Most people don’t set out to become “addicted” to their phones.

They start by scrolling because they are bored.
Waiting.
Tired.
Mentally drained after a long day.

What follows is not a failure of willpower, but a predictable adaptation of the brain to constant stimulation. This transition—from casual scrolling to digital addiction—follows a linear, neurobiological progression driven by a process called allostasis.

Understanding this progression matters, because it explains why scrolling stops feeling optional—and why stopping feels harder than it should.

1. The Initial Response to Boredom

Scrolling usually begins as a simple solution to boredom.

Boredom is not a disease. It is a signal—of unused attention, emotional underload, or lack of stimulation. In earlier times, boredom nudged people toward rest, reflection, or creative engagement.

Digital reels offer a modern shortcut.

They are:

• instant,

• effortless,

• endlessly novel,

• emotionally lightweight.

At this stage, scrolling is regulation, not addiction. The brain learns a straightforward association:

When there is boredom, this helps.

Nothing pathological is happening yet.

2. Physical Adaptation Through Repetition

The intention remains the same: “just to pass time.”
What changes is the nervous system.

With repeated exposure to fast, unpredictable stimulation, the brain begins to recalibrate its baseline. This adaptive process is known as allostasis—the brain adjusting its internal set points to match the environment.

As a result:

• tolerance for boredom reduces,

• silence starts to feel uncomfortable,

• waiting feels irritating,

• stillness is experienced as restlessness.

This is not psychological weakness.
It is physiology responding to repetition.

3. The Allostatic Shift

The critical shift occurs when scrolling moves from being optional to being necessary for emotional equilibrium.

People notice subtle signs:

• opening apps automatically,

• reaching for the phone without intention,

• feeling uneasy when the phone is unavailable.

At this point, the brain is no longer using scrolling to relieve boredom.
It is using scrolling to avoid the discomfort of being unstimulated.

This is the allostatic shift—the moment regulation becomes dependence.

4. Transition to Behavioural Addiction

Here, scrolling changes in quality.

The behaviour is no longer driven by enjoyment or reward.
It becomes withdrawal-avoidance driven.

People often say:

• “I don’t even enjoy it anymore.”

• “Everything feels repetitive.”

• “I feel drained, not relaxed.”

Yet stopping produces:

• irritability,

• mental itchiness,

• vague anxiety,

• a sense that something is missing.

This is behavioural addiction—not defined by hours spent, but by a loss of psychological flexibility. The medium becomes necessary to prevent dysregulation.

The brain is no longer chasing pleasure.
It is maintaining a fragile baseline.

5. Recovery Through Retraining, Not Willpower

Because the core issue lies in the nervous system, advice like:

• “just stop scrolling,”

• “use more discipline,”

• “delete the app,”

often backfires.

Abrupt removal of the regulator without stabilising the system leads to:

• rebound scrolling,

• heightened anxiety,

• increased restlessness.

Meaningful change requires retraining regulation, not enforcing abstinence.

This involves:

• rebuilding tolerance for boredom and silence,

• slowing down overactivated reward systems,

• addressing baseline stress and fatigue,

• helping the nervous system feel safe without constant stimulation.

As regulation improves, the urge to scroll weakens naturally.

The Bigger Picture

People do not lose control suddenly.

They adapt—gradually, efficiently, and unconsciously—until that adaptation begins to carry a psychological cost.

Understanding this process replaces shame with insight.
And insight is where sustainable change actually begins.

An Analogy That Captures It Well

Transitioning into digital addiction is like someone who starts wearing noise-cancelling headphones to block out a mild hum.

Over time, their ears become so sensitive that when the headphones are removed, the normal silence of the room feels painfully loud.

The problem was never the silence.
It was the adaptation.

About the Author

Dr. Srinivas Rajkumar T, MD (AIIMS), DNB, MBA (BITS Pilani), is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Neurofeedback Specialist at Mind & Memory Clinic, Apollo Clinic Velachery, Chennai. His clinical work focuses on behavioural addictions, attention regulation, ADHD, and stress-related disorders, with a strong emphasis on neuroscience-informed care and avoiding unnecessary pathologisation of everyday behaviours.

📍 Apollo Clinic Velachery (Opp. Phoenix Mall)
✉️ srinivasaiims@gmail.com
📞 +91-8595155808