Texting: my anti-drug

Apparently teenagers text a lot.

While that might not seem like earth-shattering news to many people, myself included, it’s seemed to cause a bit of a stir in the world of news, as a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project claims more than 30 percent of teens in America text more than 100 messages a day. They also conclude that teens prefer texting to talking. While this might be a startling number to see on paper, I feel like we can all agree that this “texting craze” is simply a behavioral trend in the communication techniques of a new generation.

Well, not everyone. According to a CNN story, this texting craze is a bit more than it appears. In the story, a child neurologist, Dr. Michael Seyffert, explains that when kids get text messages, they experience a release of dopamine, much like the kind of reaction a heroin addict has whenever he or she uses. Long story short, says Seyffert, children could be getting addicted to text messaging, and it is becoming “the new nicotine.”

Having said that, this is where Seyffert and I part ways. There are some serious differences between using heroin and texting. For example, one of the activities is a communication technique whose speed and popularity has made it the easiest way for adolescents to quickly get in touch with one another, whereas the other is a drug you inject into your bloodstream to see pretty colors. I’ll let you figure out which one is which.

And honestly, of all the “addictions” for kids to get hooked on, how harmless is text messaging? Aren’t there worse things for tomorrow’s generation to be getting into?

Sure, I’d bet teachers would probably tell you that a student texting during class is really annoying, and I’ve heard some teachers even say that it is an addiction, but I think they need to have some perspective.

I’d bet a teacher would agree that if a student started snorting lines of cocaine in class, that might turn more heads than a student answering a text from his mom.

I’m just saying. Perspective.

But if we are to go along with this new hypothesis being floated out there that people can get addicted to texting, I say we take this newfound, virtually harmless addiction and bring it to the rehabilitation clinics of America.

Think about it. Those who were once addicted to crack and meth can be given a cell phone with everyone’s number and then be forbidden to talk. They can spend the day texting each other, and they will slowly replace their dependence on the hard drugs with a dependence on social interaction.

Of course, if this new “social interaction” addiction fails to be satisfied by texting, we can always give them a Facebook account. I challenge them to even find time for heroin then.


E-mail: henrgree@indiana.edu