Of late, every time my friends/family members feel happy or angry, the first people to find out are their WhatsApp, Facebook or BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) friends. “I feel a constant need to update my status,” they say.No too long ago, I attended a Maticore (a Hindu Religious ceremony – the Friday night before the wedding) where the people who were closely involved in assisting with the preparation continuously took ‘time off’ to check their WhatsApp or BBM.

Surprisingly, most of them are relevantly young people who should be focusing on their studies/career – don’t know of any school in Guyana which uses the BBM system to teach, do you? You visit your family just to know you sitting there almost all by yourself – they are busy with the “ping ping”, yes the WhatsApp, Facebook or BBM.

One psychologist said “the number of people suffering from this unhealthy addiction to the BB has increased drastically, even resulting in breakdown of real relationships…Spouses feel jealous because many users spend more time on the phone. It could be the new cause for divorces…and BBM forces the brain to switch on and off constantly. It drains you mentally, and results in reduced attention span and hyperactivity.” Thank God I don’t have one. No offence guys.

See my friends, People experience restlessness if they don’t receive messages, and panic if they’ve left their phone behind. There’s also the need to constantly check it. They tend to miss events happening around them and there is a drop in their performance at work or school too.

The entire story revolves around a fear of being alone, the constant need of updating status location, etc., are just to urge someone to comment and start a conversation; same was the case with Facebook. This will not happen if people start socialising at hangouts and give themselves a break from their busy schedule. But hey, don’t get me wrong. BBM, WhatsApp are very good if you don’t abuse it. So let’s get to know it a little.
BlackBerry Messenger, WhatsApp and Facebook messenger are instant messaging ‘app’ just for smartphone owners. They let you communicate in real time with the people who matter most with features like confirmation when messages have been delivered and read, and the ability to send pictures, videos, voice notes and more…
BlackBerry Messenger, WhatsApp, Facebook, Tango, etc, can be a definite asset, if you want to exchange messages with other users. With it, you can:
• Carry on a real-time conversation with friends and colleagues in several different locations — or carry on several conversations simultaneously.
• Chat with a group.
• Send and receive an unlimited number of messages worldwide for free with no per-message charge.
• Get messages without filling up your inbox.
• Know whether a buddy is online, available or busy.
• Let your contacts know your own availability for instant messaging.
• Manage log-in and contacts as you would if you were using an IM programme from your PC.
• Continue using other programs and send and receive e-mails while BlackBerry Messenger is running.
• Invite someone to join your list and start communicating without setting up a separate IM account.
• Be notified by a specific ringtone or vibration setting each time a message arrives from a particular person.
With most instant messaging services, you download software that becomes the client on your computer or smartphone. That client connects to the provider’s server, using a proprietary protocol for communication. Once you’ve logged on, the client sends the server your connection information (IP address), your computer port number and the names of everyone on your contact list.
The server creates a temporary file with connection information for you and your contacts. Then the server determines which contacts are logged on and sends that information to your client, as well as letting the contacts know you’re available. After that, the server is no longer involved, and all communication is between your client and that of your message recipient.
With BlackBerry Messenger, however, the server stays involved as it would if you were sending e-mails. All communications go through parent-company Research in Motion’s servers as you continue to exchange messages. That also means you can’t use BlackBerry Messenger unless you have a BlackBerry Internet plan, or data plan…Money talk, you pay, you get!

My advice, give yourself a specific time to check messages, don’t take it to the Mandir, Mosque, Church and lunch room. Try and switch the phone off after hours. Avoid keeping it under your pillow at night, and definitely don’t take it into the washroom. Give yourself a chance to be alone!