{"id":11476,"date":"2026-06-28T07:39:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T00:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/growing-number-of-people-seek-rehab-for-phone-addiction\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T07:39:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T00:39:34","slug":"growing-number-of-people-seek-rehab-for-phone-addiction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/growing-number-of-people-seek-rehab-for-phone-addiction\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing Number of People Seek Rehab for Phone Addiction"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marios, a personal trainer, is currently undergoing therapy for phone addiction<\/a>, grappling with an overpowering urge to check his device. He reports spending over 14 hours a day on his screen, primarily on Instagram, which he identifies as particularly addictive.<\/p>\n

Marios is now committed to a 12-session therapy<\/a> course aimed at addressing this compulsion, which he attributes to feelings of loneliness.<\/p>\n

A recent survey conducted by Deloitte, involving 1,000 adults, revealed that 70% of respondents believe they spend too much time on their phones. While phone addiction is not yet classified as an official condition, experts are increasingly reporting a rise in clients who are dependent on their devices.<\/p>\n

This trend raises concerns about the broader implications of smartphone usage on mental health.<\/p>\n

Data from UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT) indicates that last year, one in three clients treated for drug dependency also exhibited a secondary phone dependency, a significant increase from one in ten in 2019. Some clients have even refused to enter treatment facilities without their devices, highlighting the depth of their attachment.<\/p>\n

At Rainford Hall in Merseyside, therapists are witnessing a growing number of individuals who struggle to disconnect from their phones. Lead therapist Kelly Watson explains that the brain's reward system plays a crucial role in this addiction.<\/p>\n

When users receive messages, likes on social media, or new information, dopamine\u2014a chemical messenger that regulates pleasure and motivation\u2014is released, reinforcing the behavior.<\/p>\n

James, a 48-year-old client at another Steps Together center, initially sought help for alcohol addiction but soon realized that his digital dependency was also problematic. After losing his job, he found himself consumed by social media and news, feeling as though the digital world was holding him hostage.<\/p>\n

He recalls that any enjoyment he once derived from using his phone had vanished, leaving him feeling drained.<\/p>\n

Clients at Rainford Hall often express anxiety about letting go of their phones, citing work and family obligations as reasons for their attachment.<\/p>\n

Many undergo at least 28 days of therapy to address their addiction, during which they gradually reduce their screen time and explore the emotions that arise when they are disconnected from their devices. This therapeutic approach aims to help clients regain control over their lives and find healthier ways to engage with technology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An increasing number of individuals are entering rehab for phone addiction, highlighting a growing concern among experts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11478,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[923,924,921,922,925],"class_list":["post-11476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-digital-dependency","tag-mental-health","tag-phone-addiction","tag-rehab","tag-therapy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11476"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11479,"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11476\/revisions\/11479"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heibola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}