People and their addiction to their iPhone.  Studies reveal that increasing numbers of people fall asleep with their iPhone, are more likely to forget their wallet than their iPhone, and would view it as a tragedy to lose it.  Many admit that their iPhone has been the gateway to their addiction to media now as news, gossip and video is at their fingertips 24/7.

Beyond just the creature comforts of OCD like application usage, the iPhone has been determined to be an extension of people.  Those addicted, or on the verge of addiction, see the iPhone as a part of them…a third hand if you will.  So much of their personal information is stored and personal interactions occur on the device, they just can’t be without.

This really isn’t a shocking study.  Many people are addicted to their cell phones of all types.  My step-daughter has a crappy pre-paid cell phone she’s addicted to because she is a texting fiend.  I’m the same way.  My phone is a Samsung Alias (yea, it’s old) and it’s nearly my lifeline to everything and everyone.  My social networks contacts me, work contacts, I have to get voice-mails, texts, I can check my Gmail….if my phone was html browsing capable, it would be that much worse.  Which happens to be a very large part of why I still roam the streets with a phone whose technology is about four years behind.

I actually designate one weekend a month to turning my cell phone off now.  This is the only way to really relax and spend quality time with my daughters.  Admittedly, the first couple hours of turning it off, I feel anxious. What if someone has to get a hold of me.  Then I remember my pager from over a decade ago.  And my lack of anything over two decades ago.  Somehow I managed to get by without being accessible anytime, night or day, while getting some booty or reading the newspaper on the john.  If I could do it then, I can go against the grain and do it now.

There is a freedom to not hearing your ringtone for two days.