Stefan Mileschin

Harder to inject

Smartphones are more addictive than heroin and the world is falling to bits because kids are addicts, according to a new study.

Dr Erik Peper [no really] of San Francisco State University believes the ability of young people to concentrate for long periods of time has been seriously compromised by their devotion to their devices.

He tested 135 students and concluded that the ones who used them the most reported higher levels of loneliness and isolation. Peper said that they were displaying symtoms similar to drug addiction.

"The behavioural addiction of smartphone use begins forming neurological connections in the brain in ways similar to how opioid addiction is experienced by people taking Oxycontin for pain relief. It’s conditioning in that sense.”

Many phone users have difficulty disengaging from the technology, he said .This was because phones offered constant affirmation and “rewards” with a steady stream of updates, notifications, and messages, Dr Peper said.

Students who gave up their devices experience feelings of loss and feel disconnected. It takes three or four days but at the end of that period they found themselves able to make more meaningful face to face connections with people.

“It’s very similar to a withdrawal regime.”

https://fudzilla.com/news/46106-dr-p...ve-than-heroin