The Phone Fix

What is really happening in your brain when you use your phone, and how to harness it. We pick up our phones on average 80 times a day, and approximately a quarter of our waking hours are spent in front of a screen. We self-interrupt our work and social lives, forgo sleep, procrastinate important tasks and opt for digital distraction when we're bored or feel uncomfortable. Worst-case scenario, we're told phone use is melting our brains, creating a mental health epidemic and machines are taking over the world. But how much of this is true and what can we do about it? NHS neurology doctor and neuroscientist Faye Begeti explains the science behind why we have formed so many fixed and negative habits around our devices. She reflects on both deliberate choices and automatic behaviours, whilst also challenging myths around digital 'addiction', the harmfulness of blue light and how dopamine functions in the brain. Rather than recommending a quick-fix digital diet or abstinence -