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IPFS News Link • Techno Gadgets

Spending Too Much Time on Your Phone? Try a Digital Detox

• https://www.wired.com

Your nose is stuck to your phone for hours a day. Given the nature of work these days, it's a necessity. But being "always on" isn't healthy.

If you're feeling a too tethered to Facebook, Twitter, games, email, or videos, try a digital detox. Distancing yourself from your personal tech can free up some brain cycles and let you pursue activities that don't involve constantly tugging the pull-to-refresh lever.

A digital detox is like a health food cleanse, except instead of shunning bad food, you shun screens. Your phone is the most important device to regulate. According to David Greenfield, a clinical psychiatrist and founder of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction, smartphones are the gadget people most often find themselves addicted to. They go everywhere, so they're always screaming for attention.

The Science Side

The brain changes as you grow reliant upon technology. Greenfield says interacting with a screen floods the brain with dopamine. Do it too much and the brain gets used to the higher level of the stuff. Taking the screen away then causes problems. "The most common response is panic, especially being away from the smartphone. Some will witness withdrawal," he says.

One good way to ease that withdrawal is to trick your mind into focusing on something else. Greenfield instructs patients to make a list of activities they enjoy like knitting, baking, or gardening. Such tasks distract you, easing the pull of your phone. They also help eliminate excess dopamine.


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