Whether you’re texting a friend, listening to a podcast, or posting on social media, your smartphone is likely in your hand frequently. While this advanced device helps people stay connected and simplify routine tasks, it can contribute to a variety of mental health problems. This guide explains how smartphones can harm the mind and how you can protect yourself.

How Smartphones Harm Mental Health

Addiction to Devices

While the research is still recent, the mental health community has proposed that smartphone use can lead to a behavioral addiction that can impact one’s quality of life. Social activities — such as receiving messages from friends or getting “likes” on social media — can prompt surges of dopamine in the brain. This hormone increases pleasure and reinforces the desire to partake in these activities.

When this addiction forms, users may feel anxious when they aren’t using their devices. Others may use their phones to escape negative emotions or withdraw from loved ones. Continuing to use your phone at bedtime may also disrupt sleep patterns, leading to depression and anxiety.

Curb these behaviors by putting more distance between you and your phone. For example, you can designate electronic-free times during the day, turn off all app notifications, or turn the device off when you should be focused on other activities. You should also keep electronic devices out of the bedroom when it’s time to sleep.

Body Image Issues

Through the use of social media, adolescents are exposed to endless feeds of content that can harm healthy body image. For example, when celebrities post highly edited photos, they can convince younger followers that certain physical attributes are attainable and more desirable. Teens who develop body image issues will often experience self-esteem problems and depression, as well as a higher risk of disordered eating.

Parents can prevent these patterns by staying engaged with their child’s content exposure from an early age. If a post features edited photos or an advertisement tries to sell products on the premise of enhancing beauty, identify and discuss the example. Explaining the false statements and marketing motivations behind them can help kids develop a more balanced understanding of health. 

When smartphone use complicates your mental health, talk to the professionals at Lincoln Psychiatric Group. Providing therapy in Lancaster County, NE, these psychologists can diagnose specific disorders — such as depression and anxiety — through in-depth assessments. Taking a personalized approach, these compassionate providers will discuss your specific needs and develop tailored solutions to improve mental wellness. Visit this clinic online to learn more about their services, or call (402) 476-7557 to schedule a convenient and confidential consultation.