How Cellphones are Affecting Teenagers

Kelsey MacCallum, Writer

Ongoing studies have shown that the presence of cellphones in teenagers’ lives have an array of negative impacts, and adults aren’t the only ones who see it.  When ten FHS students were asked if they would rather live in a time period where cellphones didn’t exist, a shocking 80% answered yes without hesitation, proving that the common stereotype of all teenagers being blissfully addicted to technology, couldn’t be more wrong.

Hailey Ringer, a freshman here at FHS, shared her thoughts on teenagers and their use of cellphones.

She believes there are both positive and negatives to the technological era we live in. For starters, she said she feels safer when she has her phone on her, because emergency help is only a call away. She also explained that because of instant messaging, and other social media platforms, connecting with friends has never been easier.

That being said, according to Ringer, the red flags that our generation is showcasing cannot be ignored. Studies show that the average teenager spends a shocking nine hours on their phone and other forms of media per day.

The side affects of this include loss of sleep, anxiety, stress, fatigue, irritability, and an increased risk for brain cancer. A great percentage of students understand the consequences that cellphones have brought into our lives, and they aren’t too happy about it either.

As stated by Ringer, “I miss the days when we were younger and nobody had phones, everyone just had fun and appreciated each other’s company outside.” Ringer also said that she feels guilty with the amount of time she spends on her phone. She is not alone, these emotions are felt by many teenagers, but research shows the problem seems to only be getting worse.

In not only the younger generations, but also the older generations as well, technology is interfering with our ability to hold genuine conversations with people. In a survey conducted by Berkley university, 89 percent of Americans said that during their last social interaction, they took out a phone. Furthermore, 82 percent said that it degenerated the conversation they were participating  in.

With new advances in technology being made everyday, researchers explain that it is important for teenagers to participate in social interactions where they put the phone away, if only for a little while.