Unraveling the Science of Phone Addiction: How Our Brains are Compelled to Scroll and the Risks It Poses

The habit of scrolling through our phones has become an integral part of our daily routine, whether it’s for a few seconds while waiting for an elevator or hours before bedtime. But have you ever wondered about the neurological mechanisms behind this behavior and why it’s so addictive? Eilish Duke, a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University, explains that the urge to pick up our phones and start scrolling is an automatic response that we have developed over time.

When we turn on our screens and start scrolling, certain functions of our brain and the design of our phone applications come into play. Our brains naturally seek rewards, and our phones are designed to constantly provide us with information that interests us. This interaction triggers the reward system in our brain, similar to how a person can become addicted to substances like alcohol.

For many people, the newness and novelty that social networks provide, such as photos, videos, tweets, and messages, constantly feed into the pleasure-seeking part of our brain. However, there is also a part of our brain, the prefrontal cortex, that fights against these impulses and seeks to make more balanced decisions. Unfortunately, in many cases, the logical part of our brain that controls impulses is overwhelmed by the search for pleasure, especially in young people whose brains are still developing. This can lead to excessive scrolling where we enter a flow state and lose track of time.

While cell phone addiction is not recognized as a formal diagnosis