We all have that one friend who can’t get off their goddamn phone; and although they may seem happy and popular, a new study says that person probably has depression, anxiety and trouble managing their emotions. Sorry, Steve.

This research, to be released in the July 2018 issue of “Computers in Human Behavior,” proved “excessive, problematic smartphone use (PSU) has demonstrated relationships with depression and anxiety.”

Recruiting 261 college students for self-reported web surveys, researchers were able to predict problematic smartphone use among participants based off their depression severity and anxiety sensitivity. In turn, this means the skills of mindfulness and tolerance among other surveyors meant they would not suffer from PSU (which can manifest in everything from sleep-loss to missing appointments and assignments due to being on your phone).

But this isn’t really news … it seems a brazillion studies have made the link between smartphone use and depression, prompting major news outlets to ask the questions: have smartphones ruined a generation!? Are they ruining our posture!? Melting our brains!?

We can only hope for the latter …

All that is bullshit though, suggests Andrew Przybylski, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute. He was quoted in Business Insider saying most studies, particularly on the negative effects of social media, are too small to carry any real statistical power. Also, these studies are tainted by researchers hoping or assuming certain outcomes. (Cognitive dissonance, man.)

We’re not here to debate whether all smartphone functions will make you sad and to what degree is too much. Our rule of thumb: put the damn phone down as often as possible. Try leaving it home for a day. Get anxious? Then you need a break from your hand-held lover. Or shit, trade in your smartphone for a flip. (All the assassins in John Wick use a simple Nokia 8800 so there.)

What we are here to do is tell you the apps to never, ever install if you want to remain happy on your smartphone, thanks to a study done by the company Time Well Spent, which classifies itself as a company designing tech that won’t “hijack our minds.”  

So unless you’re a stud on Grindr or borrowing your friend’s smartphone to use it for assassin missions, remove it immediately from your home screen.

[cover photo Lindsay66 via Pixabay]