The mobile phone is a mood elevator

When it comes to addiction, most people don't need to turn to drugs, for it seems that mobile phones do the job just as well, a new study has found.

The study was conducted by Dr David Sheffield, a health psychologist at the University of Staffordshire, who studied a group of more than 100 students between the ages of 18 to 25 who were banned from using their mobiles to see how they coped.

He found that one in six young adults could be addicted to their mobile phones, and the study showed a large proportion exhibited symptoms more usually associated with compulsive gamblers.

Sheffield found that many students were so attached to their phones that they even relied on it to lift their mood, and even took to lying about how much they used it.

"Getting phone calls can make you feel better about yourself -- give you greater self-esteem. Whereas not getting calls can make you feel down or less important," the Daily Mail quoted him, as saying.

He found that they also regularly borrowed money from friends and relatives to pay their bills.

The findings showed that one in seven became restless and irritable when they couldn't use their phones, and that they also didn't feel guilty about lying about the amount of time they spent on their mobiles, reports the Daily Mail.

And, it seems that mobile phones have so completely taken over teens' lives that 90 per cent carry their mobiles wherever they go, and a third admitted to using their phone to lift their mood.

Seven per cent also revealed that they would rather lose a job or break off a relationship than give up their mobile.

He also found that after just three days of being banned from using their mobiles, there was a drop in the group's blood pressure.

The good side however, was that they suffered fewer hassles and irritations when going about their day-to-day lives.

The findings will be presented at the British Psychological Society's annual health conference on September 14.