If you’re anything like me, your cell phone is either in your hand or within five feet of you at all times. It’s the first thing you see in the morning, the last thing you see before bed, and always the first item you make sure you have with you before leaving the house. Modern society has evolved around the cellphone, making it an essential component of everyday life—especially during the pandemic, where most social interactions and services operate through a screen.
However, there’s a difference between spending time on your phone and not being able to function without it. If you’re more often immersed in the world of your smartphone than in the world around you, then you may have some form of phone addiction.
What is phone addiction?
Phone addiction is defined as the obsessive use of a smartphone, and is often fuelled by an addiction to the Internet itself—whether that be to social media, video games, virtual messaging, etc.
Symptoms include:
- Difficulty fulfilling responsibilities at work or school
- Isolation from family and friends
- Lying about the degree to which you use your phone
- Having a fear of missing out (FOMO)
- Feeling anxiety or panic if you leave your phone at home or when it dies
- Reaching for your phone the minute you’re alone or bored
- Trouble limiting phone use
- Compulsively checking your phone for notifications or messages
Cellphones are designed to be addictive; they are easily portable, and the apps within them can trigger the release of dopamine in the brain to positively alter your mood. Many use their phones as a safety blanket in situations where they feel awkward, lonely, or anxious as they allow instantaneous connection and entertainment.
excessive use of a smartphone can negatively impact your life
Phone addiction can lead to:
- Increased loneliness, anxiety, or stress
- Difficulty concenctrating
- Sleep defecit or deprivation
- Insecurity
- Impaired relationships with family and friends
- Diminished social skills
How to break free from phone addiction
If you feel as though you have an addiction to your phone or want to spend less time on it to prevent one from developing, there are a number of ways to reduce your screen time.
- Try to identify what makes you reach for your phone. Do you pull out your phone when you are bored, lonely, depressed, and/or anxious? See if you can find alternative ways to manage these feelings that don’t involve a screen. For example, if you mainly go on your phone to soothe your anxiety, try sharing how you feel with a friend or practicing deep breathing exercises instead.
- Set up a daily limit for especially addictive apps. Many smartphones now come equipped with a built-in feature for tracking your screentime and setting time limits for certain apps. Input limits on the applications you find yourself spending most of your time on—as YouTube or Snapchat.
- Delete social media from your phone. Social media algorithms are built to draw you in and keep you glued to your screen for hours on end. Not to mention how apps like Instagram and TikTok can perpetuate unattainable beauty standards or lifestyles that fuel individual insecurity and dissatisfaction. It may be best to delete these apps altogether.
- Add healthier habits to your daily routine. Create a list of things you enjoy doing that don’t involve going on your phone, and make an effort to do them everyday. Cook new recipes, write in a journal, start exercising, or set up weekly coffee dates with a friend.
It’s easy to spend hours on end on a device strategically designed for your enjoyment—but remember to ask yourself whether the time spent on your cellphone is actively contributing to your life or taking away from it.