Compulsive Scrolling

An hour lost to scrolling can leave you tired, flat or cross with yourself.

In Ofcom's 2026 report, 40% of UK adults said their screen time was too high on most or all days. Younger adults felt this most. You are far from alone in feeling this.

This page is for adults. If you are under 18, the under-18s section is for you.

Source: Ofcom: media use 2026

Why it can be hard to stop

We think part of it is how feeds work: they rarely end, and the next video often starts by itself. An hour can go without you choosing to spend it.

Scrolling can also fill a gap. You might reach for your phone when you feel bored, lonely, worried or low. When you put it down, the feeling may still be there.

What it can look like

You may recognise some of these:

• You open your phone to check one thing, then forget what it was
• You scroll in bed long after you meant to sleep
• You reach for your phone the moment you feel bored or awkward
• One short video turns into forty
• You feel flat after a long scroll, but keep going back
• You check your phone in the middle of a conversation, then feel bad about it

None of this makes you weak or lazy.

What to call it

The NHS notes that "as computer and mobile phone use has increased, so too have computer and internet addictions". That does not mean every long scroll is one.

The World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) includes gaming disorder. It has no separate diagnosis for social media or scrolling.

You do not need a label to want things to change. If you worry it has gone further, Mind suggests talking to your GP. If gaming or another habit has taken hold, read about compulsive habits.

Sources: NHS: what is addiction, WHO: gaming disorder, WHO: ICD-11 statistics, Mind: being online

Small changes that can help

Mind suggests small changes that can help you balance time online and offline. You might try some of these:

• Check in with yourself about how you feel while you scroll
• Turn off notification sounds, so apps are easier to ignore
• Use an app that shows your phone use and lets you set limits
• Delete apps that leave you feeling worse
• Leave your phone in another room, or somewhere out of sight

The NHS suggests putting screens away for an hour before bed. The blue light from screens can make it harder to fall asleep.

About one in four adults has deleted an app because they spent too much time on it. You do not have to give up your phone.

Sources: Mind: online offline balance, NHS: sleep better, Ofcom: media use 2026

What talking can help with

A professional can help with what the scrolling does for you, as well as the habit itself.

• Noticing what you reach for your phone to get away from
• Finding other ways to wind down in the evening
• Setting limits you can keep, without shame when you slip
• Feeling more in charge of your time, at your own pace

If it is costing you sleep, read about sleep problems. If the urge to check leaves you on edge, read about anxiety.

If your mood has stayed low and will not lift, read about depression.