Abstract

Poojasri Potru*

ABSTRACT

Smartphone addiction, characterized by compulsive use, has been linked to mental health issues like stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Excessive screen time can cause eye strain, improper positioning, and physical conditions like headaches and neck pain. This study aims to understand the prevalence of smartphone addiction among various occupational groups and its impact on their overall well-being, focusing on physical health issues like eye strain and posture-related problems. The study examines smartphone addiction severity across various occupational categories, psychological issues like anxiety and depression, physical wellness effects like posture and eye strain, and gender-specific variations in health outcomes. A survey of 66.62% female and 33.37% male participants from various professions was conducted. The data indicates that daily mobile phone usage has a minimal to moderate impact on both physical and mental health across all usage categories. Interestingly, individuals using their phones for more than 6 hours per day report relatively high average health scores, especially in mental health (14.0), comparable to those using phones for less than 1 hour (12.5 for mental and 11.5 for physical). The lowest physical health score (8.4) is seen in the 1–2hour group, while the 3–4hour group reports the lowest mental health score (10.53), suggesting that moderate usage may coincide with slightly lower perceived health.