Phone addiction, social media and screen time – digital well-being

How phones, social media and gaming affect attention, sleep and mood, and practical ways for adults and children to build healthy screen habits.

Chapters on this topic

Screens, comparison, sleep, and what the feed is not

The Lamp in the Dark – Nikhil, thirty-one, a software tester in Pune, scrolled in bed every night "just to wind down." Midnight became one, then two. He answered work…
The Screenshot – Kabir, thirteen, in Delhi, laughed off a group chat joke about his accent. Then someone made a meme of his voice note and shared…
Perfect on the Screen – Leena, sixteen, in Mumbai, followed fitness and beauty accounts. Every picture looked flawless. She began to compare her face and body with strangers and…
Seventeen Tabs, One Diagnosis – Samira, twenty-four, in Karachi, felt tired, anxious and restless. She searched her symptoms at night and read comment threads from strangers. By morning she…
What He Searched for at Night – Marcus, seventeen, in Toronto, had been low since his parents' divorce. He told people he was fine, but he gave away a favourite game,…
Ankit’S Evening, Rewritten – Ankit’s day was typical: noisy street, long screens, late food, late sleep, headaches, a short fuse. The first change was not a new app.…