Marios, a personal trainer, describes his relationship with his smartphone as having a drug dealer permanently in his pocket. On difficult days, he can spend upwards of 14 hours staring at his screen, often fixating on apps like Instagram. Currently, he is undergoing a 12-session course of private therapy to address a compulsion he believes is rooted in loneliness.
While phone addiction is not yet an officially recognized medical condition, a Deloitte survey of 1,000 adults indicated that 70% of participants feel they spend excessive time on their devices. Experts note that smartphones may be altering brain chemistry, leading to increased dependency. UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT) reported that one in three clients seeking help for substance abuse last year also struggled with secondary phone dependency, a significant rise from one in 10 in 2019. In some instances, patients have abandoned treatment because they were unwilling to surrender their devices upon entering a clinic.
Rainford Hall in St Helens, Merseyside, is one facility seeing a surge in clients needing help for digital habits. Lead therapist Kelly Watson explains that the human brain operates on a reward system where messages or social media interactions release dopamine, the chemical messenger linked to pleasure and motivation. For some, the cycle of seeking this reward becomes all-consuming.
James, a 48-year-old receiving treatment at a Steps Together center in Leicester, initially sought help for alcohol addiction but discovered his phone usage had also spiraled out of control. After losing his job, he spent his days obsessively scrolling through news and social media, even staying awake at night to monitor notifications. He described the experience as having his soul sucked away while feeling held hostage by the digital world.
At residential centers like Rainford Hall, patients undergo group and individual therapy to break these dependencies. Watson notes that many clients initially resist, fearing the loss of their primary connection to work and family. The therapy process involves gradually reducing screen time and encouraging individuals to confront the thoughts they often try to disassociate from by scrolling.
Beyond formal rehab, support groups like Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous (ITAA) have emerged globally. One member, Jenny, 30, shared how her addiction once caused her to lose days of her life to screen content, even resorting to taking devices from family members during relapses. Since joining ITAA and following their 12-step program, she has remained in recovery for five years.
Another member, Tom, reported that his addiction cost him his business and his sense of purpose, as he would binge-watch or scroll for 10 hours at a time. He has since found renewed joy in physical activities like playing pickleball and attending the gym. Psychotherapist Hilda Burke, author of the Phone Addiction Workbook, advises those concerned about their screen time to analyze their triggers, such as waiting for a message, and to replace phone use with alternative activities like reading or exercising.
While phone manufacturers have introduced tools to monitor and limit usage, individuals like Marios continue to work toward finding a balance. Although the urge remains strong, he is now intentionally setting limits and finding satisfaction in offline pursuits, proving to himself that change is possible.
