Treatment for smartphone addiction

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Self-Treatment for Cell Phone Addiction

Smartphone addiction has been compared to the Internet, gambling, and shopping addiction. It is a compulsive behavior that works similarly to substance addiction in the brain.

While cell phone addiction is a fairly new concept and isn’t yet in the DSM-5, there are a few treatment suggestions for those suffering from this condition:

Make rules for yourself concerning your phone usage.

Set periods in which you shouldn’t use your phone.

Designate activities in which your phone is forbidden.

Schedule break times to access your phone or social media.

Download an application to help cut down on cell phone use.

BreakFree and Mental allow you to track the amount of time you’re spending on your phone and which applications.

Cold turkey and SelfControl allow you to block the sites you wish to avoid.

Relaxation techniques such as mindfulness can help you to cope with your cravings to use your cell phone or access social media.

Smartphone Addiction Therapy

If these changes do not allow you to cut down on your cell phone use, you could be suffering from severe smartphone addiction, and treatment is recommended. Treatment options include:

Individual therapy: The therapist works with you to address any underlying problems or co-occurring mental disorders affecting cell phone use.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy aims to change your maladaptive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors into healthy and positive ones. This method has been proven effective in treating Internet addiction, which is very similar to cell phone addiction.

Motivational interviewing is centered around you; the client helps identify the difference between the current state and desired state and finds the motivation to make a positive behavioral change.

Pharmacotherapy: Although there are no current FDA-approved medications to treat smartphone addiction, when combined with psychotherapy, medicines such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and psychostimulants can help to treat Internet addiction.

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