How can I manage smartphone addiction affecting work, sleep and seizures?

[Pugfan]

I have been warned I am going to lose my job due to my smartphone addiction. I constantly get distracted by my works WhatsApp group. I go on to check the messages & end up checking emails for a while. I go online to research work related tasks & end up watching how to videos on YouTube for hours. I stay up late watching videos & researching information. I've had two seizures since Xmas which no cause has been found. On the days I had seizures, I hadn't been to bed the previous night as was on my phone.
I had a disciplinary a few weeks ago & boss is concerned that I'm constantly on my phone & very tired. I said I feel addicted. We agreed I would go to my GP for help whilst I was on annual leave last week.
My GP wasn't supportive & said there was no treatment for this addiction that he could refer to. He advised me to turn my phone off at work but I don't feel I can do that as my team work in different locations and we use WhatsApp to communicate. He referred me to the Mental Health Crisis Team who were unable to help as I wasn't deemed to be an urgent risk to myself or others. They did provide numbers for cleaners as my house is in a bit of a mess as I'd rather watch videos than clean & for Citizens Advice for benefits advice when I lose my job.
I think I've tried every screen time blocker out there including Opal, Screen Zen & Brick but I usually uninstall them or smash up my phone with frustration & buy a new one. I've also tried Internet Addicts Anonymous but find it impossible to turn my phone off after meetings.
Has anyone been able to live with this addiction & function? Does anyone have advice as how to search for a job without getting distracted? I'm worried I'll get a UC sanction as I won't be able to search & apply for jobs.

I would ask your boss for support and enable you to leave your phone at home for a while

I would delete as many apps as possible - including this

And I would look at advice for any kind of addiction - I am guess rewards and distraction

can you live without a smartphone ? It’s tricky there’re days but there are options for everything - then you can smash the sim up for a while

I can't continue in my current job without a smartphone as we use WhatsApp for on call

I predict that, partly due to the success of the recent court case in America re social media addiction, it won't be long before the floodgates open and Internet companies of all stripes are facing class action lawsuits on behalf of people like you who absolutely have had their brains rewired without them knowing about it.
I suggest part of your recovery might be to get angry with Google, with YouTube, with all of them.
You didn't ask for this to happen @Pugfan .
All I can suggest is that recognition that the responsibility lies with the tech companies will help to enable you to actually free yourself from them. Not that any of this is easy.
You have my sympathy, seriously. This was a disaster waiting to happen for literally millions of people, and I really believe the tide's turning now.

Can’t your work give you work phones?

Our work phones are Samsung smart phones. Most of my team just use our own phones to avoid having 2 devices all the time.

I’ve worked in jobs where we have work and our own phones though and most people just use their work phones for work use and personal ones for personal personal use.

A simple smartphone with WhatsApp and no other apps on, but only you can develop the discipline to not touch it unless on a call. What things (other than smartphones) do you like? Could rewarding yourself for not having self destructive behaviour aka using phone continuously be helpful. We leave our phones in the bedroom on charge sometimes so we can’t be distracted. A boring landline in your house means people can contact you or have a basic phone.

Re the seizures. Have you not been referred to neurology?

I’d suggest you look for addiction courses. Doesn’t need to be specifically smart phone addiction. I’m not sure there’s any out there yet like there are for drugs, alcohol, gambling etc… but addiction is addiction.

A few years ago my friend worked with 2 colleagues she managed whilst in an office and they had smartphone addictions. She was very firm and said they had to be off or in a drawer whilst during work hours, obvs not on breaks, lunch.

I’d go back to GP and see what they say. Are the seizures related to lack of sleep or are they medical? Get them looked into too, second opinion.

I've been referred to Neurology. I had a head MRI & lumbsr puncture which were both clear. I've had to stop driving until I'm seen by Neurology.

I think the seizures were due to lack of sleep & not eating or drinking properly.

I have a landline & did ask friends & family to contact me on it but most people didn't & messaged me which was frustrating.i used to enjoy reading & went to a book group monthly but I gave that up as I'd rather be on my phone.

If you lose your job you may not be able to afford a smartphone, you definetely need therapy, smashing phones, staying awake 24/7, losing your job, you don’t seem to have any self control.

Leave your phone at work then so you can't use it at home (lock it in a drawer or something), get a landline phone for actual calls.

You could try hypnosis to wean you off, it can work well.

You are rejecting suggested solutions.

Get a work phone. Disable everything except WhatsApp which will ONLY be work contacts.

Try putting the work phone in a drawer and only checking it intermittently. Start switching off your personal mobile, extend the time you do without it.

Also ppl can’t message you if your phone is off.
Get rid of your phone and go back to a basic calls/txt phone and tell your boss you will need a phone in office just for whatsapp

Could you have the works WhatsApp chat on your work phone?

Then you can legitimately turn off your personal phone during working hours. Shut it away in the car glovebox or bury it at the back of the saucepan cupboard - it sounds flippant but part of the issue is ease of proximity and convenience. You need to make it harder to pick up the bloody thing.

You’ve got two very real reasons to make this urgent - the threat of losing your job and the seizures. I’d be speaking that out loud when my phone’s in my hand or I’m browsing for legitimate reasons. “Do I want to check TikTok/play the game/scroll YouTube or do I want a seizure?”

I am becoming conscious that I’m on my phone far too much (albeit not during working hours time) and I’m following some of the tips here:

https://www.becomingminimalist.com/break-your-cell-phone-habit/

I would need to take my work phone home as we have an on-call rota at night & weekends

And?? Do that then!

You need to read how to break up with your phone. I did. I'm not entirely cured, but am certainly more mindful and have strategies to not get so distracted when I do need to use it.

Definitely! I always took my work phone home.

I'm worried I'll stay up all night on my work phone as they have the chrome browser installed. Does anyone else forget to eat or drink when they are on their phone?

I'm going to sell my personal phone tomorrow in CEX & just use my landline. I hope my family & friends will eventually remember to phone it!