Does your teenager check his or her phone continually? Does he snap if his texting is interrupted or leave work incomplete because of a preoccupation with his phone? If so, he may be a compulsive texter and exhibit behavior similar to gamblers, according to a study published on October 5.

The authors, who surveyed over 400 eighth and eleventh graders in a town in the Midwest, found that many teenage texters, like gamblers, lose sleep, have problems cutting back, and lie to cover up their habits.

Compulsive texting involves more than just the frequency of texting, explained the study’s lead researcher, Kelly M. Lister-Landman. It has more to do with the individual’s inability to pull away from their phone.

While gamblers lose thousands of dollars due to their addiction, compulsive female student texters lose grade letters, the study revealed. Girls do better in school than boys overall, but compulsive texting in girls can negatively impact their school performance, which includes grades, peer bonding and feeling academically competent.

The researchers cautioned that this part of the study was based upon students’ self-reported grades, but said it confirmed other studies that show the correlation between lower grades and texting while doing homework.

Reducing a teenager’s texting time is not as hard as it may seem. Concerned parents can insist that their children turn off or put away their phone during homework, meals and bedtime. Create phone-free zones in the house, and put down your own phone.

A phone can be a weapon of mental destruction if used improperly. The human mind is an amazing creation, but science is showing that it can be quickly dulled by bright little screens. You can understand more about this and discover the power of the human mind by reading our article “A Terrible Thing to Waste.”