U.S. News | Aug. 20, 2026 | Health
Overview
A digital detox may sound simple: put down the phone, step away from social media, and give your brain a break. But the first few days can be surprisingly uncomfortable.
U.S. News & World Report health reporter Elaine K. Howley examined what happens to the brain and body when people reduce their digital consumption, including how constant notifications, scrolling, and fast-paced content can reinforce dopamine-driven habits. The article features expert commentary from Jessica Steinman, LMFT, Chief Clinical Officer at No Matter What Recovery in Los Angeles.
What Happens During a Digital Detox
According to the experts featured in the article, stepping away from screens can initially trigger anxiety, discomfort, fear of missing out, and a strong urge to check your phone. These reactions can be especially noticeable during the first 24 to 72 hours as the brain adjusts to receiving less frequent stimulation.
Steinman explained that the process can be difficult during the first few days or even longer. But as the constant stimulation subsides, people may begin to experience a greater sense of calm.
“Once dopamine is not constantly being released, the mind begins to quiet, and there can be a sense of calm,” Steinman told U.S. News & World Report.
Over time, reducing digital use may help lower stress, improve attention, reduce compulsive phone checking, and support healthier sleep patterns. The article notes that meaningful habit changes generally take longer than a weekend away from your phone. Research into habit formation suggests that establishing new behaviors can take several weeks or even months.
Context for No Matter What Recovery
The dopamine-driven cycle behind compulsive screen use offers a useful window into how reward, habit, and behavior can become deeply connected. While a digital detox is not the same as treatment for substance use disorder, many of the underlying conversations about compulsive behavior, emotional regulation, stress, and healthier coping strategies are familiar within addiction treatment.
Steinman emphasized that stepping away from a compulsive behavior is only part of the process. What someone does with that newly available time matters, as does establishing boundaries to prevent old patterns from returning immediately.
For No Matter What Recovery, that perspective aligns with a broader approach to recovery that looks beyond simply stopping substance use to understanding the emotional and behavioral patterns surrounding it. Programs such as partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) provide structured support while helping people develop healthier routines, coping skills, and strategies they can carry into everyday life.
Jessica Steinman’s inclusion in U.S. News & World Report’s reporting brings No Matter What Recovery’s clinical perspective into a broader national conversation about dopamine, compulsive behaviors, mental health, and the importance of developing healthier, more sustainable patterns.
Source
Read the full article on U.S. News & World Report.
