UK researchers warn about growing tech addiction. Techno and gadget addiction can become too distracting that one has to wake up several times at night or skip work just to check emails and text messages.
Professor Nada Kakabadse of Northampton University says it can even interfere with an "addict's"job as he feels he has to be linked up all the time.
Professor Kakabadse together with her team is conducting research on how widespread the addiction can be. A small-scale study of 360 people suggested that up to a third were addicted to their gadgets or tech items.
Kakabadse says: "People could become addicted to just about anything."
"We are creatures of habit and we can get addicted to quite unusual things.
"Technology has become much more interesting over the past 10 years with the internet and everything.
"It is much simpler and much more portable which makes it more accessible.
"You would be surprised how many people had their PDA or Blackberry next to their bed heads."
"Those who are addicted will get up in the middle of the night and pick up messages on their PDAs two or three times a night."
It was found that the addiction could lead to relationships problems as the "addict" became more and more withdrawn from their families. Other negative social consequences also include anxieties and sickness.
The conducted research suggested that in the early stages of addiction, workers were often very productive, replying to e-mails and messages, but as time went on there were more serious consequences. Professor Kakabadse says some people are very anxious not having their gadgets next to them and it was often difficult to detect when someone had become an addict.
Somehow implied in the research is a call to put warnings to on all gadgets. Professor Kakabadse adds that employers should provide training on the safe use of technological devices they provide their staff.
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