Close
Search
Menu Menu
[gtranslate]

Is it possible to detach from your phone?

Credit: Thred
By
Brighton, UK
0 comments
0 comments

The growing dependency on tech is driving us apart. But there are ways to prevent being swallowed by your phone. 

‘84% of Americans say they are online either several times a day or ‘almost constantly,’ writes Christina Caron. I must amidst I didn’t even bat an eyelid at that statistic – which says it all, really.

I’ve used 2025 as a sort of ‘health kick’ year. Newly single and determined to shelve a period of low mood and insecurity, I set out at the start of this year with a very specific set of goals. I’ve achieved most of them, which feels amazing to say given it’s only August.

But despite running a marathon, reading more books, ditching processed food and cutting back alcohol, there’s one thing I’ve struggled to tackle – and that’s an overwhelming dependency on my phone.

When I really think about it, the amount of time spent staring at a screen is overwhelming. I use a laptop all day at work, then come home and watch TV, maybe do a bit of extra work on another laptop, and scroll intermittently on my phone throughout. The only times I’m not sucked into the digital vortex are when I’m walking from A to B, running, or spending time in the gym.

One habit I’ve picked up is leaving my phone on the side rather than bringing it to bed with me. The half an hour before I fall asleep is now taken up with reading a book rather than doom scrolling. As someone who’s suffered from terrible insomnia, I can safely say the positive effect on my day is tangible.

But I still live with constant ‘phone noise’ (as I like to call it). I’m ashamed to admit that there are times when I can’t help but check my phone mid-conversation. It’s not that I’m even interested in what I might find on there (spoiler; absolutely nothing. I’m one of those people who rarely receives a message), but it’s become a physical reflex.

My thumb aches to scroll for mindless content. My arm is constantly reaching to check my phone is there, panic setting in if it isn’t.

So no, I wasn’t particularly surprised to read that almost 90% of the American populace are also addicted to their mobile device.

And not for want of trying, young people are increasingly seeking ways to detach from the digital – particularly as our jobs move online and we grow ever more isolated from the physical.

The good news is, there are ways to combat phone dependency. And plenty of people have written about them.

Catherine Price’s book ‘How to Break Up With Your Phone’ asks us to consider the ways a digital dependency shapes our lives on a grander scale.

‘On your deathbed, what kind of life do you want to look back on?’ she asks us. Despite the fact we reportedly spend 88 days a year on a phones, I’d hazard a guess that our mobiles won’t be a favourable part of this retrospective utopia.

As I was reading Caron’s piece for the New York Times, I began to think about my own small feats of tackling tech addiction – I might still be hooked on my phone, but the habit of sleeping without it has made a big difference, and that in itself is success.

Like anything else in life, it’s all about setting small and realistic goals rather than overhauling our entire lives. That kind of change isn’t sustainable and ultimately leaves us feeling depleted when we go back to square one.

Instead, it’s all about choosing your battles.

One option can be consciously reducing screen time for a designated period of time – much like we might take part in ‘Dry January’.

‘Phone Free February’ has become a popular initiative in recent years, part of a non-profit campaign that asks people ‘to question what you need your phone for.’

Rather than encouraging people to ditch their screens altogether, ‘Phone Free February’ asks that we reduce phone time ‘by just an hour a day’ to improve our quality of life.

And of course, there’s no need to wait until February if you want to implement these changes yourself. When it comes to tech addiction, the sooner you can cut back the better.

‘Curbing screen time can be difficult because devices are often designed to be addictive,’ Jennifer Margaret Katzenstein told The Washington Post.

Every time we answer a text or receive a social media notification, our brain releases dopamine. But: ‘over time, the brain builds up a dopamine tolerance, so we need to use our phones longer to feel the same amount of pleasure. Left unchecked, this pattern can lead to addiction.’

Another tip for curbing this dependency is to give your phone a designated space in your home. Anything from a charging plinth to a cupboard or shelf – if it has a home, we’re less likely to carry it around with us.

If you’re someone who relies on your phone a lot for work, consider putting it aside the moment you walk through the door. ‘The more you physically remove the phone, the more you can build a habit of having some ability to ignore it when it’s on your person,’ says Christopher Mims.

There are also small things like turning off your notifications, removing distracting apps, or setting a longer phone passcode that can deter us from mindlessly reaching for a screen.

It might sound like a tall order, but when you find yourself grabbing a book instead of opening Instagram, you’ll thank yourself.

Senior Remote Writer Brighton, UK

I’m Flo, (She/Her) a Senior Remote Writer at Thred. I recently completed a Masters in Visual Anthropology, and seek to interrogate the ways digital spaces can amplify marginalised voices in the arts and cultural sectors. Follow me on LinkedIn or ping me some feedback via email.

Popular

Keep up with thred by signing up to our planet-positive newsletter!

More from thred.

Financial abuse has been declared a ‘national emergency’ in the UK
Credit: Adobe
People

Financial abuse has been declared a ‘national emergency’ in the UK

A new report reveals millions of mums and children face quietly pervasive economic coercion – with family budgets being used as tools for domestic abuse.  Abuse isn’t always obvious – least not when it takes place in the domestic sphere. But new figures from the charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) show that financial coercion is quietly affecting a staggering number of women and children. It’s a form of violence that remains underreported...

By Brighton, UK
Women are bearing the fertility burden with invasive treatments
Credit: Pexels
People

Women are bearing the fertility burden with invasive treatments

Lack of research and misdiagnosis is forcing couples, disproportionately women, into gruelling fertility treatment.  When a couple struggles to conceive, you would expect both partners to be treated equally during the process of diagnosis. But fertility care still leans heavily toward invasive focus on the woman and little attention on the man. Not only does this imbalance place the onus of fertility struggles onto women, who then face an isolating sense...

By Brighton, UK
How did Gen Z influence Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory in NYC?
Credit: Huete.at
People

How did Gen Z influence Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory in NYC?

On November 4, 2025, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani was elected as the first Muslim mayor in New York City. And this is largely due to the influence of Gen Z.  After four long years of subpar mayoral leadership, New Yorkers, especially Gen Z,  are ready for a change. As of November 4, 2025,  Zohran Mamdani is the change New York so desperately needed. The significance of the 34-year-old's mayoral win extends beyond...

By New York City, US
The UN warns that women face rising online abuse 
Credit: Pexels
People

The UN warns that women face rising online abuse 

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, UN Women reveal a disturbing rise in violent abuse toward women in digital spaces – with little consequence for perpetrators.  A few years ago, someone described the internet to me as ‘the world’s biggest public square,’ which sounded charming until I remembered that public squares throughout history have also hosted witch trials, duels, riots, and the occasional beheading. The past year...

By Brighton, UK
Accessibility