Are you addicted to your Smartphone?

Smartphone Addiction

The short answer is “probably yes!”   You’re not alone—and you might not even realise it. Here’s why it matters, and what to do about it.

We know from research from King's College London that Problematic Smartphone Use is an issue that affects young people, with findings showing that those who find it addictive are twice as likely to suffer anxiety and three times as likely to suffer from depression.   Insomnia is another associated problem.

Many parents are also acutely aware of the irony of asking their teens to cut down on smartphone use while they themselves are glued to their phones. As you’re reading this, you might be holding your phone right now. If you are on a laptop or computer, your phone is likely to be within a few feet of you. Most of us now can’t leave the house without our phones.

Nomophobia is now a widely used term to describe the fear of being without your mobile phone or having no connectivity. 

It’s not all bad!

Despite the doom-and-gloom introduction to this article, we have to acknowledge that smartphones have made lives much easier and, in some cases, better for many of us. 

Parents can help their children with homework by a quick online search, we can translate documents in a heartbeat, research the latest facts and figures, book a restaurant, arrange a virtual GP appointment, check in on a friend in the hospital, send a shopping list to a family member, find out where your child is when they should have been home 30 mins ago, get recipe inspiration for the 5 ingredients in your fridge, research information for that book you’ve been wanting to write, work out the name of that actor that you just saw on a TV episode, arrange an emergency next day delivery of an urgent item for that presentation you’re giving at work tomorrow… and the list of benefits is endless.

Many of us find it deeply relaxing to scroll through some funny reels at the end of the day, catch up on the News or Sport and check the weather forecast to know if you need sunscreen or waterproofs the next day.  Isolation is a problem for many of us, and being able to reach out to a friend for a quick message or to send a funny reel that shows you are thinking of them can bring a real (or reel) boost.

The Key is Balance (and Control)

One of the reasons we can find ourselves addicted to our phones (and you might not realise you are addicted – why not check your Digital Wellbeing/Parental Controls settings of your smartphone to see your average daily screen time?) is because apps are designed to keep us hooked.  Short interactions that boost our brain's happy chemicals feel good.  Dating apps promise the perfect match with just the swipe of a finger.   Reels make us laugh and want to share with others.  There is a constant stream of information available.  And the sneaky apps introduce streaks, rewarding us for daily interactions and instilling a sense of fear and disappointment of losing our streak (just ask a young teenager how it would feel to not go on their phone for 2 days to see the look of terror in their face). Many also describe FOMO - the fear of missing out, worrying that we will miss out on news or an experience that others have.

The problem is that what was initially a tool that could make our lives better can quickly become something that controls us.  Sometimes the very thing that helped us become less isolated or bored, have access to quick information, and organise our lives better, can become the cause of loneliness, overwhelm and burnout that affects our well-being.  For our own well-being, we need to learn how to get the right balance and ensure that we are in charge of our time, not our device.

Here are some tips, rooted in good psychological practices, to help you:

1. Try to have a zone in your house that is device-free.  A good choice is the bedroom.  Ensuring you have a physical space where you are not allowed to use your phone can help your brain associate that area with peace and tranquillity.

   
   

2. Have phone-free times.  We know that screens before sleep affect the production of melatonin (which is why it’s advised to come off phones 1 hour before sleep and use filters in the evenings).  Having times when phones are not in use allows your brain to have a rest from all the stimulation.  Yes, we know that stimulation is fun, but rest and restoration require moments of calm. 

   
   

3. Get to know your bad habits and consciously plan to do something different (we call this intentional behaviour).  For example, if you find yourself on your phone while walking to and from the bus stop, why not intentionally put your phone away, turn off the mobile data and just enjoy a few moments of breathing fresh air and observing your surroundings?  Instead of leaving a meeting and immediately reaching for your phone, why not pause for a few minutes to reflect on where you’ve just come from, or where you are moving to next?

   
   

4. Make it easier to avoid temptation by not charging your phone beside your bed and instead saying goodnight to it and putting it in another room.  If you genuinely need to keep it on for emergencies, then have it on the other side of the room (although often the fear of not being contactable is unfounded, and most people have other ways of getting hold of us in an emergency).

   
   

5. Carefully consider your notifications – do you have Do Not Disturb times set on your phone?  Can you make some silent?  Do you really need to be informed of every email the moment it arrives?   Does your watch have to inform you of every Snapchat message that’s been sent or show you a preview of every WhatsApp message?  These notifications can seriously disrupt our flow and concentration.  Turning them off and instead choosing when to check for new messages can be a great way to regain control.

   
   

6. If you are worried you might be using your phone to cope with something (like many addictions), then spend time thinking about your triggers and what might really be happening that sends your brain looking for a short-term dopamine fix to help you feel better.

   
   

7. And finally, if you struggle with smartphone addiction or would like to have help with general well-being strategies, then the team at the Craigie Partnership is here to help!  Don’t let your phone control you – if you’re looking to rebalance, refocus and rediscover yourself, contact us today.

Find out more about our Coaching services here, and our Therapy services here.  Our team of professional Psychologists and Practitioners is happy to help.