What is Problematic Smartphone Use?
At Hope Rehab & Wellness we treat adults and adolescents struggling with smartphone overuse using evidence-based psychological therapies combined with practical digital-hygiene strategies and family or workplace interventions.
Who We Treat
We support:
- Adolescents whose schooling or social development is affected by excessive screen time.
- Adults with compulsive checking, social media addiction, or work-related phone overuse.
- Individuals with co-occurring anxiety, depression or ADHD where phone use is a coping strategy.
- Parents seeking structured plans to manage their children’s device use.
Our Mobile Phone Addiction Treatment Program
Our multi-faceted programme blends therapy, technology and family engagement to create lasting change:
- Comprehensive assessment: screen for problematic use, sleep disturbance, attention issues and mental health comorbidity.
- CBT for problematic use: stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, habit-replacement and scheduled phone-free periods.
- Digital hygiene training: app limits, notification management, do-not-disturb scheduling, and use of accountability software where appropriate.
- Family & workplace interventions: device contracts, graded reduction plans, and employer/teacher liaison for adolescents.
- Mindfulness & stress-management: alternative coping strategies to replace checking behaviour.
- Treatment of comorbidities: ADHD, anxiety and depression are treated alongside behavioural therapy when present.
- Aftercare & relapse prevention: booster sessions, digital check-ins and community resources to maintain gains.
Clinical Approach & Practical Tools
We prioritise practical, sustainable tools over punitive measures. For adolescents, we work with families to set age-appropriate boundaries and replacement activities; for adults we focus on workplace strategies and habit reversal. Practical tools include scheduled phone-free windows, app timers, and building rewarding offline routines.
Clinician’s Note
“Phone overuse often fills an emotional gap—loneliness, boredom or anxiety. Our role is to help people identify those drivers, build healthier coping skills, and regain time for meaningful life activities.”
— Dr. Nisha Rao, Clinical Psychologist
What to Expect — Timeline & Outcomes
Early benefits from behavioural changes (improved sleep, fewer distractions) can appear within days to weeks. Lasting change requires skill practice: most structured programmes run 6–12 weeks with follow-up booster sessions. Outcomes include reduced daily screen time, improved concentration, better sleep, and healthier relationships with technology.
Find Digital Balance — Book a Confidential Assessment
If phone use is harming your life or your child’s wellbeing, we can help. Call for a confidential assessment and tailored treatment plan that fits your family or work needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans. We prefer graded digital detox plans with clinical oversight and family agreement. If safety requires temporary removal, this is discussed and agreed beforehand.
Ans. Yes — CBT and habit-reversal techniques effectively reduce compulsive checking by teaching stimulus control and alternative behaviours.
Ans. We work with parents to create device contracts, enforce reasonable limits, build substitution activities, and liaise with schools for educational support.
Ans. Only with your consent. We can help negotiate workplace adjustments or phased returns for those whose job performance has been affected.
Ans. Some apps offer helpful screen-time limits and accountability; others (endless feeds) can trigger relapse. We guide clients in selecting supportive tools and removing harmful apps.
Ans. Medication is not a primary treatment for problematic phone use but may help when underlying ADHD, anxiety or depression is present.
Ans. Some improvements (better sleep, less distraction) can appear within days of implementing digital-hygiene strategies; deeper behavioural change takes several weeks with consistent practice.
Ans. Yes — telehealth works well for CBT modules, parent coaching and follow-ups. In-person sessions are helpful for assessment and when families need intensive support.
Ans. Yes — we run family workshops focused on digital parenting, boundary-setting, and building offline routines for the whole family.
Ans. Relapse is common; we re-assess triggers, adjust the plan, and provide booster sessions. The goal is to learn from setbacks and strengthen coping strategies.
