Apr 15, 2017 09:28 PM EDT By Ava Jones, UniversityHerald Reporter

A new study from Binghamton University- State University of New York suggests excessive use of smartphone can lead to addiction, which makes the female population the most susceptible to this problem. Smartphones are supposed to make people's lives easier, but it can also lead to various problems like heightened tendency for boredom and shorter attention span. There are certain signs and symptoms to help determine if an individual is suffering from smartphone addiction.

According to Binghamton University-State University of New York's assistant professor of management information system Isaac Vaghefi, too much use of smartphone fires up the release of dopamine, Eureka Alert reported. With more dopamine, an individual would crave for immediate feedback and instant gratification. Smartphone addiction leads to shorter attention span and being prone to boredom.

Vaghefi and his team surveyed 182 college students to learn about how they routinely use their smartphones in a daily basis. The researchers classified the users as thoughtful, regular, highly engaged, fanatic, and addict. The addicts and the fanatics are having problems in their workplace, social life, and personal life due to always using smartphones.

These users showed signs of low self-esteem, impulsiveness, shyness, social anxiety, social isolation, and even depression. The study also found out that females are more susceptible to addition, Arbroath Herald reported. "Technology addiction" is not synonymous to mental disorder, but this term can refer to addictive behaviors on smartphone usage, social media, video gaming, texting, etc.

Vaghefi predicts technology addiction to rise as technology advances. He also gave signs and symptoms that would help people determine whether they have smartphone addiction or not. People who use technology to escape problems or to relieve feelings of depression are addicted to technology.

Ignoring what's going on in real time and focus instead on the virtual world is another symptom of digital addiction. People who constantly check their smartphone for no apparent reason are addicted to technology. Finally, those who get paranoid when their smartphones are not with them are technology addicts.

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