51+ Scary Smartphone Addiction Statistics for 2021 [Nomophobia on the Rise]
Last Updated: March 29, 2021
Table of Contents
Key Smartphone Addiction Statistics for 2021
How Often Do I Use My Smartphone?
How Teens and Their Parents Cope with Smartphone Addiction
How Smartphone Addiction Affects Teenagers?
How Smartphone Addiction Influences Our Daily Lives?
Smartphone Addiction Changes Our Work Habits
How Do I Beat My Phone Addiction?
Interesting Statistics About Smartphone Addiction
Conclusion
Hello, nomophobes đ
Nomo-what ?!
Stop.
Thereâs no need to involve Google in this. If you havenât heard the term, Iâll explain it in a minute.
Today weâll take a look at some smartphone addiction statistics. They will help us understand if we are addicted to our mobile device and if it could pose a problem to our health and social life.
So why did I call you nomophobes?
Well, since weâll be talking about mobile devices addiction, we should use the correct term, right? And it is nomophobia â no–mobile-phone-phobia. Simply put â itâs the fear of not having your phone with you.
Jaw-Dropping Smartphone Addiction Statistics
- The average smartphone owner unlocks their phone 150 times a day.
- Using smartphones for longer intervals of time changes brain chemistry.
- 66% of the world’s population shows signs of nomophobia.
- 71% usually sleep with or next to their mobile phone.
- Smartphone use and depression are correlated.
- 75% of Americans use their mobile phones in the toilet.
- 20% of people would rather go without shoes for a week than take a break from their phone
So is it a common phenomenon, or just a term, created by psychologists to keep themselves busy? We at TechJury looked deep into the smartphone addiction stats, double-checked them and we can share what weâve found.
Key Smartphone Addiction Statistics for 2021
If you thought that smartphone addiction isn’t a “thing”, the following numbers will prove otherwise.
1. 66% of the population shows signs of nomophobia.
(Source: Trendhunter)
Two out of every three people are addicted to their phone. So, at the very least, youâre bound to know people who fit the profile. If youâre not sure, then keep reading and by the end of the article, you will have a clearer picture.
2. Nomophobia is the Peopleâs Word of 2018.
(Source: Cambridge Dictionary)
Usersâ votes for this word show undoubtedly that smartphone dependency is a real thing in 2018.
3. The average smartphone owner unlocks their phone 150 times a day.
(Source: Internet Trends)
We laugh roughly 15 times a day. And we check our phones ten times more than that.
4. 57% of smartphone users in the US have increased their smartphone during the COVID-19 lockdown.
(Source: Compare Camp)
According to smartphone addiction stats in 2021, more than half of American smartphone users claim that they have increased their screen time by one hour, due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. This is not far-fetched as many people have little or nothing to do during this period.
Smartphones have become a permanent factor in our daily lives in the last decade. Even now you are probably reading this on a mobile. We take them for granted, but do we stop, even for a second to ask ourselves:
How Often Do I Use My Smartphone?
Cell phone use statistics show that:
5. Users spend on average 2 hours and 51 minutes a day on their smartphones.
(Source: Bankmycell)
In comparison, the quality time people spend with their families amounts to less than 45 minutes a day.
6. 58% of smartphone users donât go 1 hour without checking their phones.
(Source: CNet)
Of course, younger people find it harder (68% of people of age 18-34) to keep their hands off their smartphone for an hour.
7. Brazilians spend 4 hours and 48 minutes online via a mobile device.
(Source: Statista)
Chinese are second in terms of their mobile phone usage â 3:03 and Americans are third with 2:37.
8. The average user touches their phone 2617 times a day.
(Source: Dscout)
10% of users are qualified as âheavy usersâ â they touch their phone (swipe, tap) 5427 times a day!
9. More than half of smartphone owners never switch off their phone.
(Source: Psychology Today)
Never. 24/7/365.
10. 71% usually sleep with or next to their mobile phone.
(Source: HuffingtonPost)
3% of them sleep with their phone in their hand. I will not comment on that.
11. 40% check their phones in the middle of the night.
(Source: Deloitte)
When waking in the middle of the night, 40% of people grab on their phone first. This definitely illustrates how useful phones are to us. (and maybe why some people donât want to let go of them)
12. 80% of smartphone users check their phone within 1 hour of waking or going to sleep.
(Source: Deloitte)
âŠand more than one-third of said 80% will do so within 5 minutes.
13. 41% of all adults check their phone a few times an hour.
(Source: Gallup)
14. In 2018, the average US smartphone owner checked their phone 52 times a day.
(Source: Deloitte)
Thatâs up from 47 times a day in 2017.
15. 75% of users admit that they have texted at least once while driving.
(Source: TrustMyPaper)
Actually, cell phone addiction studies show smartphone use is more dangerous on the road than alcohol abuse.
Now that weâve seen how much we use our smartphones, we can ask some questions. Do we master our technology, or is it the other way around? How do these numbers affect our physical life and relations? Letâs see.
How Teens and Their Parents Cope with Smartphone Addiction
We will also review the mental problems caused by nomophobia.
16. Screen time is the third most frequent source of conflict between parents and teens.
(Source: Common Sense Media)
Parents argue with their teens mostly about chores (35%), bedtime (33%), and phone usage (31%). Thankfully, there are numerous ways parents can limit their kids’ screentime. Parents should consider getting parental control software to limit their kids’ screentime. This can help because…
17. 89% of parents blame themselves and caregivers for their children’s cellphone addiction.
(Source: Bank My Cell)
Reports show that 47% of parents think that their children are addicted to their smartphones. Whatâs more, stats on smartphone addiction show that 5% of parents blame the children themselves, while 3% blame the smartphone manufacturers for this addiction.Â
In spite of all these, 50% of parents are concerned about the impact of this addiction on their children’s mental health.
18. 58% of teens feel that people generally expect them to respond immediately to notifications.
(Source: Screen Education)
And therefore:
19. 41% of teens feel overwhelmed by the number of notifications they receive daily.
(Source: Screen Education)
20. 46% of parents in the UK âfeel addictedâ to their mobile devices.
(Source: Common Sense Media)
Oddly, only 44% of UK teens felt the same way about their devices. 50% of their US peers feel addicted as well.
21. 63% of parents feel teens are addicted to their devices.
(Source: Common Sense Media)
Teensâ smartphone addiction doesnât worry only the moms and dads in the UK. 61% of parents in Japan feel their kids have acquired some sort of technology addiction, according to statistics. Third are the US parents (59%).
22. 78% of teens check their devices at least once an hour.
(Source: Common Sense Media)
Well, teens surely can manage their time better than having the phone glued to their hands.
23. 48% of teens use a mobile device 5 minutes after they wake up.
(Source: Common Sense Media)
24. 33% of teens spend more time socializing with close friends online, rather than face-to-face.
(Source: Screen Education)
69% of teens wish they could spend more time socializing with their close friends face-to-face.
I remember the time when face-to-face was the only way of socializing. Probably most of you do too.
Anyway, even when teens are outside, socializing face-to-face, phone addiction statistics show that:
25. 52% of teens sit around in silence, staring at their smartphones for extended periods when they are together with friends.
(Source: Screen Education)
If you didnât know this already, these statistics might be an eye-opener. Let me build upon that with some scientific data.
How Smartphone Addiction Affects Teenagers?
I will just let the smartphone addiction stats speak for themselves.
26. 11 teens die from distracted driving due to smartphones daily.
(Source: Compare Camp)
According to teenage cell phone addiction statistics, 26% of teenage and adult accidents around the world are caused by the use of mobile phones while driving. Reports further show that those who use mobile phones while driving are four times more likely to have an accident than those who donât.
27. 35% of teenagers do not feel that using smartphones in class during a lecture is rude.
(Source: Compare Camp)
Teenage cellphone addiction statistics indicate that every day, 72% of teenagers see their classmates watch videos, surf the internet, play games, and use social media apps in class.
28. Teenagers who spend 5 hours a day on electronic devices are 71% more likely to have suicide risk factors than those with one-hour use.
(Source: Jean M. Twenge)
Smartphone dependency statistics also show that:
29. 8th graders who are heavy users of social media are 27% more likely to have depression.
(Source: Child Mind Institute)
30. Teens that spend 5 hours a day on electronic devices are 51% more likely to get under 7 hours of sleep.
(Source: Bankmycell)
31. 80% of teens typically spend time on their phone after they go to bed.
(Source: Screen Education)
Thankfully, if you are a parent, you have multiple options to limit your kids screen time. There’s a variety of apps that can do that, and even the best antivirus tools come with built-in parental controls.
32. Smartphone use and depression are correlated.
(Source: The Guardian)
More than two decades ago â in 1998, the American rock band âThe Offspringâ released a single youâve probably heard â âKids arenât alrightâ. It has voiced the concerns of âgrown-upsâ for two generations now. Â As far as the current generation of kids is concerned, the song could easily refer to the statistics on cell phone usage weâve reviewed above.
Except it wouldnât really be fair to point that out. You wanna know why?
Adults are even worse than teens.
In the next section of this article, weâll try to understand
How Smartphone Addiction Influences Our Daily Lives?
Before we step into the adultâs world of smartphone-zombies, letâs define the word âaddictionâ first. The word âaddictâ was used first in 1909 to describe morphine addicts. It derives from the Latin word âaddicoâ, one of the meanings of which is âenslavedâ.
Are adults âenslavedâ by smartphones, like teens are?
While reviewing smartphone statistics for this article, I was really surprised how many of these statistics relate to me, personally. So Iâd like to share them with you. Weâll find out together where we stand in the digital world.
34. An average smartphone user checks his phone every 12 minutes from when they are awake till when they sleep.
(Source: DIY Genius)
Smartphone addiction statistics show that this is even more predominant in young people between the ages of 18 to 21. They check their phones every 8.6 minutes from when they wake up until they go to sleep.
35. 85% of smartphone users will check their device while speaking with friends and family.
(Source: Bankmycell)
85 percent! Arguably, revising our smartphone habits might prove useful if we want to improve our social life.
36. We spend on average 144 minutes per day on social media.
(Source: Broadband Search)
Let it sink in for a whileâŠ
144 minutesâŠ
EverydayâŠ
Advertisers are quite happy with those cell phone usage numbers, I can tell you that. Hopefully, the adults are happy as well.
37. Weâll spend an average of 5 years and four months of our lifetimes on social media.
(Source: Mediakix)
To avoid becoming a part of smartphone addiction statistics on social media and save five years of your life, maybe it would be wise to leave the phone for a while.Â
I’m not saying you should delete your social media account. But maybe slowing down a bit can pay off, though.
While we are on the topic letâs see howâŠ
Smartphone Addiction Changes Our Work Habits
38. 84% of US working adults use their personal phones during working hours.
(Source: Deloitte)
Probably 16% of them didnât have phones or didnât admit to using them, because everyone I know uses their phone during working hours. Phone stats show your phone has the potential to keep you distracted. It can provide some rest (or an escape) from the work process.
US workers arenât the only ones:
39. 75% of workers in the UK check their phones while at work.
(Source: YouGov)
40. 36% of millennials say they spend 2 or more hours per workday looking at their phones for personal activities.
(Source: Udemy)
Cell phone statistics show that companies are losing millions because of their âdistractedâ workforce. That said, businesses should consider choosing an employee monitoring system to keep their employees productive.Â
41. 59% think that personal use of technology is more distracting than work tools.
(Source: Udemy)
And guess who the biggest thief of attention is? Itâs really easy to guess â Facebook. The social network is the biggest distraction according to 86%.
42. âBeing constantly interrupted by alerts and notifications may be contributing towards a problematic deficit of attention.â
(Source: Silence Your Phones)
43. A study observed people experiencing changes in heart rate and blood pressure.
(Source: The Extended iSelf)
The participants in this study were separated from their phones and experienced higher blood pressure and increased heart rate. Body changes like these suggest an answer to the question âare phones addictive?â
So why do people get addicted to their phones? Using smartphones for longer intervals of time makes the brain increase the production of dopamine. Dopamine is a part of the reward system in the brain. And the more rewards we receive, the more we want. Which can lead to a well-established habit.
So do you think we should do something about it? I know I do.
44. 63% of consumers try to limit their phone usage.
(Source: Deloitte)
Cell phone usage statistics show only 30% of them are successful.Â
45. 43% of workers turn off their phones to cope with distraction.
(Source: Udemy)
Well, at least almost half the workers have found a way to be productive.
46. 60% of 18-to 34-year-olds and nearly 40% of all consumers say they use their phones too much.
(Source: Deloitte)
The good news is that more and more people realize they need to address their smartphone issues.
How Do I Beat My Phone Addiction?
First things first â take it slow. Donât lock your phone in a safe somewhere. It doesnât work like that.
There are two places you can start with:
1. The Bedroom
You can buy yourself a normal alarm clock and make the bedroom a phone-free zone. You donât actually need the phone in your bed.
2. The Table
Leave the phone away while eating or socializing with friends. That way youâll be able to enjoy both the conversations and the meal itself. Itâs refreshing to talk to people face-to-face, instead of chatting with them online. Most people donât bite.
*fun fact â Human bites account for 0.3% of ER visits.
By now you should realize that smartphone addiction is real, and there are stats to prove it.
Hereâs another tip on how to avoid it:
Turn off Your Notifications
By limiting the urge to see whatâs happened, in time you will let go of the need for your phone. All you need it to do is to shut the little voice in your head, that shouts like a crazy person:
âHEY! HEEEY! HELLLOOO! Your phoneâs light is blinking. Somethingâs happened. COME ON! HURRYY. PICK IT UUUP!â
Probably itâs only my inner voice that sounds like a hyperactive gnome on cocaine. But you get the idea.
I hope this information helps you stay out of the cell phone usage statistics. Â
If youâve read any of my other articles like âWhat is a cyber attack?â, or âHow to create a strong passwordâ you already know that I always âspice upâ my texts with some interesting facts.
While researching the topic I stumbled upon some really…
Interesting Statistics About Smartphone Addiction
We can all agree that smartphone addiction is an alarming trend. Still, this shouldn’t stop us from knowing the fun side of it.
47. 45% of people in the United States will rather give up sex for one year than give up their phones.
(Source: Small Business Trends)
That is almost half of the cellphone users in the United States!
Smartphone addiction rate statistics go further to inform us that 32.7% of Americans spend lesser time with their partners than with their phones.
48. 75% of Americans use their mobile phones in the toilet.
(Source: Cnet)
I can relate to that. Not proud of it, but I do. I defend castles on my toilet. I have a throne, why not be a king as well?
49. 19% of them drop their phone down the toilet.
(Source: Cnet)
Been there. Done that. Had to buy a new phone. Now Iâm more careful. I suggest you are too.
Smartphone addiction stats show not all smartphone users have this issue, because…
50. More people have smartphones than toilets worldwide.
(Source: TheRichest.com)
Nothing can compare to the feeling of peeing in the woods (or in a hole), while checking your email or playing a game. Priceless.
51. 20% of people would rather go without shoes for a week than take a break from their phone.
(Source: Psychology Today)
I wasnât going to comment on that, but I canât help myself.
Just imagine the psychologist doing the survey: Okay now, what do you prefer? To go around barefoot for seven days or leave your phone on this table for a while?
52. 20% of people aged 18-34 have used their smartphone during sex.
(Source: TheRichest.com)
I had to research a whole new topic to be able to explain this stat. And the most common reason for grabbing the phone is⊠filming. Or taking a picture of the act.
Using your phone in moments like this is a sure indicator that you can get addicted to your phone.
Conclusion
In the text above we looked at nomophobia and what it looks like in our society. As always I did my best to inform you about the issue and hopefully, to help some of those who canât live without their smartphones. More and more people consider their tech as an extension of themselves â the so-called extended self.
Most of us get anxious when our phone is not around, so it might pay off to learn to let go of it for a change. It could be good for us to go out and socialize without the addiction trigger in our pockets.
The smartphone addiction statistics I presented arenât just numbers. They represent actual human beings and you probably recognized yourself in some of these stats. Who knows, maybe it would be a good thing to put the phone down? After all, itâs alright to allow yourself to enjoy life for a bit.
FAQ
Currently, there are no specific recommendations as to how much time we are to spend on our phones. However, for kids, experts recommend a maximum of 2 hours of screen time daily.
Smartphone addiction statistics report that 66% of people are addicted to their mobile phones.
Medical reports show that prolonged exposure to the blue light emitted from phones can accelerate blindness. Hence, it is best not to use phones in the dark.
Sources
- DIY Genius
- Compare Camp
- Small Business Trends
- Bank My Cell
- Trendhunter
- Cambridge Dictionary
- BankMyCell
- CNet
- Statista
- DScout
- Psychology Today
- Huffington Post
- Deloitte
- Gallup
- Deloitte
- TrustMyPaper
- Common Sense Media
- Screen Education
- Jean M. Twenge
- Child Mind
- The Guardian
- Broadband Search
- Mediakix
- YouGov
- Udemy
- Silence your phones
- Wiley
- CNet
- CNet
- TheRichest
WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS PAGE
Key Smartphone Addiction Statistics for 2021
How Often Do I Use My Smartphone?
How Teens and Their Parents Cope with Smartphone Addiction
How Smartphone Addiction Affects Teenagers?
How Smartphone Addiction Influences Our Daily Lives?
Smartphone Addiction Changes Our Work Habits
How Do I Beat My Phone Addiction?
Interesting Statistics About Smartphone Addiction
Conclusion