People are using smartphones now more than ever — but are these tools hurting us more than helping us?
According to the Pew Research Center, 91% of Americans own a smartphone. While they offer connection and convenience, this comes at a cost. Read more to see what impacts your smartphone might be having on your mental health and well-being, and what you can do to transform your relationship with technology for the better.
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How Smartphones Could Affect Your Health
Studies show that even brief check-ins and scrolls on your smartphone can impact your daily mood. There are numerous ways a phone can affect your emotional well-being, including the following:
— Harms and reduces real-world social interactions
— Impacts mood and self-esteem, especially in younger groups
— Promotes screen addiction and poor coping habits
— Worsens sleep quality
— Increases feelings of loneliness and isolation
— Harms physical health
Harms and reduces real-world interactions
Smartphones have a profound impact on social interactions. To explain this, experts point to a concept called the interference theory, which suggests smartphones negatively impact real-life social connections, which in turn reduces happiness.
“The interference hypothesis suggests that smartphones may interfere with daily experiences — like getting a text in the middle of a meaningful conversation with a friend, pulling our attention away and ultimately diminishing the quality of that social interaction,” says Dr. Lisa Walsh, assistant professor of psychology at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. “Over time, these small disruptions can add up, leaving us feeling less connected and less satisfied.”
Over time, excessive screen time can strain personal relationships, diminish attention spans and impact social activities.
Impacts mood and self-esteem, especially in younger groups
There is a complicated relationship between phones and mental health. While people often reach for phones seeking entertainment or connection, excessive usage can actually worsen your mood due to the content you’re consuming.
Teenagers are at increased risk for negative impacts of phone use, specifically due to their presence on social media. One harmful impact targeting this group is the risk of comparison, where they are consuming unrealistic or harmful media that can be harmful to their well-being.
For example, a study in the journal Clinical Psychological Science looked at data from two nationally representative surveys of U.S. adolescents in grades eight through 12 and compared that to national statistics on suicide for those ages 13 to 18 and adolescents’ depressive symptoms between 2010 and 2015, especially among females. It found that adolescents who spent more time on new media, such as social media platforms and smartphones, were more likely to report mental health issues. Conversely, adolescents who spent more time off technology and on in-person social interaction, sports and exercise, homework, print media and attending religious services were less likely to report such issues.
“I think it’s particularly precarious for young people who are still kind of developing their ability to think abstractly about how to make meaning of what’s good and not good for their identity and for their formation,” says Dr. Desmond Upton Patton, professor at the University of Pennsylvania with appointments in social policy, communications and psychiatry.
Promotes screen addiction and poor coping habits
The variety of content available on a phone leads it to have an addictive nature and serve as an activity or “escape” from real-life problems. A study of students in Australia found that teens mostly reach for their phone when trying to regulate their emotions, mainly boredom and stress. While this may be effective in the short term, this form of coping can actually be harmful. This reliance on phone use to improve your emotions or mood helps exacerbate phone addiction, creating a cycle where phone use for temporary relief actually worsens the issue.
Long periods of phone use can also lead to a term called “doom scrolling,” or the excessive consumption of unnecessary or unhealthy media. This addictive behavior significantly increases screen time without a specific purpose, leading to decreased productivity and greater phone addiction. It can also immerse phone users in a stream of negativity, causing a detachment from reality or decline in overall well-being due to the intake of harmful content.
“This (doom scrolling) also kind of feeds into the addiction telephone, because you’re constantly looking for that dopamine hit that’s going to make you feel better because you’ve got something negative,” Patton says.
Worsens sleep quality
Dr. Laurie Santos, professor of psychology at Yale University, says that time on smartphones prevents people from engaging in activities that make us feel better such as in-person connection and sleep.
A study found that smartphone use within the 30 minutes before going to sleep is positively associated with poor sleep quality, sleep disturbances, struggles to fall asleep and daytime fatigue. This is primarily attributed to the blue light found in screens, which, similar to that found in the sun, signals our brains to be awake.
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Increases feelings of loneliness and isolation
While phones can be used to increase connection, phone addiction can actually lead to the opposite. Walsh says that, according to her research, an increased amount of time on social media and phones is linked to depression, loneliness and lower self-esteem and well-being.
Harm can further arise when this mechanism is chosen over other activities or coping options. Research shows that higher smartphone addiction increases loneliness through not only consuming time, but also diminishing existing offline connections, thus contributing to feelings of isolation when not using the device.
Harms physical health
Phones can also take a significant toll on one’s health physically. A study found that increased smartphone use is associated with physical symptoms like eye strain, neck and back pain and weight gain. This is primarily due to the impact prolonged phone use and phone addiction can have on daily lifestyle habits.
Addiction to technology can also replace other activities that might involve exercise or movement that have a profound impact on one’s physical health. According to the Obesity Medicine Association, this lack of movement can also have an impact on our body’s internal appetite clock. This effect is linked to how screen time disrupts sleep, as the body’s circadian rhythm also controls hunger.
[READ: How to Manage or Prevent Screen Addiction in Children]
The Evolving Role of AI in Smartphones
People are using AI to seek advice, get quick answers to questions and simplify their daily lives. However, there are rising concerns regarding how these tools might increase dependence on phones and exacerbate their harmful effects.
“Early studies suggest AI can offer emotional support and enhance happiness in certain contexts, but there are concerns about its potential to disrupt real-world social bonding and create over-reliance on artificial systems,” Walsh says.
Concerns with AI arise specifically with regards to companionship. Walsh says that an increased use of language AI models, which are designed to be have an agreeable and accommodating tone when communicating with the user, might make it more difficult to navigate challenging, human conversations — impacting social upskilling, or one’s ability to establish connections with others.
Studies also suggest that AI may decrease social motivation, defined as the desire to foster existing social connections or build new ones. The idea is that this need for social interaction may be fulfilled by AI models, decreasing the natural inclination towards collaboration and social connection in real life.
Collaborating and building strong social connections are not only desirable aspects of human connection, they are proven contributors to happiness and positive well-being — raising important questions about the consequences of AI’s increasing role in daily life.
[Read: How to Support a Child in Crisis]
The Upside of Smartphones
Smartphones are not all bad. They’re everywhere, and can actually have substantial positive impacts on joy and happiness.
The complementarity hypothesis of smartphone impacts, Walsh says, proposes that smartphones can actually enhance well-being by offering benefits such as information and types of communication that would not be available through other forms. Smartphones have revolutionized the ability to connect across the globe, a factor that is a significant contributor to happiness.
Beyond communication, other benefits of smartphones include resources for:
— Tracking well-being: Access to fitness tracking, telehealth, meditation and other physical and mental health resources
— Entertainment and stress reduction: A variety of games, streaming services and educational content
— Productivity and personal growth: Tools for a calendar, notes, project management and other forms of organization
How to Use Your Smartphone Smartly
Phones are not inherently bad. They were created to be a positive tool to improve one’s quality of life. Here’s how to use the tools of your smartphone in a positive way that won’t impact your mental health.
Find the balance: how technology can enhance your joy
“I think what’s important to me is that we strike a healthy balance around the connection between our phones and happiness and joy,” says Patton.
How can this be done? Patton says that the first way is to define joy and happiness on a personal level. This is an important level of introspection, as it will vary greatly from one person to another. It is important to understand that joy and happiness are intrinsic human feelings, and exist separate from technological influences.
Think about the hobbies, activities or other aspects of life that bring you the most joy. Then consider what technological tools, if any, can help supplement or support those activities that bring you joy. Focusing your attention on specific aspects of your phone can help ensure devices are being used in a positive way.
By consciously directing your attention to what aspects of your phone genuinely contribute to your well-being, you can promote these practices in your daily use. If a smartphone is going to be used for hours each day, it is best used learning, connecting or pursuing passions in a direction that will support your happiness.
Practice a phone detox or clean-up
It’s widely acknowledged that taking a “phone detox” can help prevent excessive phone use. However, the logistics and efficacy of a type of detox will vary by person. A detox can include setting your phone down for a couple of hours at a time, keeping smartphones out of the bedroom, setting screen-time limits for specific apps — especially social media — or taking an extended break fully away from your device.
There are many strategies you can follow to lower your screen time and promote useful action on smartphones. These include:
— Use it like a tool. If using your phone, focus on apps that serve a practical purpose, such as navigation, calendar apps and texting. Walsh suggests moving such apps a more visible location on your home screen so they can take priority over distractions like games and social media.
— Limit distractions and turn off notifications. Turn off non-essential phone notifications to help limit the urge to pick up your phone. Most smartphones also offer an option to add daily screen time limits for certain apps or categories in the phone’s settings menu, which can be set for distracting apps. Walsh also recommends setting your screen to grayscale to make apps look less tempting to open.
— Reflect on your social media engagement. Patton says it is important to be aware of your media consumption and reflect “What’s actually happening? What am I getting done? Am I helping myself or other people?” When using apps such as social media, prioritize content that is useful, related to your life or things that bring you joy in the outside world or are productive.
— Consider what you’re missing. Santos reminds that, whenever you are doing something on your phone, there is an opportunity cost of another activity or action in the real world. Try establishing phone-free zones for yourself during crucial times such as family dinners, social gatherings, work or personal down. Reflect on what you might gain by not scrolling, and whether a phone-free environment would be more beneficial.
— Designate phone-free zones and times. Designate rooms or activities that are phone free, such as during meals or in the bedroom.
— Try other activities before bed. A Norwegian study found that just one hour of phone use before bed reduced sleep by 24 minutes. In the 60 minutes before bed, put your phone down and try to prioritize non-screen activities such as reading, journaling or meditation. It can be beneficial to keep your phone out of the bedroom or at a distance to reduce blue light exposure and minimize distractions. Most smartphones also offer a special night mode setting that filters some of this blue light if you must use your phone before bed.
Be intentional with social media and phone use
It’s clear that social media is not going away.
“I think the thing that folks need to understand is that social media is the new neighborhood. Social media is not this virtual thing that we just tap into whenever,” Patton says, highlighting that young people can spend up to 8 or 10 hours a day on social media.
A study led by Walsh found that reducing overall smartphone use led to greater life satisfaction, self-esteem and mindfulness, while lowering stress and loneliness. In contrast, cutting back on social media only (but still using the phone) had little effect and sometimes worsened mood.
“This suggests that how we use our phones might matter more than just how much we use them,” Walsh says.
Simply having this awareness of your digital habits is a significant step towards enhancing your well-being.
“It’s worth noting that social media and smartphones are just tools. We could use them for activities that are known to enhance our happiness, but we can also use them to engage in less happiness-inducing activities,” Santos says.
Increase awareness and education regarding AI
As a tool integrated into almost every aspect of our online activity, including search engines, social media and communication platforms, it is difficult to avoid AI in everyday life.
While the transformative nature of AI and its role on our phones can cause apprehension, Walsh reminds not to fear new AI tools. “Historically, every new technology has caused a bit of a moral panic,” she says.
However, it is important to know how to use them. AI can play a harmful role in the world of social media in creating content that mimics or replaces that of humans. This can create harmful expectations that lower self-esteem or body image, false or misinformed content that contributes to negativity or other tolls on one’s well-being.
“I think everyone should have a critical eye,” Patton says. Patton advocates for an increase in conversations about AI and the media in schools and among families to promote safe use of social media and the internet. Awareness of AI-generated content and understanding how it is used on platforms is crucial for avoiding potential harm.
The Benefits of Phone Limits
Making these changes in your phone usage can have significant impacts in your ability to build connections, desire to do so, sleep, physical health and more. While strategies are great to more efficiently use your phone, the best way is to set some boundaries and prioritize real-life interactions.
Teens might even find immediate effects from taking a break from their phones. A Pew Research poll found that 74% of surveyed teens felt happy when not around their phone.
Research has shown that limiting phones can improve stress levels, overall perceived wellness and satisfaction with life.
As phones become more prominent, we must remain informed of their impacts on our health in order to maintain a healthy balance and navigate the digital age while remaining connected to the real world.
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How to Use Your Smartphone — and Protect Your Mental Health originally appeared on usnews.com
