Americans are ditching smartphones for ‘dumb’ devices to avoid ‘zombie mode’

We all feel anxious when our phones tell us how much time we’ve spent staring at a screen over the past week.

Or at least you did, but then, like me, you became indifferent – ​​but how can I cope with spending an average of four and a half hours a day on my phone, and what can I do to change that?

One California woman explained that she swapped her smartphone for a “dumb phone” that only allows texting and calling to cut down on screen time.

Doomscrolling is a part of our society, but would you do anything to stop yourself from mindlessly scrolling through your phone? (Getty Stock Image)

Doomscrolling, a term coined in 2018 to describe the excessive amount of time people spend scrolling through news and other content on their phones, became too much for Caroline Cadwell when she found herself losing control over certain aspects of her life.

She told DailyMail.com: “I left my job because I was burnt out and spent almost three months in what I would call zombie mode.”

Cadwell explained that she decided to make the switch after finding herself completely engrossed in her smartphone one summer – to the point that when she took her dog for a walk, she couldn’t remember where he had gone.

She continued, “It was summer and I barely remember it—I did nothing. It was when I was almost out of it and feeling better that I started to think about what about my burnout was within my control, and the biggest contributing factor was the lack of boundaries at work.”

Speaking about how her life has changed, she added: “Space and time, that’s how I would describe it. It’s amazing what your relationships can gain if you give that up.”

Is the answer to your screen time woes a “dumb phone” or an app like Unpluq? (Getty Stock Image)

After waking up, Cadwell launched an app called “Unpluq,” which blocks other apps on a smartphone, preventing mindless scrolling so people can use their phones in a healthier way.

In addition to the app, the service has also launched a physical tag that can be used to unlock apps by touching the smartphone.

Cadwell said: “I think people are starting to pay attention to the dangers of social media and smartphones on a broad scale – I think there are few who would argue that they are good for us, 100 per cent, or that social media is only good.

“Is there room for more people to take more action? Absolutely, and we’re starting to see that, but I think younger generations are going to lead the way in building a different relationship with their smartphones from the get-go.”

Would you ever take such drastic action to limit your screen time? I’ve definitely considered it.