Gadget Addicts Risk Health & Happiness February 20, 2008

Read more Entertainment , Gadgets , Gizmodo UK , Mobile Devices , Mobile phones , PDA , Smartphones , iPhone

Gadget addicts – yes, all of you Gizmodo readers – are being warned that your obsession with technology is bad for you. Even worse, it’s spreading.

According to research from Northampton University, more and more people are so addicted to their phones, Blackberrys and PDAs that it’s resulting in them waking up in the night just to check emails and messages. Apart from interfering with their jobs, gadgets are also putting relationships at risk as users become increasingly withdrawn from social contact.

What’s wrong with 10 minutes here and there for stroking your PSP and whispering sweet nothings? Even national treasure, Stephen Fry [pictured], is a gadget freak.

Professor Nada Kakabadse of Northampton University found that out of 360 people surveyed, a third were addicted to their gadgets.

“We are creatures of habit and we can get addicted to quite unusual things. Technology has become much more interesting over the past 10 years with the internet and everything. It is much simpler and much more portable which makes it more accessible. You would be surprised how many people had their PDA or Blackberry next to their bed heads. Those who are addicted will get up in the middle of the night and pick up messages on their PDAs two or three times a night.”

Sadly, she admitted that addicts are often detected too late for any help, which means most of you, and me, are already screwed. Go back to sleep.-Martin Lynch

[BBC News]

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