Real Health Podcast with Karl Henry
In this week’s episode of Real Health, we look at phone usage and when it can start to have a negative impact on our lives.
Now that everyday tasks and communication rely more than ever on smart devices, how can we recognize when normal use has entered dangerous territory?
To discuss this, I’m joined by psychotherapist and author of The Phone Addiction Workbook, Hilda Burke.
Hilda says that although phone addiction has not been officially recognised as an addiction, those who use their devices heavily can show signs of addictive behaviour: “There are some hallmarks of addiction among heavy phone users… it’s that question of, if I can’t get the desired effect, how disturbed do I feel? If I can’t get it at night or during the day, how nervous do I feel?”
Hilda explains that a key indicator of addiction is when someone starts putting the substance ahead of things we would value highly in our lives: “You go to the nearest playground and you will often see a mother or father staring at their device. The child may be hanging upside down, breaking their neck, but what is on the phone is more important.”
We also look at the effects phone use has on the brain, why it can be a highly addictive activity, and some ways to help break the cycle of overuse.
You can listen to the full episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.
