Phones, feeds and digital life
Scrolling, notifications, short-form video and screen time: what the research measures, what it does not, and what reliably helps.
Definitive answers
- ExplainerCWhy can’t I stop scrolling?Feeds are hard to put down because rewards arrive unpredictably, which engages dopamine-based learning — not because of a special “dopamine hit”.
- ExplainerCIs phone addiction real?“Phone addiction” is not a recognised clinical diagnosis, but problematic smartphone use is real, common and measurably linked to poorer mental health.
- ExplainerBHow can I actually stop scrolling?What controlled trials, not general advice, actually show about screen-time limits, notification removal, greyscale and self-set goals for reducing scrolling.
Claims we have checked
- Dopamine CheckedEDoes a dopamine detox work?The receptor-reset story behind dopamine detoxing and fasting is not supported. Cutting total screen time has real trial evidence — for a different reason.
- Dopamine CheckedCIs social media addictive like a drug?Social media use shares some behavioural features with addiction, but it is not a diagnosed disorder and is not measured the way drug addiction is.
In the Dopamine Index
- IndexCGamingThe landmark PET study that first showed video games release striatal dopamine in humans, and what modern imaging adds and doesn’t.
- Index?TikTokTikTok’s short-form, algorithmically curated feed is linked to problematic-use symptoms in surveys; no study has measured dopamine directly.
- IndexCInstagramInstagram is the platform most studied with brain imaging, showing reward-region responses to likes, but not direct dopamine measurement.
- Index?YouTubeYouTube’s autoplay and Shorts features are widely assumed to hijack dopamine; no study has measured dopamine in YouTube users.
How we grade evidence: the dopamine.co.uk Evidence Standard. Try the free tools.
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