Internet addiction was one of the newest and most debated disorders added to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V) last year. A similar disorder came into play with the emergence of smartphones: cell phone addiction. Since Internet is readily available through smartphones, it is a given fact that people are now more interested in their electronics rather than the environment around them. Workplace professionals are reporting dissatisfaction over their employees not having the ability to properly socialize. Researchers believe modern technology to be the main culprit. However, smartphones and computers are such a convenience that they are not going away any time soon. But how can we deal with our technology addictions? 

Designer Ingmar Larsen reported to ABC News his company hopes to put a new invention on the market soon which they believe to be a quick fix to what they call “nomophobia,” or fear of being without a smartphone. It is a low-tech device that only “looks and feels like a smartphone” and that is all. It is meant to calm owners’ separation anxiety when away from their devices. Research is still underway to determine whether or not the noPhone is beneficial enough to put on the market. Their goal is to break owners from depending on their electronics for social interaction in order to get social skills back to the standard expectations of society. 

But is replacing a mobile device with something that only looks like one enough to break an addiction? I would think that, at best, something like this would only pacify the addiction for a bit. A person might even use their cellular device less once it was returned to them, but does this “quick fix” really help the long-term issue? In order for social skills to improve, a desire to be social has to be present as well as problem-solving skills and possible lifestyle changes to find new hobbies the person enjoys. Without these, the person would gradually recede back into his/her old habits. So far, I see nothing about the noPhone that can stop that. 

I do not mean to say the noPhone is a bust; truth be told, it could be a useful therapy tool. We need a little more data before making any conclusions, because, like most addictions, there is so much more in the equation than the need to have the device in your hands. 

For example, we could take a teenager who fits the criteria for cell phone addiction. In short, this adolescent spends so much time with an iPhone it keeps him or her from living a normal life. In college he or she realizes they have no friends, no hobbies and no plans. To go about making a change, they could work with a professional to set productive life goals. If separation anxiety from the electronic device is present, the professional might utilize a noPhone as part of the program to help this client. In this way, this device would have its uses. If this device is on the market and you plan to work with these cases, you might consider this tool.