The NewsWorthy — Special Edition: Science of Scrolling & How to Stop

Host: Erica Mandy
Guests: Dr. Julie Frattantoni (Cognitive Neuroscientist), Shannon Algeo (Psychotherapist)
Date: October 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This special Saturday edition dives into the “science of scrolling”—why our phones are so hard to put down, how excessive screen time affects our brains and relationships, and what we can actually do to change these habits. Host Erica Mandy speaks with Dr. Julie Frattantoni, a neuroscientist, and Shannon Algeo, a psychotherapist and digital detox leader, to deliver both the “why” and “how” of healthier phone use.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Digital Addiction: More Than a Phone Problem

• Dr. Julie Frattantoni emphasizes that digital addiction is not only about technology, but “an emotional regulation problem.” Many people are using their phones to escape uncomfortable feelings or cope with stress, rather than addressing the real issues. (01:21)
  • Quote:
    "Oftentimes people are using their phone or social media as an escape, as a way to avoid uncomfortable feelings or to cope with stress. So it's really more about not just the phone as the problem, but what are your coping skills, your emotion regulation skills." (01:34)

2. The Habit Loop Behind Tech Use

• Phone use often happens subconsciously, driven by a “habit loop” of trigger, behavior, reward.
  • Example: Check phone for weather → end up scrolling for 10 minutes without realizing it. (02:13)
  • Quote:
    "It can become very automatic, but you can break that cycle with the awareness." (02:41)

3. What’s Happening in the Brain

• Smartphones and notifications exploit neuroplasticity, making us more distracted and stressed.
• This strengthens the brain’s reward networks, reducing motivation for essential real-life activities and increasing dependency. (02:49)
  • Quote:
    "Smartphone use... is building a more distracted brain, which ends up building a more stressed brain." (02:49)

4. Linking Screen Time to Health

• Research suggests high scrolling time can shrink brain volume and impact mental health.
  • “Scrolling itself can contribute to negatively impacting mental health, increasing stress... it’s also about what screen time is taking you away from: sleep, exercise, social connection.” (03:42-04:39)

5. Kids and Tech: Modeling Matters

• Children's brains are even more susceptible due to heightened neuroplasticity.
• Parental modeling is crucial: kids imitate what they see adults doing, not just what they’re told. (04:50-05:47)
  • Quote:
    "Children imitate what you do, not what you say. So just making sure that your own phone use...you’re modeling those behaviors..." (04:50)

6. Detox and Environment: How to “Reset”

• Short digital detoxes (even 72 hours or 2 weeks) can reduce depressive symptoms and improve attention “as if they were 10 years younger.” (06:45-07:40)
  • Quote:
    "Within one study that looked at a two week period...they saw a reduction in depressive symptoms that was better than antidepressants and...on par with therapy." (06:45)
• Both environmental changes AND emotional regulation are needed; willpower alone is not enough. (06:06-08:06)

7. Mindfulness and Breaking the Scroll Habit

• Becoming aware of how scrolling actually feels can diminish its reward value (a concept taken from Dr. Judd Brewer’s habit research). (08:42-09:49)

  • Quote:
    "Go ahead, use your phone, scroll as much as you want, but while you're doing it, pay attention to how you're actually feeling...people will notice they actually feel more anxious or stressed." (08:42)

• Practical tools include mindful scrolling and the “physiological sigh”—a quick breathing technique to lower stress in real time. (10:05-10:51)

  • Technique (10:05-10:51): Inhale fully, add a quick extra sip at the top, then exhale with a sigh.

8. Quality Over Quantity: Rethinking Screen Time

• It's not just about less screen time, but how you use your device: active use (communication, work) is less harmful than passive scrolling. (11:38-12:46)
  • Quote:
    "It's not just the overall amount, it's really the quality of screen time that you're doing." (12:46)

Interview with Shannon Algeo: The Emotional Impact & Practical Strategies

9. Phones and Human Connection

• Digital communication lacks vital elements of empathy: tone, facial expression, body language. This leads to a sense of “disconnection” despite being constantly “connected.” (15:40-16:40)

  • Quote:
    "Our brains crave tone of voice, facial expression, body language...We’re craving more than what online discourse can provide." (15:53)

• FOMO and Peer Influence:

  • Phones feed into our innate need for belonging, making social media especially addictive. (16:56)
  • Quote:
    "There’s this deeply biological impulse to do what others are doing so we can be a part of the movement." (16:56)

10. Digital Detox Retreats: Confronting Avoided Emotions

• On multi-day “digital liberation retreats,” people experience waves of previously suppressed emotions—especially grief.
  • Quote:
    "Emotion can get stuffed or ignored or avoided when we are constantly scrolling to distract ourselves...Suddenly the whole circle was in tears." (17:57-19:46)
  • This creates “collective effervescence”—a deeper sense of connection and shared humanity. (19:46)

11. All or Nothing? Finding the Middle Ground

• You don’t have to quit cold turkey; start with small boundaries (e.g., checking your phone at specific times, or making your first hour of the day phone-free). (21:47-22:59)

  • Quote:
    "Our phones should be a tool to support us. We should not be the tool that the phone is directing." (22:59)

• Morning Ritual Example:

  • “The first hour of every day is mine.” (22:59)
  • Even if you’re busy with kids or work, being present (not scrolling) can enhance connection in those moments. (23:41-24:03)

12. Practical App: 1sec

• Shannon’s recommended app, “1sec,” adds an intentional pause before you can open certain apps, helping interrupt mindless scrolling. The “strict block” mode enforces longer breaks. (25:00-26:02)
  • Quote:
    "I’m obsessed with the strict block feature... they are completely blocked until 10am every day...it just completely takes off the table the possibility of me compulsively or accidentally clicking Instagram." (25:00)

13. AI & Empathy: The Next Challenge

• As AI grows, Shannon urges caution against viewing AI as a replacement for human connection, especially in therapy or support contexts.
  • Quote:
    "AI is going to mostly please and cater and accommodate the participant….That is going to be so seductive….If I’m going to a computer or an artificial intelligence more than I’m going to my support system, I think we have a big problem.” (26:24-29:04)

Actionable Takeaways

Quick, Practical Steps to Begin Changing Habits

• Notice the Urge: Next time you reach for your phone, pause. Ask, “Do I really need it right now?” (29:15)
• Find a Worthy Replacement: Replace phone time with something hands-on and enjoyable (music, crafts, walks).
  • Quote:
    "We need a good, worthy replacement...something that ignites desire within us." (29:15-30:45)
• Start Small: Try phone-free mornings, or use apps like 1sec to create digital boundaries.
• Practice Mindful Use: If you do pick up your phone, tune in to your feelings while you scroll.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dr. Julie Frattantoni:
  • "Children imitate what you do, not what you say." (04:50)
  • "You can't heal in the same environment that made you sick." (06:06)
  • "Willpower won't work here...You have to actually get to the root of things." (08:06)

• Shannon Algeo:
  • "Our phones should be a tool to support us. We should not be the tool that the phone is directing." (22:59)
  • "Emotion can get stuffed or ignored or avoided when we are constantly scrolling to distract ourselves from thinking, feeling what is underneath the surface of our human experience." (17:57)
  • "We need a good, worthy replacement if we're going to confront and reckon with and change our smartphone behavior." (29:15)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:21 – The real roots of digital addiction (Dr. Frattantoni)
• 02:13 – Habit loops and subconscious patterns
• 03:42 – Scrolling & health—mental, physical, brain volume
• 04:50 – Kids, neuroplasticity, and modeling behavior
• 06:45 – Detox studies: attention and depression
• 08:42 – Mindfulness as a tool to break the habit
• 10:05 – Breathing technique: The physiological sigh
• 12:46 – Quality vs. quantity of screen time
• 15:53 – Impact of tech on empathy (Shannon Algeo)
• 16:56 – FOMO and social media’s pull
• 17:57 – Digital detox retreats and emotional processing
• 21:47 – Avoiding all-or-nothing thinking
• 22:59 – Building better boundaries in morning routines
• 25:00 – Using the “1sec” app for mindful tech use
• 26:24 – AI’s risks & the future of human connection
• 29:15 – Simple first steps: Notice, pause, replace

Final Take

If you feel your phone controls you more than you'd like, you're far from alone—but change is possible. Both experts agree: Awareness, mindful practice, and environment shifts matter more than willpower. Small intentional changes—like putting your phone away in the morning, using technology mindfully, or finding an activity you genuinely love—can reduce stress, improve mood, and strengthen your relationships, both with others and yourself.

Learn More:

• Dr. Julie Frattantoni – “Better Brain” newsletter on Substack
• Shannon Algeo – Upcoming book: The Power in Your Hands: Liberate Yourself from Smartphone Attachment
• App: 1sec (not sponsored—just recommended by both host and guest)

For more links and resources, visit thenewsworthy.com and check the episode notes for October 11th, 2025.