Do you or someone you know suffer from technology addiction? What are ways to overcome this behavioral addiction?
Knowing that we’re intrinsically vulnerable to addiction, tech developers can aim to create experiences that make healthy behaviors more habit-forming. However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to escape an addiction to technology.
Discover several technology addiction solutions for people who already have it.
Address Individuals’ Addictions
Adam Alter describes a few technology addiction solutions that individuals can use.
Rehabilitation: Rehab centers are beginning to offer services that specifically target technology addiction by removing addicts from triggering environments and providing them with tailored training and support. Alter says these programs are promising—early results indicate that many enrollees learn to manage their relationships with technology in a healthier way. (Shortform note: Enrolling in a specialized rehab facility can be expensive, so many technology addicts turn to less-expensive alternatives. These include digital detox programs where you have no access to technology (but these can also be expensive, so you might try organizing your own digital detox). Another option is joining a free 12-step program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous.)
Harm reduction: According to Alter, harm reduction involves taking steps to minimize the negative effects of your technology use. For example, you might sign out of your work email on your phone so that you’re not tempted to check it when you’re at home or turn off social media notifications so that social media doesn’t distract you at work. (Shortform note: Another aspect of harm reduction is honoring addicted people’s humanity. Judging yourself or others for their technology use may only exacerbate their shame and therefore reinforce their problematic behavior. Experts recommend showing addicted people compassion instead.)
Habit replacement: Alter explains that it’s difficult to suppress your technology-centered thoughts and tendencies unless you contrive a new focus altogether. The best replacement is one that meets the same needs your addiction does (like recreation) but in a healthier way. For example, you might trade late-night scrolling for reading.
(Shortform note: James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, offers some tips for replacing a bad habit with a healthier one. First, have a plan—what are you going to do instead of engaging in the bad habit? Then, take steps to ensure your success—ask a buddy for support or befriend someone who does what you aspire to do, remove temptations from your environment, and decide on how you’ll recover when you mess up and revert to your bad habit. Finally, keep a positive attitude and focus on the benefits you’ll enjoy once your bad habit is broken.)
Behavioral design: Behavioral design is the act of purposefully creating an environment that influences people’s behavior in desired ways. Alter emphasizes several such approaches: One option is to separate yourself from technology (for example, by leaving your phone at home when you go for a walk). Another is to use rewards and punishments to moderate your behavior (for example, by setting limits on your technology use and paying yourself to achieve them.)
(Shortform note: Alter’s concerned here with your capacity as an individual to design your own behavior. Other experts on behavioral design note that it also operates well on a larger scale. For example, in Nudge, Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein explore how policymakers can create environments that “nudge” people to make healthier decisions without infringing on their autonomy. Similarly, authorities and technology developers can build safeguards that encourage responsible design and use of technology. For example, some social media platforms might use “civility warnings” to discourage hostile online behavior, and X (formerly Twitter) prompts users to read news articles before sharing them.)
