How Digital Addiction Impacts Your Mental Health and How Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy Can Help
Hi - My name is Andy Selway-Woolley (he/him) and I’m a Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist. I run HeadFirst Hypnotherapy, based in Upper Heyford (near Bicester), Oxfordshire and also work online nationally.
How Digital Addiction Impacts Your Mental Health and How Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy Can Help
Let’s face it: most of us are glued to our phones these days. From scrolling through social media to constantly checking the news, our screens are never far away. While technology keeps us connected, have you ever stopped to think about how your digital habits are impacting your mental health? Are you feeling more stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed by the constant flow of information?
If you’ve been finding yourself stuck in a cycle of doom scrolling or struggling to put your phone down, you’re not alone. But the good news is, there are ways to break free and find balance again—and solution-focused hypnotherapy can help. Here’s a closer look at how digital life is affecting your wellbeing, with some UK-specific insights, and how we can work together to make positive changes.
What Is Doom Scrolling and How Does It Affect Your Mental Health?
Have you ever found yourself mindlessly scrolling through your phone late at night, reading endless news stories or checking social media updates? You’re not alone. It’s called doom scrolling, and it’s a term that’s become pretty common lately. Essentially, it’s the habit of consuming negative, distressing, or alarming content online, often for hours at a time. But here’s the thing—while it may feel like a way to stay informed or distracted, it’s actually taking a toll on your mental health.
According to the Mental Health Foundation UK (2022), a survey conducted in 2022 found that nearly 60% of people reported feeling more stressed or anxious after seeing upsetting news or social media content. Moreover, doom scrolling has been linked to heightened levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. The more you expose yourself to negativity, the harder it becomes to break free.
Have you started to feel more anxious or worried after long stretches of time online? Does your phone feel more like a source of stress than a tool for connection? If so, you’re not imagining it—your digital habits could be playing a significant role in how you’re feeling.
How Dopamine and Social Media Create an Addictive Cycle
So, why is it so hard to put our phones down or stop scrolling? The answer lies in how our brains are wired. Every time we scroll through content and get a ‘like’ or find an interesting image, our brain releases dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a central role in our brain’s reward system, making us feel pleasure or satisfaction (Volkow, 2004).
However, this quick dopamine hit can become addictive. The more we scroll, the more our brain craves that reward, leading us to keep checking our phones for the next piece of information. Studies show that this behaviour is similar to other forms of addiction, as it reinforces the urge to keep going, even when we know it’s not beneficial for our mental health. Research from the University of California (2020) explains that the rapid dopamine feedback loop in social media apps is designed to keep us hooked. As a result, scrolling through images and content doesn’t just consume your time—it also changes the way your brain seeks pleasure, making it harder to break the cycle.
The Anxiety Cycle: How Digital Habits Fuel Negative Emotions
Another key issue with excessive social media use is the tendency to compare ourselves to others. Research from Statista (2021) found that 87% of people in the UK regularly use social media, and for many, it becomes a space for comparing their lives to others. Whether it's the highlight reels of someone's vacation, their latest fitness achievements, or their seemingly perfect family life, social media often presents an unrealistic standard that can trigger feelings of inadequacy.
This constant comparison can significantly impact our mental health, especially for those already prone to anxiety. Studies show that social comparison can worsen feelings of anxiety, leading to negative self-esteem and heightened stress (Fitzsimons et al., 2017). If you’ve ever felt worse about your own life after scrolling through your feed, you’re not alone. The emotional toll of these comparisons is real, and it’s something many of us face.
How Digital Addiction Impacts Teenagers and Young People
Digital addiction doesn’t just affect adults—it’s also a growing concern for teenagers and young people. According to the Royal Society for Public Health (2017), 70% of young people in the UK report feeling more isolated or anxious despite spending time on social media. The constant exposure to unrealistic portrayals of life online can lead to negative body image, increased anxiety, and decreased social confidence, especially when young people compare themselves to the "perfect" images they see online.
Teenagers, in particular, are highly susceptible to the addictive nature of social media, with addiction to smartphones becoming increasingly common in younger age groups. Research from Pew Research Centre (2021) found that 95% of teenagers in the UK have access to a smartphone, and nearly half report using social media “constantly.” This excessive screen time is associated with a rise in anxiety, sleep disruption, and a general decline in emotional wellbeing.
The good news is, the same solution-focused approach that works for adults can be just as effective for teenagers. By using solution-focused hypnotherapy, we can help young people break the cycle of digital addiction, shift their mindset, and create healthier habits—empowering them to manage their digital habits in a way that doesn’t harm their mental health.
Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy: How to Break the Cycle of Digital Addiction
Now, here’s where solution-focused hypnotherapy (SFH) and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) can help you. Unlike traditional therapy that focuses on the problem, SFH and SFBT focus on building solutions and making positive changes. These approaches don’t get bogged down in what’s wrong; instead, they work on empowering you to shift to healthier, more positive habits. Here’s how SFH can help:
1. Focusing on Positive Outcomes and New Behaviours
In solution-focused hypnotherapy, we don’t focus on what’s wrong with your digital habits; instead, we focus on what you want to change and what positive actions you can take. Rather than dwelling on the problem of doom scrolling, SFH guides you to imagine and focus on the positive outcomes you want to create—whether it’s more peace of mind, time for hobbies, or deeper connections with those around you. By helping you visualise and experience these positive behaviours in a relaxed state, you can reprogram your mind to seek out healthier alternatives.
2. Shifting Dopamine to Healthier Sources
The key to breaking the cycle of phone addiction is shifting your brain's reward system. With SFH, we can help you replace the dopamine-driven rush you get from scrolling with more positive, sustainable rewards. For example, we can focus on activities like spending time outdoors, engaging in creative hobbies, or connecting with friends offline—all of which provide healthier dopamine hits. Over time, your brain learns to associate these positive actions with the reward of pleasure and satisfaction, making them just as appealing as checking your phone.
3. Interrupting the Anxiety Feedback Loop
SFH can help break the feedback loop that keeps you trapped in the cycle of anxiety and phone use. Through hypnotherapy, we can activate the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for rational thinking and decision-making. This helps reduce the overwhelming emotional responses from the amygdala, which is triggered by anxiety. By calming the emotional reactions, SFH helps you break the pattern of phone use as a way to avoid discomfort, and encourages more mindful decisions. As you strengthen your ability to manage anxiety without turning to your phone, the cycle of stress and scrolling begins to diminish.
4. Building Positive Habits and Reducing Stress
SFH also helps "empty the stress bucket" by teaching you techniques for managing stress without turning to your phone for comfort. Through relaxation and visualisation, you’ll develop the tools to deal with stress in healthier ways, such as through mindfulness, exercise, or spending quality time with loved ones. As you build these new habits, your reliance on your phone as a source of comfort or distraction will lessen, and you’ll create space for more positive, fulfilling experiences.
How You Can Start Breaking the Cycle of Digital Overload
You don’t have to let your phone control you. Start by setting screen time limits and creating tech-free zones in your home, especially during meals and before bed. Ask yourself: How does my phone usage make me feel? If it leaves you feeling anxious, stressed, or inadequate, it may be time for a change.
And if you’re ready to take control of your digital habits, I’m here to help. Through solution-focused hypnotherapy, we can work together to break the cycle of digital overload, reduce anxiety, and create positive habits that support your overall wellbeing. You don’t have to do this alone—together, we’ll build a healthier, more balanced relationship with technology.
Ready to Take the First Step?
If you’re ready to break free from doom scrolling, reduce anxiety, and reclaim your mental peace, I’d love to support you. Contact me today to learn how solution-focused hypnotherapy can help you take control of your digital habits and start living a more balanced, fulfilling life.
Find out how solution-focused hypnotherapy can help you break the cycle of digital overload, reduce stress, and create healthier, more mindful digital habits. Take control of your wellbeing today and reclaim balance in your life.
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My name is Andy Selway-Woolley (he/him) and I am a fully qualified Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist. I run HeadFirst Hypnotherapy®, based in Upper Heyford (near Bicester), Oxfordshire.
I assist people in regaining control of their lives by retraining their brains to overcome limiting thought patterns, master their emotions, and cultivate resilient behaviours for a brighter and more positive future.. I know… It’s awesome!
a nutshell, I ‘get you out of your own way’. Because, let’s face it, a lot of us are.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy taps into the power of your subconscious mind so you can move forward towards the life you’ve always wanted to live. It’s a quick, practical way to address thought patterns, emotions and behaviours that are holding you back in life.
I’m a registered and accredited member of the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (AfSFH) and National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).
I service the main towns and cities around Upper Heyford, including Bicester, Banbury, Oxford, Kidlington, Witney, Brackley, Charlbury, Northampton, Buckingham, Chipping Norton, Thame, Didcot, Abingdon, Henley-on-Thames, and Aylesbury, along with other local areas.
I also work nationally and offer remote hypnotherapy services online, so no matter where you're based, support is just a click away!