Hooked on the screen? Experts say smartphone addiction can be as dangerous as drugs. Watch out for 5 key signs

 

In today’s fast-paced digital world, many of us feel our lives are tethered to our phones. Yet, for some, this seemingly harmless habit could be spiraling into a full-blown addiction with startling similarities to dependency on drugs.

Smartphone addiction may not be as widely recognized as more conventional addictions, but experts now caution that it can be just as damaging—and potentially far more common. At a psychological level, scientists are observing that compulsive doom-scrolling or endless swiping triggers responses akin to the effects of heroin.

Watch out for these signs to know if you’re hooked

- Increasing Screen Time

Experts refrain from pinpointing an exact number of hours that would signal addiction; however, they note that an increase in screen time can be a red flag. A key indicator is “tolerance”—a growing need for more engagement to feel satisfied. Starting with a quick scroll during lunch, one may find hours passing by, engrossed in social media. Studies, like a recent 2023 investigation, reveal a “significant association” between smartphone addiction and usage exceeding four hours daily.

According to Dr. Daria Kuss, a chartered psychologist at Nottingham Trent University, “Increased use can lead to habituation, which may increase the risk of developing problems.”

- Disruptive Effects on Life

The strongest indication of smartphone addiction is how it disrupts day-to-day activities. Professor Griffiths notes, “It’s not about the amount of hours; it’s about the amount of hours which negatively impacts other things you should be doing.” Whether it interferes with work, relationships, or other responsibilities, smartphone overuse may escalate from harmless engagement to a disruptive force.

Psychologists highlight two factors—salience and conflict. Salience occurs when your smartphone becomes the most important focus of your life, while conflict arises when it disrupts your duties, relationships, or self-care. “Your time spent on the smartphone is so all-engaging that it compromises your personal relationships, your education or occupation,” Professor Griffiths adds.

- Using Phones for Mood Management

For many, smartphones provide not just entertainment but a means of altering mood. Addicts tend to use devices to feel a high or even to numb unpleasant emotions. This state-altering behavior resembles substance dependence, as social media taps into dopamine—the brain’s “pleasure chemical”—much like drugs do. Stanford psychologist Professor Anna Lembke suggests that the risk-reward structure in social media can release large doses of dopamine, sparking an intense, addictive “high.”

If you find yourself reaching for your phone as a quick fix for stress or as an escape, it might be time to reconsider your usage patterns.

- Impact on Mental Health

A significant consequence of excessive smartphone use is its impact on mental well-being. Research from King’s College London found that teens exhibiting problematic smartphone use were twice as likely to experience anxiety and nearly three times as likely to battle depression. While experts debate whether smartphone addiction triggers mental illness or vice versa, the withdrawal symptoms tied to phone dependency are indisputable.

“If you are unable to engage in activities on your smartphone, you’ll feel more moody, irritable, more frustrated,” says Dr. Griffiths.

- Physical Repercussions

Though using a smartphone may not equate to the physical hazards of substance abuse, addiction can still prompt a range of withdrawal symptoms. Professor Griffiths notes, “Even on a physiological level, you will have things like nausea, hand sweats, stomach cramps—symptoms you’d find with traditional addictions.”

Emerging research also links smartphone addiction to chronic physical conditions, from recurring head and back pain to insomnia. Teenagers with high screen time are at greater risk of fragmented sleep, which in turn can escalate serious health risks like hypertension, obesity, and depression.