Question by John S.: Teens: Can you explain the addiction some teens have to TEXTING? Why can’t some teens resist texting?
I am hearing more stories in the media of some teens sending an outrageous number of text messages each day. There is also the incidence of Teens texting while driving which they know is distracting and dangerous, but when tested and interviewed on this, they can’t seem to resist it entirely while driving, leading to a movement by some to try to make a law against it.
The texting addiction is sounding similar to other kinds of addictions (e.g. to alcohol, drugs, gambling, compulsive shopping).
But I am looking for one or more teens who have this addiction or know other teens who have it, to please explain it to me. What is the compulsion to send so many text messages? Do teens know that many people? Or is it usually to just a few who may also have the texting addiction? What do you text about that is so compelling that you can’t stop it on your own? Would you go into withdrawal if all your texting devices were taken away? How might it be different from people who are compulsive about emailing or checking their email inbox throughout the day to the detriment of other necessary activities? Is there some addictive connection to the handheld texting device, similar to how some are addicted to their Game Boy?
Best answer:
Answer by Blaze
Woooooah hang on! I read in the paper a few weeks ago about an adult being convicted because she was texting whilst driving and killed someone, so it isn’t actually just teens!
I am 21 and can’t really be bothered texting, I pay for my 14 yr old brother phone for him though as well as my 14 yr old cousins and jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez can they text. Olivia can send a good 2000 a month!
I think (in her case) it is to talk about things that she would be too worried to ask about face to face (usually boys!)
I think it would be very amusing to take away texting and mobile phone devices. We would have a load of teens (and adults) going pale and rocking in a corner!
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We like knowing we can talk to anyone at like any time.
I think it’s an attention thing, like most issues with teenagers.
I want to answer this question but I’d rather text it to you.
ok, though i am not physically or mentally addicted, i do text a lot. and i am a teen.
texting with teens is like parents with the word no. its always there. teens, like myself a nd a lot of my friends, prefer to send a text because it’s a lot quieter, and although i dont do this at all, they can send them in school without anyone hearing them. also, texting is more fun than calling. you get to use awesome abbreviations, and its quick and easy. however, ive been through where i couldnt text for a few days because my wrists were sore. anyway, for people like me and my friends and classmates, texting is the new email and AIM, with a more likely chance that it will get to the person. instant gratification, you know. in school, they have threatened to permanently confiscate our phones forever if they catch us with them. and kids still do it. many kids have had their phones taken away 5 or 6 times so far this week, and still they arent inforcing the rule they put into effect. texting is the easiest way to talk these days. if i dont text for a few days, im ok. but my one classmate does actually go into withdrawl and starts acting really really strange. once she gets her phone back shes fine. overall, although some people dont get it, i guess that texting is just what teens do for fun now. it also could do with the fact of, again, parents cant hear the conversation if its inappropriate. texting is just a fun and easy way to talk,and with all the new cool phones out, why not?
hope i answered your question. (:
I’m not a mad texter, but I am a teenager who can explain. We have been brought up in contact with everything everywhere. We never saw what it was like before the internet, mobile phones, planes, TV etc. As a result, we need to know what is going on all the time. We cannot go without hearing the latest news at school or whatever.
Texting is the easiest way to do this. It is relatively inexpensive, easy and quiet to do and helps us to communicate in a way that we feel comfortable. Some things are too hard to say for us… So we text them.
Gamboys are totally different. That is an addiction to doing something, texting involves an addiction to knowing something, being somewhere, having something etc. And if we only sheck our inbox a couple of times a day, we would not be up to date on the latest news etc… Not good…