My iPhone. I'm addicted.

Here's what I love: My iPhone. I've even uttered the following obnoxious phrase to one of my innocent friends: "how do you survive without an iPhone?!"

It truly is a remarkable little gadget. The most useful thing for me has been the Google map feature where I can enter in a location and it finds it on the map. I hit "directions" and it shows me a nice easy line from my current location directly to the place I need to go. Since I just moved to a new city, that part of my phone has been a big help. No more fumbling with key maps or paper maps in the car. No more consulting Mapquest online before I head out. I have my phone with me and I'm good to go!

I love photography and the iPhone4 actually takes some quality pictures for a little point-and-shoot deal. Now, when my kids do something completely adorable, I can paparazzi them with my Hipstamatic and capture the moment forever. I can even take video and email it to grandparents in two seconds flat. I have 1,517 photos on my iPhone “camera roll.” Enough said.

I also find it to be very convenient to get internet access, email to my phone, and even FaceBook with an easy tap of the app. In fact, there are many, many apps that make my iPhone more and more useful every day--grocery list apps, bar-code reading apps, reminder apps, flashlight apps, note-taking apps, calorie counting apps, and not to mention millions of mindless game apps. I wish I could invent an app.

Here's what I hate: after some gentle nudges from my husband and some careful self-examination, I discovered that it's possible to become addicted to your smart phone.

Ten Indicators That You Love Your Smartphone Too Much:

1. Sleeping with your phone. This is a big one for the addicted and is likely to give us insomnia, confusion, headaches, and depression according to recent medical studies. So, if your precious phone rests under your pillow at night, you may want to at least move it to the nightstand. However, this too can be a disturbance if your phone vibrates with alerts all night long. (It's not a good kind of vibrating, believe me.)

2. When you head out the door each day, you grab your phone first. Keys? maybe they come 2nd. Wallet or purse, probably necessary, but not as precious as that fine little gadget that connects you to the world. I am so addicted that I am rarely more than 2 feet away from my phone at any given moment.

3. Instead of watching TV, you watch your phone. You check email, squinting at the tiny font, you scan FaceBook, you play Words with Friends or Angry Birds for hours until your tired eyes tell you it's bedtime. But, that's okay, 'cause you have a serious relationship with your phone--it will join you in your bed anyway (see #1).

4. You take your phone to the restroom. This one takes addiction to a new level. Some take their phones with them so as not to miss an "important" call or a text. The phone lies innocently within arms reach while they "take care of business." But some, (you know who you are) ignore the old fashioned magazines and use that restroom "opportunity" to play more Angry Birds or even respond to an email. Just please don't forget to wash your hands.

5. You don't mind waiting for anything anymore. Big line at the grocery store? No prob, you have your little rectangular piece of entertainment to whip out and stare at. Doctor's office running behind? You text a friend. Oil change? FaceBook. Bus ride? Words with Friends. In fact, you hope for long waits because it gives you some quality time with your phone.

6. Your phone gets more face time than your spouse or friends or kids...In fact, you frequently have to get people to repeat what they've just said to you because you were too busy posting that funny picture on FaceBook.

7. You accidentally say "table for 3" instead of "table for 2" when being seating at a restaurant. This is because you think of your phone as a person. It sits right by you, face up on the table--just to the right of your spoon. It starts with quick glances when a text comes in, then turns to full on responding at the table while you are supposed to be having dinner and conversation with the living, breathing person sitting across from you.

8. You carry your phone everywhere in your hand. No purse time for the phone, you might miss something. Your phone stays in your hand (or maybe the pocket of that favorite hoodie) at all times. You never get voicemail on your phone. You might get voicemail if the phone rings while you are in the shower, but that's about it--other than that, you are always right on top of it to answer it. Your phone is with you when you walk from room to room, when you step out on the deck, when you run inside the store, when you take a jog, and when you sit at the kitchen island sipping your morning coffee...your phone is In. Your. Hand.

9. You sing the iPhone's praises wherever you go. You even utter the obnoxious phrase: "how do you survive without an iPhone!?" (see intro.)

10. People are beginning to gently imply that you might be spending a little too much time on your phone. First, they tease, then they speak seriously about the subject, battles might ensue. It's called an intervention people. You need one! Don't be surprised if you walk into a room one day and all your friends and family are there ready to share stories of what your addiction has done to them and what they see it doing to you. There will be tears as people share feelings of neglect. A candid camera will reveal to you several times when you ignored your children because you were staring at your phone. Your family will beg for you to get help. Admit you have a problem and kick the smart phone out of your life.

Don't let it get to #10 people. Recognize the signs of addiction and take control of your problem before it takes control of you. I don’t know about you, but it's time for me to wise up and turn off the dumb phone. If I can do it, you can too.