Addicted to your phone?

How often do you check your phone? More than you think. Most Americans are picking it up close to 200 times a day—basically every few minutes. And nearly half of adults say they feel addicted, which can really mess with our mood, focus, and even our sleep.

Psychologist Dr. Naomi Dambreville says doomscrolling usually starts mindlessly but can spiral fast. You hop on to “stay informed,” but end up feeling worse—and that bad mood can keep you scrolling even longer. She says it can affect attention, self-esteem, and trigger anxiety, irritability, or anger.

So how do you know if your phone has too much control? Watch for these red flags:

• Your phone is involved in everything—news, social life, downtime
• You react to every notification and feel FOMO when you’re offline
• You struggle to focus without checking your phone, even while talking or watching TV
• Scrolling is your go-to cure for boredom
• You notice headaches, eye strain, or poor sleep
• Loved ones complain you’re “always on your phone”

Sound familiar? You’re definitely not alone.