones.
“On average, Americans are glued to their phones four hours and 37 minutes every day. It’s even worse for Gen Z, who spends six hours daily on their phones,” Relevant reported about the study.
“That’s a big jump from a few years prior,” the source continued. “In 2016, the average screen time was 3 hours and 8 minutes a day.”
The survey pulled from a pool of 1,000 American phone users to get their data.
The study also included some statistics using the phone-time average of 4 hours, 37 minutes each day.
“That quickly adds up over time to about 1 day every week, 6 days every month, and 70 days every year,” Harmony reported.
Harmony wrote, “If the average American gets a phone at 12 years old and lives until 76…they’d spend more than 4,466 days on their phone which is 12 years of staring at their phone.”
12 years. That’s a long time to be looking at a phone. And that doesn’t even include time spent on other screens, like TVs and computers.
SafeWise also highlighted some titbits from the Harmony study: “Nearly 6 in 10 Americans report using their phone while going to the bathroom,” and “more than 3 in 10 people said they couldn’t give up their phone for 24 hours.”
Movieguide® recently reported on a study that found parents are more concerned about their kids’ screen addiction than substance addiction:
The study, published on JAMA Network Open, revealed parents’ views on their children’s use of technology. While a majority of parents participating in the study felt their kids could “use the internet responsibly” and felt comfortable “gauging appropriate durations of screen time,” they also expressed concerns about technology’s impact on their children.
Roughly half of all parents shared that they worry about technology’s impact on their children’s social, cognitive and physical development. They also expressed concerns about “access to inappropriate content” and “cyberbullying.”
Over 50% of all participants said they worry about their kids developing an addiction to technology, compared to roughly 40% of parents who worry about substance addiction.
Phone addiction can have some serious side effects. Some of them are depression, sleep issues, anxiety, stress and relationship and communication problems.
A study published by “Frontiers in Psychology” found that those who were addicted to their phones also had low self-esteem. And on the other hand, it found that those who had high self-esteem were not phone addicts.
Relevant points out that the bright side of the Harmony study is that most people are aware of their phone addiction.
“Perhaps that’s why 40% said they’re trying to make themselves less reliant on their phones in 2024 by cutting down on screen time. A 2023 study found that going on a digital detox can not only improve your mental health, it can lead to more excitement in your real life,” Relevant said.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
