Phone addicts what would you give up for your mobile phone?

How much do you rely on your mobile phone? And what do you rely on it for? Well, according to a new survey, a surprising number of young Aussie adults would rather give up life essentials like brushing their teeth and showering – even having sex – than part with their phones.

Digital telco Circles Life surveyed Australians aged 18-35 to understand today’s mobile phone behaviours and attitudes. In true Aussie spirit, questions around toilet selfies, intoxicated phone calls and risqué texts were met with startling honesty, as well as some more topical subjects around the cost of living, with half of the respondents considering switching carriers in search of cheaper phone plans.

More than half of Australian adults couldn’t go a day without their mobile phone. In fact, one in three Australian adults would go without sex for a week rather than their phone for a day, and one-quarter would go without a car for a week.

Women were more likely to sacrifice sex for a week rather than their phone for a day (37 per cent compared to 27 per cent men), while men were willing to forego brushing their teeth (15 per cent compared to 8 per cent of women) or showering (12 per cent compared to 7 per cent of women) for their phone.

When it came to cringeworthy phone faux pas, Circles Life research also revealed 61 per cent of Aussies admitted to taking a call or selfie while on the toilet; 41 per cent have accidentally screenshotted a conversation and sent it back to the same person; 37 per cent have called or texted an ex while intoxicated and 26 per cent have texted or sent a risqué picture to the wrong person.

Other shockingly common phone habits from the research findings included:

• 73 per cent of Australians have had to wait before eating until a photo of the food has been taken, and close to half have asked someone to wait before eating so they could snap a photo.

• Around one in five think they’re known for sharing private messages or inappropriate content.

• More than half of Australian adults play video games at least weekly, with a quarter playing daily, and half believe that playing video games has improved their problem solving and technical skills.

• On average, Australians spend 3.6 hours a day on their phone; more than a third spend over 4 hours each day on their phone; and almost a quarter are spending more than 5 hours a day on their phone.

Australians pay an average of $63 a month for their mobile phone/data plan, and when asked about phone bills, more than a third feel their phone bill is too high. Half of those surveyed have considered switching carriers because of cost-ofliving pressures, and 68 per cent are tired of phone plans getting more expensive each year.