Addiction to electronic deivices

Today having a mobile phone, a laptop, a tablet, etc is common place and part of today's society. I myself have a mobile (not the latest granted) and an old laptop so I am no stranger to the bug of these devices. However, when you see people on their electronic devices for ages where it becomes an addiction this is an illness.

Before you argue that it is not I ask you to search the internet because some medical practitioners are now agreeing that it is an addiction. For me spending time on your electronic device is fine as long as you balance it with interacting with the people in your life like your spouse, kids, friends, whatever.

There is evidence to say that electronic device addiction (that's what I'm calling it) can ruin relationships whether that be marriages, friendships or even cause problems at work. To me when you are obsessively focussing on your i-phone or tablet or whatever device you are using you lose contact with the outside world.

For example when you are busy searching the web and checking the latest app to the detriment of the people or person where you happen to be for a long time they may feel rejected or feeling you're ignoring them. That's if they are not also flicking through and swiping their electronic device.

The number of people you see walking into a lamp post because they are focussed on their phone or people driving with their phone in their other hand is part of this addiction and a dangerous one at that.

I think all this navel gazing into our electronic devices cannot be good for the reasons explained above.

For me, technology is fine and should be used but the user should be the master of this technology, not the other way round.