(Minghui.org) Minghui.org recently published several articles reminding practitioners about the negative impact of excessive phone use and gaming. I was deeply moved after reading the article, “Reflecting on My Son’s Death.” The author’s son passed away at the age of 43 due to his addiction to computer games.

I realized I was addicted to my smartphone. Every day, I receive several push notifications. The push notification feature on a phone is a technology that allows apps to send messages or notifications directly to a user’s phone without the user needing to actively open the app. I always read all the headlines, just in case I miss any important news. Recently, I became interested in a diving athlete, and after watching some of her content, I started receiving numerous push notifications about her activities and articles every day.

I immediately called my husband, who was on a business trip, and told him that I wanted a basic phone for seniors that could not access the Internet. He told me to wait until he returned. However, before he got back, I developed symptoms of a serious cold. My entire body ached, my head felt dizzy and heavy, and swallowing felt like I was swallowing razor blades—it was hard to bear.

I looked within and realized the reason this occurred was due to my addiction to my smartphone, but I still couldn’t control myself. I decided I would only read certain content and avoid anything negative. Without realizing it, I already fell into the trap. It’s almost laughable that I believed I wouldn’t be affected by using a smartphone. Because I didn’t let go of my attachment to it, my character didn’t improve, instead, it declined. This loophole could be exploited by the old forces as a reason to destroy me.

When my husband returned home, we discussed getting a basic phone. He could buy a basic phone for me, but I still needed to keep my current smartphone because our daily life depends on it for things like banking, utilities, and more. This meant I had to manage two phones, which would add even more hassle to our lives.

So, what could I do to avoid the Internet? My husband and I came up with a good idea - turn off the push notifications and other advanced functions, and use the phone only for making and answering calls. Upon further consideration, we determined that anything related to the Internet could be done on a computer. If we truly make up our minds, we don’t have to depend on a smartphone.

We’d like to thank Minghui and fellow practitioners for sharing their experiences regarding this issue.