Stuck on Scroll
Examining Technology, Internet and Social Media Overuse
"Technology is not inherently harmful, but its role in a client's life deserves thoughtful clinical attention."
104614 Stuck on Scroll: Clinical Strategies for Internet and Social Media Overuse and Addiction
As screen time continues to rise across all age groups, mental health professionals are seeing increasing impacts of internet, social media, and technology overuse on emotional, relational, and psychological well-being. This webinar equips clinicians with a practical, research-informed understanding of problematic digital use and screen-related behavioral addictions, exploring how these concerns present in clinical settings and how they can be...
Technology calls to us like a soft, glowing invitation—always within reach, always promising more. Its notifications feel like small sparks of excitement, offering connection, validation, or escape. The smooth design, instant access, and endless scroll create a sense of effortless reward, pulling our attention before we even notice the shift. It seduces with convenience and curiosity, whispering that just one more tap, swipe, or update will bring satisfaction. And yet, the more it captivates us, the harder it becomes to step away from its shimmering pull.
How many of you can relate personally to the above metaphor? I know that I can, as someone who at various times has not necessarily had the healthiest relationship with technology in my own life.
We often don’t think of technology as something that we have “a relationship” with, but reality is that we do. As Nir Eyal says, “We went a bit overboard with these technologies, and now we’re waking up with a hangover from overuse.”
Consider these statistics from Pew Research Center, which illuminate our society’s relationship with technology:
- 95% of U.S. adults use the internet, 90% own a smartphone, and 80% have high-speed internet at home.
- 41% of U.S. adults report being online almost constantly, illustrating how integrated the internet has become in daily life.
- In 2025, 84% of U.S. adults used YouTube, 71% used Facebook, and 50% used Instagram.
- 45% of teens believe they spend too much time on social media, while 44% report having attempted to reduce their social media use.
- Teens report both benefits and harms: 74% say social media helps them feel connected to friends, while 45% say it harms their sleep and 19% say it harms their mental health.
Impacts of Technology & Assessment
Recognizing technology use in ourselves and our clients can be conceptualized on a continuum, ranging from high engagement to problematic use, to a behavioral addiction.
The impacts of technology can be varied and vast, including:
- Relationships
- Connection
- Attachment dynamics
- Identity development
- Emotions
- Cognitions
- Behaviors
- Academics, occupational
- Sleep
- Mindfulness
- Eating
- Safety
To further illustrate the impact of technology on people’s lives, let’s hear from individuals who share these perspectives:
I once lost my phone for 2 days and I spiraled into a depression. I genuinely did not know what to do with my time. I went through patterns of feverishly searching for it, getting upset that I couldn't find it, experiencing anxiety and despair, staring at my ceiling, and even moments of crying. When I found it, I felt immediate euphoria. Looking back, I cannot believe how ridiculous this is. My phone controls my life and honestly it's sickening.
After watching this video on technology overuse, I decided to go for a 20 minute walk outside and left my phone at home. I actually experienced more pleasure in that 20-minute walk outside than I did 5 hours watching YouTube on my phone. Put the phone down, get out there and start living!
I spent a summer at a lab studying substance use disorders, and the more I learned about substance use disorders the more I realized they mirrored my relationship with my phone.
While we are really starting to examine the impacts of technology in our society generally and on people individually, clinicians can assess core areas of technology use in their clients to identify problematic areas that can be therapeutically explored. Consider assessing:
- General technology use
- Assess devices, platforms, frequency, duration, and typical daily screen time.
- Purpose and emotional function
- Explore whether technology is used for connection, entertainment, escape, reassurance, or emotion regulation.
- Patterns and habits
- Identify triggers, high-risk times, automatic checking, multitasking, and prolonged use.
- Impact on daily life
- Examine effects on sleep, relationships, work or school, physical health, responsibilities, and mood.
- Control and boundaries
- Assess unsuccessful attempts to reduce use and difficulty maintaining limits or technology-free periods.
- Dependence and withdrawal
- Explore irritability, anxiety, restlessness, cravings, or distress when access is limited.
- Motivation and insight
- Assess awareness of consequences, readiness to change, ambivalence, and personally meaningful goals.
Internet Gaming Disorder as a diagnosis is currently being considered for official recognition by the American Association of Psychiatry (APA). This is based on studies that show psychologic and physiologic patterns like those exhibited by a person with a drug addiction. For example, MRI studies of the brains of people engaged in excessive video game use look very similar to people addicted to drugs like cocaine. Internet addiction is not currently being considered by the APA as a diagnosable addiction. The internet is so expansive, making it hard to assess what aspects of it are addictive.
Why is This Topic of Importance for Clinicians?
Technology overuse can affect sleep, mood, attention, relationships, physical health, and daily functioning, yet it may be overlooked during routine assessment.
Understanding the emotional purpose of technology use helps clinicians recognize when it functions as avoidance, reassurance-seeking, social connection, or a coping strategy. Awareness also supports differential diagnosis by clarifying whether problematic use is contributing to—or resulting from—conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, or loneliness. Clinicians can then collaborate with clients on realistic boundaries and healthier coping strategies without pathologizing normal technology use.
Recommended Therapeutic Strategies
Therapeutic strategies such as CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and Reality therapy are considered preferred models to explore technology overuse and dependence.
For example, CBT has a specific treatment model called CBT-IA, or CBT for Internet Addiction, which is a specialized, three-phase treatment model designed to help people regain control over compulsive digital use.
The therapy targets underlying triggers, distorted thinking, and harmful habits related to excessive screen time. It is typically structured across three core phases:
- Behavior Modification: Identifies specific online triggers, sets strict time limits, and uses offline scheduling to curb compulsive usage.
- Cognitive Restructuring: Challenges dysfunctional thoughts or excuses (like "I only belong online" or the fear of missing out) that drive excessive behavior.
- Harm Reduction Techniques: Focuses on relapse prevention, co-morbid issues like anxiety or depression, and building a balanced lifestyle.
Consider the following clinical examples of interventions:
| Intervention | Example 1 | Example 2 |
| CBT / CBT-IA | A client identifies boredom and the belief “I’ll miss something important” as triggers for repeatedly checking social media. The therapist helps challenge this belief and establish planned checking periods. |
A student routinely games before completing assignments. The therapist helps create a “homework before gaming” plan and track its effects on productivity and stress. |
| Mindfulness / Acceptance | A client practices noticing the urge to check their phone without immediately responding. They use slow breathing and observe the urge until its intensity decreases. | The therapist guides a five-minute technology pause during which the client notices thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations without judgment. |
| Motivational Interviewing | The therapist helps a client compare the benefits of late-night gaming with its effects on sleep and work. The client identifies improved energy as a personal reason to reduce gaming. | A client is uncertain about changing social media habits. The therapist uses reflective listening and a readiness ruler to strengthen motivation for one achievable change. |
| Family-Based Interventions | A family establishes device-free meals and a consistent evening cutoff time. Parents follow the same expectations to model balanced technology use. | Parents and their teen create a technology agreement addressing homework, sleep, privacy, and consequences. They review and adjust the plan weekly. |
| Reality Therapy / Choice Theory | A client recognizes that scrolling provides temporary connection but increases long-term loneliness. The therapist helps the client plan one meaningful in-person interaction each week. | The therapist helps a client evaluate whether gaming habits support their health, relationship, and employment goals. The client selects an offline action that better meets those needs. |
Exposure therapy offers promise to address technology dependence and overuse. While we traditionally think of exposure therapy designed for anxiety disorders, it is certainly valuable to consider in clinical application to address problematic tech use.
Key principles of exposure therapy for technology overuse include:
- Purpose: Reduce compulsive tech use by gradually exposing clients to triggers in a controlled way while preventing avoidance or impulsive use.
- Hierarchy of triggers: Identify situations, apps, or notifications that provoke urges and rank them from least to most distressing.
- Controlled exposure: Clients intentionally confront triggers without immediately using technology to practice tolerance of urges.
- Response prevention: Avoid the habitual “escape” (checking, scrolling, gaming) during exposure.
- Monitoring and reflection: Track urges, anxiety, and cravings before, during, and after exposure to increase self-awareness and coping skills.
- Integration with other strategies: Often combined with CBT, mindfulness, and coping skills to enhance efficacy.
Clinical application of exposure therapy:
- Gaming: The client gradually tolerates boredom or stress without immediately gaming, beginning with a 15-minute delay while practicing another coping skill and increasing the delay over time.
- Shopping apps: The client views desired items and leaves them in the cart without purchasing, remaining with the discomfort until the urge decreases naturally.
- Social media: The client posts appropriate content and refrains from repeatedly checking likes or comments, gradually extending the time before reviewing responses.
All clinicians have a role in assessing technology overuse in clients and providing valuable strategies that can address and remediate problematic use. Technology is not inherently harmful, but its role in a client’s life deserves thoughtful clinical attention. By assessing the purpose, patterns, and consequences of technology use, therapists can distinguish healthy engagement from use that contributes to distress or impairment. A collaborative, nonjudgmental approach can help clients develop greater awareness, restore choice, and create realistic boundaries that support meaningful offline and online lives. ◼
104614 Stuck on Scroll: Clinical Strategies for Internet and Social Media Overuse and Addiction
As screen time continues to rise across all age groups, mental health professionals are seeing increasing impacts of internet, social media, and technology overuse on emotional, relational, and psychological well-being. This webinar equips clinicians with a practical, research-informed understanding of problematic digital use and screen-related behavioral addictions, exploring how these concerns present in clinical settings and how they can be...
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Opinions and viewpoints expressed in this article are the author's, and do not necessarily reflect those of CE Learning Systems.
