Showcase Magazine Autumn 2026 - Flipbook - Page 15
MENTAL HEALTH
PHONE ADDICTION AND
MENTAL HEALTH
Our mobile phones are a huge part of our everyday lives. Approximately 5.7
billion people worldwide own a smartphone, which represents about 70% of the
global population. Problematic smartphone use and poor mental health are
closely interlinked. Many studies have shown that heavy reliance on social media
is linked to the increased risk of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicidal
thoughts. Whilst phones offer many benefits in terms of its knowledge base and
social connections, compulsive use can interfere with our personal life, work and
relationships. If you are finding that you are spending more time on social media
than with the people in your life, it may be time to reassess your phone use.
STRATEGIES TO HELP
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDICTION:
Set daily limits: Use your phone9s
screen-time settings to limit social
media and app usage. This helps
you become more aware of your
habits and regain control of your
screen time.
Turn
off
all
unnecessary
notifications: Reduce distractions
by
disabling
alerts
from
non-
MOBILE PHONE ADDICTION
essential apps. Keep your phone
Our phones are designed to be highly addictive and difficult to put down. This behavioural
out of reach to avoid late-night
addiction is often dubbed as 8nomophobia9. Through its colours, sounds and vibrations,
scrolling and improve your sleep
phones keep us constantly engaged and are deliberately engineered to exploit our brain9s
routine.
away at bedtime: Store your phone
reward system. Every notification triggers a surge of dopamine (the feel-good hormone);
this is the same hormone that is released when an individual smokes, drinks or gambles.
This means that we associate our phone with instant pleasure and gratification, which is
highly reinforcing. Social media further fuels this through likes, comments, shares and
follows which feeds our desire for social validation and approval. However, despite this,
addictive social media use can cause social isolation as many individuals prefer phone use
over real-world interactions.
Replace screen time with hobbies:
Try
activities
such
as
reading,
cooking, exercise, or other interests
that support your wellbeing.
Create
phone-free
boundaries,
such
zones:
as
Set
avoiding
FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO)
phone use during meals, studying,
FOMO is one of the most prominent factors in driving addictive behaviour to social
Seek support if needed: If phone
or before sleep.
networking platforms. Exposure to other people9s social activities on these platforms can
lead to users9 comparing their own social lives with that of their peers. FOMO can also foster
exclusion by observing friends hanging out without them through social media.
use is affecting your daily life,
professional
help
Cognitive
Behavioural
such
as
Therapy
This anxiety can lead people to check their phones more frequently, even when there is no
(CBT) can help develop healthier
real need to. this behaviour can become habitual, with individuals feeling compelled to stay
habits.
constantly connected for fear of missing important updates or experiences.
｜
Showcase Training 15
