Phones were originally created to communicate, to call someone, to check in, and to stay connected. Somewhere along the way, that purpose changed, especially for people my age. Now, our phones aren’t just used for communication; they are constant sources of entertainment, distraction, and validation.
As a 17-year-old, I don’t remember a time when phones weren’t around. Scrolling has become part of my daily routine. Opening apps without thinking about it feels normal. What doesn’t feel normal: how hard it is to stop.
That’s why one of my goals for 2026 isn’t to completely cut out my phone, but to slowly and intentionally decrease how much I use it.
Most of us say we use our phones to “talk to people” but if you look at your screentime, that usually isn’t fully true. Hours of our time go to social media, videos, and apps designed to keep us watching just a tiny bit longer. Communication has turned into consumption. Instead of talking to our friends, we scroll through their lives on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and more. Instead of being present, everything is documented.
“I’m Not Addicted, I Just Want Memories!”
I have definitely fallen into the trap of telling myself that I’m not addicted to my phone and that I like taking pictures simply to remember things. It sounds harmless and, in a way, meaningful as after all, memories matter. Though at some point I had to be honest with myself about how often picking up my phone to “capture memories” turned into living for my phone instead of the memory itself.
I noticed I wasn’t just taking a picture and moving on. I was taking a picture and then answering messages. Taking a picture and then scrolling on TikTok. Taking a picture and then checking my Instagram feed. It became an unstoppable cycle.
The scariest part is how normalized this habit has become. It feels normal to send 100 snaps a day or to get upset when someone doesn’t respond while they are active. Being present matters more than proving to others that you were there with a photo. Being present matters more than snapping back the boy you found on Snapchat quick-add last week.
A lot of people don’t realize how addictive phones actually are. We joke about being “addicted to our phones” but addiction isn’t funny when you can’t sit in silence for more than 2 minutes without checking your notifications. Or when the first thing you do in the morning is grab your phone even before getting out of bed. These apps are designed to keep us hooked with their endless scrolling, notifications, streaks, and algorithms.
A question I keep thinking about is “If everyone was offered $100 to delete Snapchat for 5 days, how many would actually do it?” For a lot of people, the answer would be an easy no, and that says something. $100 for 5 days without Snapchat is basically $20 a day to simply take a break. Snapchat isn’t essential; it isn’t needed for work or school. Having or not having Snapchat won’t affect our futures. Yet getting rid of it often feels impossible. It has become super clear how reliant we are on these apps.
So, what would be enough to stop someone’s phone addiction? More money? Losing access to friends? My goal for 2026 isn’t to never touch my phone again. I’m not deleting every app and switching to a flip phone, but I want to be more aware. I want to put my phone down without feeling anxious about what I am missing out on for the 4 minutes I am off my phone. I want to stop reaching for it every 0.5 seconds because I am bored. Maybe the first step towards change is asking ourselves: am I using my phone too much?
