Opened an app, closed it, then opened it again straight away?
Why can’t we stop?
Phones offer endless novelty for the ADHD side, and a predictable escape for the autistic side. They can help you regulate, connect and learn. They can also eat your whole evening.
Screens aren’t the enemy. It’s about how you use them.
Phones and screens are both useful and hard to put down. For the autistic side, they offer something predictable and under your control, and a way to connect without the strain of being face to face. For the ADHD side, they offer endless novelty and quick rewards. That makes them good for winding down and for finding community. It also makes it very easy to lose an evening to scrolling, or to reach for the phone to avoid a task.
Why we reach for it
Put next to each other, the difference is clear:
| Autistic side | ADHD side |
|---|---|
| Predictable and in control | Endless novelty |
| An escape from people | Instant rewards |
| Deep-dive research | Avoiding boring tasks |
| Comfort rewatching | “Just one more video” |
Comfort and a trap, in one device.
What it can look like
Everyone is different, but these come up again and again:
- Opening an app, closing it, then opening it again
- An hour gone in a “quick look”
- Rewatching the same show for comfort
- Notifications making it impossible to focus
- Scrolling instead of sleeping
Keep the good
- Comfort viewing: Familiar shows are a valid way to rest.
- Online community: Find your people.
- Learning: Follow your interests.
- Helpful apps: Timers, reminders and calendars.
- Low-pressure contact: Messages instead of calls.
Break the loop
- Turn off notifications: Keep only the essential ones.
- Move tempting apps: Off the home screen.
- Try greyscale mode: Make the screen less exciting.
- Charge it elsewhere: Not in the bedroom overnight.
- Replace, don’t just remove: Have something else to reach for.
Where to start
You do not need to give screens up. Decide what you want from them, and make the unhelpful parts slightly harder to reach. Turn off most notifications and move tempting apps off the first screen. When you take something away, put something else in its place, so there is still something to reach for.
The bottom line
Use your phone, don’t let it use you.
This post is for awareness, not diagnosis. Everyone’s relationship with screens is different.
Want the swipeable version? This post is also a carousel on Instagram: follow @johnhasaudhd for more on life with AuDHD.