The Holistic Approach to Cell Phone Addiction:Helping The Children and Adults We Serve Transition from Withdrawal to Wellness

Recently we’ve heard of more school districts across the country limiting or planning to limit cell phone access for students during the course of their school day. We also know that there are court case precedents set, acknowledging the intentional addictive factors of cell phone use.

As I remain a presense in our public school system, I have had a birds-eye-view of students’ reactivity when stepping away from their phones, theoretically in order to better focus on their work and learning. I think this brings into focus an unaddressed issue in our work with students (those considered typically developing and those living on the autism spectrum) and perhaps all of our work with both children and adults in mental health and educational interventions.

We are recognizing the need to limit cell phone use but are we taking a close look into how we can treat and diminish the withdrawal symptoms that so often result?

I see students at the high school level immediately engage in escape behaviors and exhibit severe anxiety and restlessness following the act of putting away their phones. I’ve seen students as young a 5-years-old relentlessly trying to escape the classroom in order to access the i-pad that has been left in their backpack just outside the classroom door.

As parents, do we see these withdrawal behaviors when we ask that cell phones be set aside during a meal or family time?

I wonder, too, as we sit with adults in the business of mental health recovery whether we are offering a transition period or activity to allow for openness to the therapeutic process…just as we can intentionally offer a transition activity so that students can move from their cell phones to learning mode.

Indeed, there are a growing number of rehab programs that exist, both inpatient and outpatient, that address these withdrawal issues.

But just from a day-to-day perspective, simple mindfulness maze activities, breathwork card games and finger tracing posters deliberately implemented between cell phone release and brain/healing work can be enough. Just a small transition for big results.

Try it! Expect Miracles!