Addiction or Habit? My experience with digital detox
When I was in high school, I became extremely concerned about online privacy. Even though I only had one social media account, Instagram, I was increasingly frustrated with the way I felt my data was being used. At the same time, I was growing increasingly convinced that I was spending way too much time on my phone and it was effecting me in increasingly negative ways. I was a big procrastinator in high school and I only got my first phone as a freshman so I was still adjusting to having that much information and entertainment with me at all times. One could reasonably claim that I was somewhat addicted to my phone during this time. I would be on it for hours after school rather than doing my homework and then I would have to stay up until the early hours of the morning just to finish my work. However, I didn’t and I still don’t think of this as me being addicted. My final project for this class is on internet addiction and I’ve focused a large part of that project on whether it even is an addiction definitionally. The Vox article makes it seem like there is scientific consensus saying cellphone addiction is truly an addiction but there absolutely is not a consensus. At all. Especially not in the U.S.
I think this is a hard conversation because calling it an addiction does give us a sort of framework to begin solving the problem and helping people but problems can arise quickly by calling behavior that can be very normal “addiction”. I talk about the idea of addiction here because most of the articles for this week reference that idea but for me, the idea that I was addicted to my device was not useful in actually changing the way I used my devices. There is a difference in tech addiction compared to other more accepted behavioral addictions like gambling or gaming; “internet” or “cellphone” are not behaviors. These devices are the medium for the behavior. Internet “addiction” can span behaviors like shopping, browsing, watching porn, and more things that might be more readily considered addictive. It’s very possible that in the future, internet or cellphone addiction will be included in the DSM, but the case isn’t settled at this point. I personally consider the behavior with my cellphone in high school to have been unhealthy, certainly, but not an addiction and really something that was caused by underlying mental health concerns.
So what did I do and what have I tried to do since to decrease my screen time? While for one thing, I’m certainly still a bit unhappy with my screen time. During the weekend or breaks, my screen time can be up to 6 or 7 hours a day, a number I’m not happy with. I also am really bad about not looking at my phone right before I go to bed. However, I have done things and continue to do things to decrease my bad screen habits.
Thing One: I got off Instagram
I never actually deactivated my account but I deleted the app from my phone and have never logged on since. This was my only form of social media and therefore one of my biggest distractions. I got off Instagram partially over privacy concerns but also to decrease screen time. I went completely cold turkey, which doesn’t work for everyone, but I left and never looked back.
Thing Two: Screen time alerts
I have an app that sends me a notification every time I’m on my phone for more than 15 minutes at a time and sends me notifications throughout the day telling me how long I’ve been on my phone. This is mostly to try to shame myself into getting off my phone and it mostly works.
Thing Three: Deleting apps
This was a big one for me. I deleted most of my apps that I didn’t really need. There are definitely still apps that can be distracting, such as news apps, but this has definitely helped. I will still pick up my phone whenever I’m feeling bored, something I’m still working on, but I stay on my phone for less time because it’s less entertaining.
Thing Four: Do not disturb
My phone is always in do not disturb mode except between 4–7pm. This was easier for me than trying to turn off different notifications with the same result. Feeling the buzz of notifications was one of the most anxiety-inducing parts of having a phone so having my phone in DND mode helps me not pick up my phone as much as well as reducing my anxiety. I have it so it lets all calls through, just in case, but otherwise, I get no notifications.
Things I’ve Tried and May Try Again: Greyscale and hiding it
Many articles about being on your phone less will recommend switching to greyscale and I have done this. I did find it helpful but it’s a level of intervention I just don’t always need. I’ll turn it back on every once in a while, like at the end of the semester when I’m using my phone to try to combat the stress of finals, but it isn’t a constant. When I say hiding my phone, I don’t mean literally but when I really need to focus I’ll put it in my bedroom or in my back pack. This way, I can’t reach it as easily. I only do this when I really need to focus because I’m not at the point where I don’t really procrastinate as much any more so I mostly get on my phone when I have a big difficult project or assignment and am trying to ignore the stress I’m feeling.
Things I want to try: Detox and cellphone-free time
Yeah so in all my time of trying to manage my screen time, I’ve never actually done anything like a detox and while I don’t like the association with addiction given the current research, I think it might be valuable for me to try. Even though I am happy with my cellphone use and screen time, I still pick my phone up frequently so if nothing else, a digital detox would be a good challenge for me to see if I can truly distance myself from my phone for an extended period. I also think it it would be good for me to be a bit more regimented about when my screen time happens on a regular basis. I already sort of have an abstract notion of this. I try to read in the morning when I get up and after I eat dinner but I think it would be good if I tried to really not use tech during that time, maybe by putting those things in another room.
The idea of needed a digital detox really does speak to me as someone who has been on a seven year, still unfinished journey to have a better relationship with my phone. I can understand why people feel addicted to their phones, it’s why I chose that topic for my project. However, behavioral addictions are very complex and while I psychologist probably could help you if your really struggling with screen time, I’m not ready to definitively call it an addiction. Social media and our devices are made to be compulsive and no platform is likely ever going to implement a service that will actually make you spend less time on their platform. I think by calling something like cell phone use an addiction we risk medicalizing normal behavior. Reducing time on a device designed to get you to use it is really hard and it takes a very long time. If we call the behavior addictive, we may make people think there’s nothing they can do to stop the problem but there is a lot you can do! Some day, we may consider cellphone addiction to be legitimate and maybe that will be a good thing. I am glad there are more places for people who need help to go and I think the idea of a digital detox is a good one, there’s just still a lot we don’t know yet.
