The smartphone has become an almost indispensable tool for many individuals, to the extent that staying away from it for several hours can be seen as an achievement!
It is well-known that smartphones can negatively impact the cognitive development of younger users. However, there is a growing sense of addiction to these devices among all age groups, with most people rarely parting from their phones for extended periods. This has led to the creation of various challenges that would have seemed absurd a few years ago.
A unique competition was held by a merchant in the large city of Chongqing, China, offering a reward of 10,000 yuan (approximately $1,300) to anyone who could refrain from touching their smartphone for a full 8 hours. Ten participants were selected to lie down in the store for the duration and were not allowed to touch their phones or fall asleep. Ultimately, one woman succeeded and claimed the prize, raising questions about our relationship with smartphones, especially as research increasingly highlights their negative effects on mental health.
