Plenty of people will say they are addicted to the internet. But how well-recognised, scientifically, is an addiction … to your screen?

In episode four of Brain Rot, we dig into how behavioural addictions work.

And we hear from self-described internet addicts about the treatment programs helping them manage their relationship with technology.

Brain Rot is a new five part series from the ABC’s Science Friction about how tech is changing our brains, hosted by Ange Lavoipierre.

Guests:

Jillian and Kate

Internet and Technology Addiction Anonymous members

Hilarie Cash 

Psychologist and Co-Founder, reSTART

Anna Lembke 

Professor of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine

Anastasia Hronis 

Clinical Psychologist; Author, The Dopamine Brain

Dar Meshi

Associate Professor, Michigan State University

Credits:

  • Presenter: Ange Lavoipierre
  • Producer: Fiona Pepper
  • Senior Producer: James Bullen
  • Sound Engineer: Tim Symonds

This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar peoples.

More Information:

Changes and correlates of screen time in adults and children during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta analysis.

Internet-addicted South Korean children sent to digital detox boot camp.