Smartphones, pads, computers, televisions, name it…I was almost always in front of a black screen from a very young age. My dad bought me my first phone, a Motorola, when I was about 7 or 8 years old. Of course, my mom never liked the idea and opposed it vehemently. But since my dad couldn’t be dissuaded, she eventually gave up. By the time I was 12 years old, I was already using a smart device. I misused that which was good and brought harm upon myself. With it, I got boys’ phone numbers and was in and out of multiple relationships. Having been exposed to porn a few years earlier, I went on to feed on sexual content on Facebook, erotic stories and the likes. I made all sorts of friends on social media and also got into online relationships where I was sharing nudes with boys and girls. I spent on average about 12 hours or more a day on my phone, not doing anything important.
When I rededicated my life to Christ in September 2022, I still kept the smartphone I had acquired through fraudulent means. At different times, I had lost peace about the device, but I shrugged it aside since I was using it “for God’s glory”. I was now sharing Bible passages, gospel music and videos, program flyers, and other content on my social media accounts. After my decision to be serious with God, I joined many Christian groups on and off campus in search of the Truth and answers. At one fellowship meeting on campus, after a three-day program, we were asked to “sow a seed.” The pressure to part with the phone came back. The preacher mentioned how he took N25,000 out of his school fees to sow a seed, so what could a girl like me do?
Now, you bet I cried hard because I felt the phone was my way of escape. Before that time, I was battling with depression, and the way I escaped reality was through the smartphone. I was convinced I would shrivel up and die in a matter of days after being separated from the device. That’s how bad it was. Not knowing any better, I hurried the next morning to give it away, lest I change my mind. I moved all the things I needed, all the documents I considered important, music, books, and then parted with the device.
So for six months, I stayed without a smartphone. Within that time, as you can see, I didn’t shrivel up and die. I’m still very alive, and I grew because I started feeding well — that is both spiritually and physically. I started sleeping properly as my sleep patterns were very erratic before this time. I also started interacting better with other human beings. You know, being on your phone 12 hours or more a day kind of makes you not realise that there are people like you around.
I was cleansed to a great degree. I was detoxified in my mind and literally brought back to life. I’m not so bothered about what’s going on on social media as it was before, about who viewed my status, about who saw the memes I posted. I don’t care anymore about who reacted to what, who replied to which message or when. I used to boast that I had a reply speed of 0.5 seconds. I’m now able to readily put it down when I need to. And I’m not always trying to get my dopamine supply from my phone.
So if you suffer from a similar addiction, I suggest you talk to one of our leaders or pastoral staff. Get counsel, get off your device for a while to detoxify, and feed on the word of God and any other thing you need properly. I thank God for this deliverance.
