Addict Nation (13 page)

to get a hit or buzz from the suspense of opening up an e-mail or text that’s just come in

to be a people pleaser as you worry that you’ve got to respond instantly or others won’t like you

to procrastinate, pushing off a more important task or project

to fill time

to appear busy

to avoid self-reflection

to avoid being present in the moment

out of fear of intimacy

to feel connected, thereby quashing feelings of alienation

to combat loneliness

to avoid looking like you are alone

to imply that you are popular

I once did a pitch for a TV show to an arrogant, young network executive who looked down at his BlackBerry and scrolled through his e-mails the entire time I was talking. I wanted to jump over the table and smack him. He was clearly signaling to me that he had little to no interest in what I had to say and that I was wasting his time. I would have preferred him to say that flat out. Or . . . perhaps he was just a desperate CrackBerry addict hitting bottom.

CrackBerry Inventory

If you’re worried that your texting, e-mailing, or posting has become out of control, a twelve-step inventory is always a great way to get some perspective on your behavior. Try counting how many times you check your e-mail and text messages and Facebook on a given day. (Hey, they should have an “app” for that!) Then ask yourself what percentage of those spot checks were really necessary? If you’re neurotically checking work e-mails after hours, on weekends, and during vacations, you may be cross-addicted, hooked on the Internet and work. That’s cyberworkaholism. If so, you’re not alone. Most smartphone owners will admit to checking their business emails on weekends and on vacation. In fact, many of us become panicked if we accidentally leave our cell phones at home, making it impossible to relax.

Cyberworkaholism is a tricky blended addiction because it’s often rewarded with career success, raises, promotions, and other perks, so on the surface, it doesn’t seem like a problem. But, like all addiction, it will ultimately turn self-destructive. Handheld devices were supposed to untether us from our desks and give us the freedom to roam. But when the usage becomes compulsive, it can feel like you are dragging your entire office with you wherever you go. Given that a BlackBerry can store 28,000 pages of information,
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that’s not such a wild exaggeration. Surveys have shown widespread resentment by spouses of smartphone owners who complain that they, and their children, are often competing with the device for the user’s attention.