I constantly check my phone, even at night when I wake up. Can't go 10 minutes without scrolling, even while eating. My girlfriend says I'm addicted, but I thought everyone was like that? When does it become a problem?
That's actually not normal anymore, but a real sign of problematic phone use. Sure, most people use their phone way too much - but if you're waking up at night and immediately checking it, or you can't go 10 minutes without scrolling, that's a whole different level. That suggests your brain has gotten used to the constant dopamine hit. Your girlfriend's probably right about that.
It becomes problematic once it starts affecting your actual life - bad sleep (checking your phone at night makes it worse), not being able to concentrate, relationship problems, or realizing you don't actually want to do it anymore but can't stop. From what you're saying, at least your sleep is shot and you can't even switch off while eating. Those are red flags.
What helps: Honestly, you need to actively turn this around yourself. Get your phone out of the bedroom at night, or at least into another room. During the day, deliberately take breaks - not just "try it," but set concrete rules like "no phone while eating." It takes a while for your brain to adjust again, but it works. If you realize you can't manage it on your own, there's specialized help available for this too.
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