Insight & Action: Technology Addiction

Do you own your phone or does it own you?

Q&A with Dr. Lere

My real-life reactions to your real-world challenges.

Dear Dr. Lere,

I’m addicted to my phone. For a long time, I’ve tried to justify my preoccupation and brush off my attachment to a screen as something everyone struggles with.  It hit me how much of a problem it’s become when I was playing with my daughter the other day and she was talking to me. I got a notification and took out my device like a Pavlovian dog and instantly started responding to a stupid DM. I could vaguely hear her plead, “Daddy! Daddy?!” I’m ashamed to say I shushed her and said, “One minute!” more than once in a frustrated tone. Next thing I knew, I looked up and she was gone. I’ll never get those moments back. It makes me worry about how much time and attention I’ve let my phone steal from the people I claim are the most important to me. What can I do?