Let me apologize in advance. I feel a rant coming on. So there I was, reading through some of my favorite entrepreneurial websites and I ran across a phrase I haven’t heard before.
Text Neck. Yep, it’s apparently a thing. And not a very good thing.
Have we really come to this point that so many people spend so much time on so many handheld devices that there’s actually a new medical condition? I’m calling it a condition because I’m not sure that the word ‘disease’ fits. Maybe it is a disease. Staring at your device and ignoring people certainly has become one. I’m not even sure what my doctor would say if I made an appointment to discuss text neck. I’m guessing his immediate response would be “you’re an idiot”. He’s blunt like that.
Text Neck even has people talking about the right name for this condition/disease/whatever. Some think it should be called Text Neck and others are lobbying for the name iHunch. I’m not going to jump into that highly controversial slugfest. I’m actually getting a headache just thinking about it.
The worst part is that these are not just physical ailments. They apparently also lead to psychological problems. I thought ‘psychological’ problems were pretty much guaranteed if you were actually trying to figure out whether Text Neck or iHunch was a better name.
But I digress. The article says that “If you haven’t heard the official term “text neck“–the slouched posture one gradually adopts over time from texting too much–chances are you’ve felt its physical effects in the form of headaches and a sore neck.
And even more concerning, according to a recent New York Times piece by social psychologist Amy Cuddy, existing research indicates that bad posture isn’t just reflective of a bad mood or low self-esteem–slouching may actually cause self-esteem issues.
STUDY SAYS ‘FEELINGS OF DEPRESSION’
A June study conducted by researchers at the University of Auckland …found that participants with good posture reported feeling more confident and being in a better mood after the tests. And a study published last year inClinical Psychology and Psychotherapy found that bad posture may also affect your memory.
COPING WITH TEXT NECK
If you’re on your phone constantly, there’s no need to panic yet. Cuddy says that there are simple ways to prevent your phone from ruining your posture. Try using a larger device, so that you don’t have to slouch over as much to be able to read the screen. Remember to hold your phone at eye level, so you can read through your emails and texts while sitting upright.
I HAVE A MUCH SIMPLER SOLUTION
Put the darn device down and talk to people.
Or better still, put the darn device down and go have some fun outside. You remember where outside is, right? That’s the place you used to spend lots of your time before you discovered texting. It’s easy to find. Go to the door, turn the knob (usually a round thing that opens the door) and step outside. You’re going to find the world’s largest screen with the highest possible resolution presented in breathtaking real colour. Plus, it’s free.
Final thought is always something to think about: “A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That’s why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.” (Truman Capote)
Saul Jacobson 