People become addicted to many things. Some of these may be drugs, alcohol, and smoking, but also electronics. Addiction to electronics is also very bad for your health, both physically and mentally. Electronics don’t get you addicted because of drugs like Nicotine (a highly addictive drug found in cigarettes) but because of something called Dopamine.

“Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers” ("Dopamine"). This hormone is released when you win something. Keep in mind that even though you get Dopamine from winning sports like football or tennis, you also get a small dose of Dopamine when you hear a notification from your device, win something in a video game or even simply surfing the web. Your body loves the feel of Dopamine, and even though you may not realise it, your body will try to find more ways to get Dopamine with less effort, which can lead to addiction to electronics.

One way I saw this was when I visited a beach with my friends. We were there to play the new game Pokémon Go. If you don’t know what this is, it’s a game where you have to go out in the world and catch virtual Pokémon. I do accept that at least you go out in the world, so this isn’t really bad for you physically, especially if you’re running around. It was sad to see that everyone was so focused on their screens when they could have been having fun together. Not to mention the fact that the weather and temperature was wonderful so everyone could have been enjoying a swim.

That’s how we become addicted to phones, but phones don’t do too much to us physically. It’s devices such as television and computers where you don’t move as much. Sitting for too long without stretching or moving can cause a condition known as Deep Vein Thrombosis. Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is where blood can thicken or clump up due to minimal movement and cause a clot. If this clot loosens, the clot can travel to other parts of the body where it can stop blood flow to vital places like the heart, resulting in death ("What Is Deep Vein Thrombosis?").

There are many ways we can break away from addiction. We can make access to our devices a little more difficult, which can decrease the chances of us actually wanting to go and do that specific thing. An example is if you know you frequently use an app on a smartphone, you can put the app in some far corner of your phone which it would take a little extra time to get to, and not just turn the phone on and have direct access to it (Stibel). Another way we can prevent physical problems is by using standing desk. This is basically a desk, but you stand at it instead of sit. This can prevent a wide range of physical problems which include obesity, lower risk of heart disease, and so on (Leech).

All in all, electronics probably already have you addicted. Thankfully, there are ways you can get out of this addiction, or if you can’t get out, at least make sure you stay healthy by getting up and stretching regularly, or by some of the other ways mentioned before. It’s not a lost cause, and you can still get yourself healthy and out of addiction.

Works Cited
"Dopamine." Psychologytoday. Web. 16 Oct. 2017.
Leech, Joe. "7 Benefits Of A Standing Desk." Healthline. Healthline, 2017. Web. 17 Oct. 2017.
Stibel, Jeff. "Why You’re Addicted To Your Phone … And What To Do About It." USA TODAY.  N.p., 2017. Web. 17 Oct. 2017.
"What Is Deep Vein Thrombosis?." National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. NIH, 2011. Web.
17 Oct. 2017.