We’ve heard the warnings about screen time for years: “limit it”, “monitor it”, “put your phone down”. But the real problem in 2025 isn’t how much time we spend in front of screens; it’s more about how we’re using them and how we’re being used by them.
Let’s be clear, this isn’t just about kids zoning out on tablets or teens being hooked on TikTok, adults are in this too. What we’re facing now isn’t just distraction, it’s addiction and behavioral addiction that mimics what we see with gambling or compulsive eating. The brain doesn’t differentiate between social media and gambling for example, it cares about the reward it gets from using it.
What Is Screen Addiction?
Screen addiction is compulsive, especially with repetitive screen use that interferes with daily life. It’s as easy as “just one more episode,” and four hours disappear. You check your phone for one email, and suddenly you’re deep into a Facebook rabbit hole instead. For kids it’s even more addictive, just sitting down with a video game can turn into hours given half the chance. It’s important to remember, the refusal to go out and play and ignoring you isn’t laziness, it’s actually a neurological loop.
The brain gets hits of dopamine when we scroll, tap, swipe, or “win” something…likes, messages, coins in a game. Over time, we develop tolerance, crave the stimulation, and feel anxious or irritable when we don’t get it.
Kids, Screens, and Mental Health
In children, the signs are often dismissed as “just being a kid.” But here’s what we see in clinical practice:
Meltdowns when the tablet is taken away
Lack of interest in offline play
Sleep disruption from screen exposure before bed
Lower frustration tolerance
Delays in attention span and social development
Emotional regulation – kids who depend on screens to soothe themselves miss critical chances to learn how to cope with boredom, frustration, or sadness in healthy ways.
This doesn’t mean no screens ever, it means teaching kids how to use technology consciously, not compulsively. That requires us, the adults, to set the tone.
Adults Aren’t Immune
Let’s stop pretending this is just a youth problem because adults are in just as deep, if not deeper. Nowadays we take our phones to the bathroom, we scroll through dinner, we pick up the device before we pick up our kids.
Ands the consequences of this? Heightened anxiety, difficulty focusing, poor sleep and a constant sense of being “on,” yet somehow never caught up.
And perhaps the most worrying thing is we model these behaviors to our kids.
If they see us choosing a screen over eye contact, if they see our attention glued to a device more than to them, they internalize what matters. Kids don’t do what we say. They do what we do.
How Many Hours Is Too Many?
The most common question we hear is, “How many hours is too many?” Honestly, it depends.
A child could spend an hour watching an educational video and walk away better for it. An adult could spend 15 minutes doomscrolling and feel worse about their life. So, the better question is:
“How do you feel after you use your screen?”
“Are you using it intentionally—or reflexively?”
“What’s getting pushed aside while you’re online?”
That’s where the conversation shifts from time management to mental health.
How Do We Treat This Problem?
We now treat compulsive screen use using behavioral addiction models, not just time limits. That means we explore triggers, cravings, emotional payoffs, and withdrawal symptoms.
It’s the same approach we use with food addiction, compulsive shopping, or gambling. Because the neurological patterns are nearly identical.
We teach regulation and help rebuild emotional awareness. And we create systems to help people reconnect with what really matters.
What You Can Do
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, spouse, or individual trying to regain control, here’s what we recommend:
- Audit your use: Keep a log of when and why you reach for a screen.
- Replace before you restrict: Add offline joy before removing online distraction.
- Create device-free zones: Start with meals, bedrooms, and car rides.
- Model what you want to see: Your behavior speaks louder than any rule.
- Talk about it: Normalize the conversation around screen use and mental health.
If a child or adult is showing signs of distress, withdrawal, or dysfunction related to screen use, it’s okay to seek help. Therapy can help and does work. Family coaching also works.
If you’re noticing compulsive screen use in your home, you’re not failing by the way.
*All conversations with our team are strictly confidential.
PVD Psychological Associates specialize in college mental health, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, trauma, LGBTQIA+ issues, and relationship difficulties.
We also see clients for a range of other issues.
If you would like to discuss your needs with a therapist, complete the enquiry form on our Contact page and we’ll call or email you for a confidential chat.
