When the phone companies themselves start posting about cell phone addiction you know it's becoming a problem. I recently came across a post on the Verizon website titled “What is cell phone addiction and how can you prevent it?”
The article states that Americans spend an average of 5.4 hours on their phones each day. This figure, while an average, still appears alarmingly high. Recently, I began requesting clients to share their average screen time as part of evaluating their current issues. In my clinical practice, I am observing patterns and trends related to increased screen time and its potential impacts on various aspects of mental health and well-being.
People are generally reporting spending 8 hours or more per day on their screens, with activities such as texting, using Snapchat, scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, and watching videos being predominant. In response to this trend, I've implemented behavioral experiments with certain clients. This involves setting restrictions on specific apps and establishing designated times for phone use, aimed at reducing screen time and fostering healthier habits.
Research findings have established a correlation between increased screen time and negative mental health outcomes such as depression and suicidal behavior among adolescents. Specifically, a nonlinear dose-response relationship has been identified between depressive symptoms and overall screen time in children aged 5 to 18 who spend more than two hours per day using digital media. Since more than 2 hours of daily screen time is associated with a myriad of adverse consequences I am attempting to first decrease to 4 hours prior to cutting that in half.
In addition, Children in 2011 were estimated to sleep, on average, one hour less per night when compared with children of the early 20th century. I can assume that number may have risen over the previous 13 years.
According to the Common Sense Media report, which surveyed 1,000 parents and their children, 68% of teens admit to bringing their devices into bed, with nearly a third of them falling asleep while their phones are still with them. The study found that 36% of teens wake up and check their mobile device at least once a night for a reason other than checking the time. Of those teens, a little more than half say it's because they received a notification or they just wanted to look at social media.
There's also a lot of phone use right before and after sleep. Forty percent of teens said they use their mobile device within five minutes of going to sleep, and 32% said they check their phone within five minutes of waking up.
Teens aren't alone in their phone attachments. Parents in the study also admitted to keeping their phones in their beds, with nearly half reporting that they feel addicted to them.
When limits and restrictions are imposed on screen time, clients initially report experiencing anxiety and a strong urge to check their phones. They describe feeling discomfort in their bodies and struggling to tolerate the emotions that arise. Many acknowledge their low tolerance for boredom and the difficulty in focusing on non-stimulating tasks. Their minds frequently drift back to their phones, craving social media updates, responding to texts, or checking emails. Many younger clients also express experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out) during this period.
Could the symptoms described be likened to those of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? The contentious debate persists: Is ADHD genuinely a mysterious, genetically predisposed brain condition that sabotages sustained focus? Or is it merely a reflection of how the brain naturally operates?
Attentional processes have evolved as a fundamental survival mechanism, finely tuned to prioritize the most relevant or intriguing stimuli in our environment. This adaptive trait allowed our ancestors to efficiently allocate mental resources to potential threats, food sources, and opportunities for social interaction. However, in the modern digital age, screens and social media platforms bombard us with a constant stream of captivating content designed to grab and hold our attention. This flood of stimuli conditions our brains to seek out novelty and excitement, making it increasingly challenging to focus on mundane or less stimulating tasks. Consequently, our attention becomes fragmented, and we struggle to concentrate on tasks that don't offer the same level of instant gratification, potentially impacting productivity and overall well-being.
Speaking truth has become an act of rebellion. Consider this: Rather than labeling individuals with ADHD or an Anxiety Disorder and prescribing potentially harmful pharmaceuticals, why not explore the real challenges they face and assist in finding genuine solutions? This approach embodies effective mental healthcare, addressing root issues rather than masking symptoms with dangerous drugs.
Phone and social media dependence? Solve the problem.
Poor diet and sedentary life style? Solve the problem.
Poor quality sleep or sleep related problems? Solve the problem.
Feeling socially isolated and lonely? Solve the problem.
Struggling with self discipline, structure and completion of tasks? Solve the problem.
Struggling to get out of your head, worrying or ruminating about the past? Solve the problem.
You get it: conventional mental healthcare falls short in addressing real-life challenges. Instead, it peddles the myth of inherent brain dysfunction and offers false hopes of easy fixes.
Phone addiction is undeniably real, rooted in the very design of our brains. Social media giants invest considerable resources into understanding how to seize your attention, crafting products with addictive qualities. From relentless notifications to precisely tailored reel lengths, every aspect is meticulously designed to ensnare you. Just as food companies engineer products to trigger addictive responses in the brain and drug entities develop substances to induce desirable reactions, the digital arena follows suit. It's a battleground where the quest for attention reigns supreme, with addiction looming as a tangible consequence.
Remember… the sicker we are the richer they are.
RESIST
Great Topic!! I have struggled with what I identify as phone addiction for awhile now. I have tried multiple strategies from deleting social media accounts and getting a "Dumb" Phone designed for kids and teens, to keeping the phone upstairs out of my reach over the weekend (not exactly helpful in efforts to reach me!). It has been hard. Groups I want to be part of only use certain social media platforms, my work mandates the use of an authentication app to log in. I feel like not having a smart phone is not realistic, though I am happier without it. What I would like is a basic version that allows limited usage, like Audible and Spotify, has a nice camera, and a navigation app like google maps so I can find a gas station, or get to my friends house. All the rest, including the browser can get off my phone! My husband spends way too much time scrolling Reddit. I have talked to him about it but he gets defensive and I don't want to fight, but I HATE how rather than sit in the car with me and talk, he scrolls. We at least agree that our kids will not be getting a smart phone until they are legal adults and buy there own. They can get a dumb phone, hopefully the cameras get better! I was at a swimming class the other day and a mother was sitting there with a boy of maybe three who was watching a video on a tablet AND tapping on a phone, when she went to move the tablet he had a borderline meltdown over it. I don't know how people think this is good, normal, or ok!
This recent article is a nice complement to this piece!
https://open.substack.com/pub/screenstrong/p/can-you-raise-a-teen-today-without?r=h886f&utm_medium=ios