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I didn’t realize how addicted I was to my phone—until I went to prison

P.G. Sittenfeld, WSJ
8 min read6 Aug 2026, 07:17 AM IST
P.G. Sittenfeld shares his journey through incarceration, highlighting the emotional toll of leaving his family and the disconnect from technology.
P.G. Sittenfeld shares his journey through incarceration, highlighting the emotional toll of leaving his family and the disconnect from technology.
Summary

A former Cincinnati politician writes about the irony of his involuntary separation from his constantly chirping device.

P.G. Sittenfeld is a writer and public speaker who lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three sons.

P.G. Sittenfeld is a writer and public speaker who lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three sons.

Sitting in a car in a McDonald’s parking lot in January 2024, I made a final call to my wife, Sarah, to tell her I loved her. It was the last time I’d be in possession of my iPhone before self-surrendering to the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Ky.

Sitting in a car in a McDonald’s parking lot in January 2024, I made a final call to my wife, Sarah, to tell her I loved her. It was the last time I’d be in possession of my iPhone before self-surrendering to the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Ky.

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
HomeGlobalI didn’t realize how addicted I was to my phone—until I went to prison

I didn’t realize how addicted I was to my phone—until I went to prison

P.G. Sittenfeld, WSJ
8 min read6 Aug 2026, 07:17 AM IST
P.G. Sittenfeld shares his journey through incarceration, highlighting the emotional toll of leaving his family and the disconnect from technology.
P.G. Sittenfeld shares his journey through incarceration, highlighting the emotional toll of leaving his family and the disconnect from technology.
Summary

A former Cincinnati politician writes about the irony of his involuntary separation from his constantly chirping device.

P.G. Sittenfeld is a writer and public speaker who lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three sons.

P.G. Sittenfeld is a writer and public speaker who lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three sons.

Sitting in a car in a McDonald’s parking lot in January 2024, I made a final call to my wife, Sarah, to tell her I loved her. It was the last time I’d be in possession of my iPhone before self-surrendering to the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Ky.

Sitting in a car in a McDonald’s parking lot in January 2024, I made a final call to my wife, Sarah, to tell her I loved her. It was the last time I’d be in possession of my iPhone before self-surrendering to the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Ky.

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
HomeGlobalI didn’t realize how addicted I was to my phone—until I went to prison
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