Expert advice on putting your obsession on airplane mode.
In our hyper-connected world, phone addiction is becoming an increasingly common issue.
Nearly a third of mobile users in the UK (31%) admitted to relying on their phone between an average of four to seven hours per day, while one in eight (12%) are spending up to 11 hours on their device, according to findings by FruitySlots.
The temptation to scroll, swipe and check notifications has become a reflex for many, woven into daily routines.
But why does this happen, why do we notice it more during winter and how can we take back control? L360 investigates.
Read more: Can a feature phone save me from smartphone addiction or will it just make life harder?
Why do we get addicted to our phones?
Smartphones are designed to capture our attention and keep it.
Dr Sophie Mort, clinical psychologist and mental health expert at meditation app Headspace, explains: “Every time we receive a notification or scroll through our feeds, our brain gets a hit of dopamine.
“Although dopamine is often described as a ‘happy hormone’ for giving us a mood boost, in reality it actually acts as a ‘motivation boost’, encouraging us to repeat that behaviour.”
That’s why we might check one text but end up scrolling through social media or falling down a YouTube rabbit hole for hours instead. This cycle is called the ‘dopamine loop’.
Another contributing factor is FOMO (fear of missing out), according to psychologist Dr Lalitaa Suglan.
Social media has amplified our awareness of what others are doing. Some of us may feel a constant need to check in, to stay up to date and to make sure we’re not being left behind.
The combination of reward and fear can keep us locked into a cycle of phone dependency.
Why phone addiction gets worse in winter
Winter tends to intensify our phone usage for several reasons.
Firstly, the cold and dark days can lead to a sense of isolation and lethargy. We may feel less inclined to engage in outdoor activities or socialise in person, which can push us towards digital interaction. Scrolling through Instagram or watching TikTok videos becomes an easy, low-effort way to pass the time.
Read more: Do you scroll on social media when bored? Here’s why you shouldn’t
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can also play a role.
“When the sunlight lessens, our brains will be searching for something to make us feel good. This is where the phone comes in,” Dr Charlotte Armitage, founder of National No Phones at Home Day, explains.
“We get into a negative cycle because the more time we spend scrolling on our phones, the less likely we are to be seeing friends, going for a walk, doing exercise or completing something from the to-do list — things that actually make us feel good.”
Finally, the holidays can contribute to a surge in phone use. From organising social events to online shopping, our phones become even more central to our lives during the winter months.
The bombardment of Black Friday sales, festive content and digital interactions can make us feel more tethered to our devices than ever.
Why is phone addiction bad for you?
So you spend a few hours on your phone every day. What’s the harm?
Unfortunately, there are some issues with phone addiction, including feeling disconnected.
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Dr Armitage warns: “Addiction serves to take us away from the present moment and into a disconnected headspace.
“When we’re giving so much attention to our phones, other areas of our lives suffer, such as the relationships around us, our sleep, our motivation, our attentiveness and our activity levels.”
Also, a 2021 study found that phone addiction was associated with poor sleep, while another 2023 study linked it to anxiety and depression.
What are the signs of phone addiction?
Recognising the signs of phone addiction is the first step to breaking the cycle.
Dr Mort shared some of the key things to look out for:
- Excessive usage of phones and limiting phone usage is difficult.
- Feelings of anger of irritation if phone use is interrupted.
- Difficulty completing duties at work/school/home.
- Isolation from loved ones and a weak social life.
- Lying about phone usage.
Dr Suglan added that there can be physical symptoms, too.
She warns: “this include headaches, eye strain, and sleep disturbances caused by blue light exposure.”
Phone addiction looks different for everyone. When considering the above points, be honest with yourself in your reflection.
There’s no shame in being addicted — the first step towards recovery is recognising that you have a problem.
How to stop being addicted to your phone, according to a neuroscientist
Author and neuroscientist TJ Power recently opened up about his phone addiction and path to recovery.
At the September 2024 launch event for Lumie’s new light therapy product, Dash, TJ said he would spend the majority of his day (and night) on his phone.
He said: “When I woke up I would immediately go on my phone. I would then be looking at my phone all throughout my working day. I would do a little bit of work, just one small task, and then immediately reward myself with phone time.”
He said one day he realised he was “hooked” on his phone, and that it wasn’t adding anything to his life.
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When you recognise you have an addiction, TJ said the first thing you should do is set yourself the goal of going on a walk without your phone.
He said it may seem simple, but you’ll notice, like he did, the “natural inclination to want to check WhatsApp, Instagram or your emails”.
Instead, you need to acknowledge that feeling and push it away. That feeling is actually your brain’s response to boredom, and to start building a better relationship with your phone is to allow yourself to be bored.
“The phone is an extremely useful device to effectively silence the noise in your head,” TJ said. “Instead of shutting off the voices in your head thinking about your diet, work, your relationship or whatever it may be, you need to allow yourself to listen to them.”
He said that there have been many occasions where the answers to his problems have been in his head all along, he just needed to allow himself to really think about it and go through that mental process.
If you struggle with these voices, TJ recommends practicing gratitude.
He says this is a term thrown about a lot without people fully understanding the meaning, but that’s because it’s different for everyone.
TJ said what he likes to do is think, “What is going right in my life?”
He explained that he found he’s often surprised by his answers, as it helps him realise things are actually going better than he thought they were.
Once you’ve managed to master an unplugged walk, the next is to introduce some boundaries into your life to stop you being glued to your phone all day.
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TJ suggests creating three ‘windows’ where you’re allowed to look at your phone for a maximum of 30 minutes.In a day, make a rule so you can only look at your phone at 10am, 3pm, and 7.30pm — or whatever times work best for your routine.
Be as strict with yourself as possible, as habits can take weeks to form, but eventually — he said — you’ll get used to these windows and not miss your phone outside of them.
One more thing TJ added was to be mindful of how you feel after scrolling on social media.
Are you happy? Inspired? Uplifted? Or are you feeling insecure, drained or bored?
If the latter, you may want to rethink what accounts you follow and interact with for a more positive experience.
