By Michaela Gordoni
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered why passively looking at your phone leaves you with a feeling of dissatisfaction.
“Our results show that it is especially passive and solitary use of digital media that makes us dissatisfied. For example, when we scroll through social media without interacting, do quick status checks, or play games alone,” said Malene Hornstrup Jespersen, Ph.D., at the SODAS research center.
Many report wanting to use their phones less but don’t make any effort to stop using their devices.
“The smartphone is always with us and is used for everything from work to entertainment and contact with others. This makes it difficult to cut back, even if we want to,” said Kristoffer Albris, associate professor at SODAS and the Department of Anthropology.
The most common strategies for more mindful phone use are to delete apps or turn off notifications.
“This shows that there is a gap between what we want to change and what we actually do. And perhaps it is not just a matter of willpower — but also of how our digital lives are woven into our everyday lives,” said SODAS’ Helene Willadsen.
A sign of addiction is when people want to spend less time doing something but find themselves unable to.
The study suggests that digital use should be discussed more — especially ways to avoid it passively.
A study in ScienceDirect titled “Loneliness Unlocked…” found that the loneliest adults are those who use their smartphones for long periods and use social media more than communication apps.
One Facebook employee, Justin Rosenstein, blocked certain social media apps on his phone and limited Facebook after understanding how detrimental the apps can be.
Thanks to smartphones, Rosenstein says, “Everyone is distracted. All of the time.”
“It is very common,” Rosenstein said, “for humans to develop things with the best of intentions and for them to have unintended, negative consequences.”
Those who have ditched smartphones for the old-style “dumb” phones rarely regret it.
“I am never bored now,” said one former influencer who traded her smart phone for a dumb phone. “Everything is interesting. I read long books.”
“I go on long walks without headphones. When I have to wait around — when a bus is late or a friend heads to the bathroom — I just sit there. I check my emails and such when I’m at my computer,” she continued. “I’ve found that when the internet is out of reach, it rarely crosses my mind.”
And the best part, she says? She has more time.
She said, “’Do you miss having a smartphone?’ they ask, and I think back to the height of my addiction. How could I miss that time? I was hardly even there.”
Our mental health and use of time certainly would benefit if we just stopped scrolling.
Read Next: Even Tech Lovers Are Embracing Dumb Phones — Here’s Why
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