Children as young as ten have been known to attempt suicide, go berserk and destroy property both in their rooms and the general living space of the family, and disappearing for days on end – all in response to having their smartphones confiscated, and all symptomatic of literal addiction. — dpa
Concerning my prior use of the word “addiction” in association with smartphones and children (including teens), some people think I am speaking figuratively. To set the record straight: No, I am speaking quite literally.
When the addiction in question is to a substance, as in an opiate, there is both a psychological and physical component. During withdrawal from an addictive substance, both components come into play. The individual’s thoughts and emotions are in disarray and the person suffers physiologically as well. When most people think in terms of an addiction, that is their mental picture.
