Most teens today have daily access to technology. Whether it’s during school, at home or even on the go, people are constantly surrounded by technology. However, it seems that as time goes on, this fascination with technology has lead to addiction. Teens today are facing a technology addiction that impacts all aspects of their lives, and changes need to be made to combat this issue.

Most teens would say that they are not addicted to their phones, they just like having it around. However, this compulsory need to be near a technological device is one of the key symptoms of a technology addiction. Other common symptoms include stress, loneliness and even memory loss. These are all common emotions and issues that the everyday teen faces, proving that more teens are addicted than studies have previously shown.

50 percent of teens feel that they are addicted to their phones, and 80 percent check their phones hourly. “The dopamine in our brains is stimulated by the unpredictability that social media, emails and texting provide,”said Holland Haiis, a technology detox expert.

This addiction leads to a strain on teens social lives as well. They feel alone, or even isolated when they are not connected to the outside world. There is a constant fear of being left out when one is away from their phone or another device. The stress and constant upkeep of technology can be very draining to young adults, often leading to changes in behavior as well.

“If your teens would prefer gaming indoors, alone, as opposed to going out to the movies, meeting friends for burgers or any of the other ways that teens build camaraderie, you may have a problem,” said Haiis.

Parents and teachers have commented on the behavioral differences in their teens as well. Terry Greenwald, a custodian at a high school in Alaska has noticed that students are beginning to act like zombies. “They don’t want to look up and they don’t way to tumble down the stairs but often just slow way down and inch along until they reach the wall just past the opening,” said Greenwald. “They are often late to the next class, but that’s OK because they were successful at not diverting attention from their phone.”

This addiction stunts key aspects of everyday life such as memory and sight. According to a study by Science Magazine, students retain information better when it doesn’t come from online sources. If they found their facts online, they tended to only remember where they got the information, not the data itself. The American Optometric Association reports that nearly 40 percent of patients have strained vision due to sitting in front of a computer for extended periods of time. These consequences are long-term, and can be detrimental to young teens in school.

In order to combat technology addiction, society needs to know more about it. Teens need to be more educated on the issue so that they are aware of the symptoms, and can get themselves help if needed. Technology addiction is going to keep growing, and education is the only way to stop it.