Unhealthy Smartphone Habits Among Teens Lead to Anxiety and Depression: Research

Unhealthy fixation on smartphones among teenagers has been linked to depression, anxiety and insomnia, two studies have found.

Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London have assessed two groups of teenagers, aged 13–16 and 16–18.

The studies look at patterns of behaviour among adolescents, described as the ‘problematic smartphone use’ (PSU).

The symptoms include feeling upset when the phone is unavailable, struggling to control the amount of time spent on the phone and using the device for longer without feeling satisfied.
 
More than 18 percent of 16–18-year-olds and 14.5 percent of 13–16-year-olds had self-reported PSU symptoms, with higher prevalence among girls.

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