Editor's Choice
Smartphone and social media harms: why we failed in our duty of care
BMJ 2025; 389 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.r658 (Published 03 April 2025)
Cite this as: BMJ 2025;389:r658
Re: Smartphone and social media harms: why we failed in our duty of care
Dear Editor
Smartphone And Brain Health
In recent days excessive use of a smartphone seems to be associated with many neurological and mental health disorders.
It can also have potential long-term effects on brain structure and function.
Excessive smartphone use, especially before bed, can disrupt the sleep patterns and lead to insomnia and other sleep related disorders.
Recent studies
Studies suggest that the excessive smartphone usage can also impair our cognitive function which include attention, memory, and decision-making.
It can also trigger migraine headache and be associated with tension type of headache due to eye strain or the blue light emitted from screens.
Studies suggests that excessive smartphone use may lead to changes in brain activity, including reduced gray matter volume in certain areas of the brain and altered functional connectivity between brain areas.
Some studies has also suggest a potential link between mobile phone use and increased seizure frequency in individuals with epilepsy.
Other than neurological issues, use of smartphones can lead to mental health problems like anxiety, depression, smartphone addiction, social isolation, loneliness, fear of being without a phone (Nomophobia), compulsive behaviors, impulsivity, reduced cognitive control, difficulties in regulating emotions and behaviors, reduced self-esteem and shyness.
Smartphone is a double edged weapon and it should be used properly to sharpen our knowledge and safeguard of brain health.
Competing interests: No competing interests
04 April 2025
M.A. Aleem
Professor of Neurology * Consultant Neurologist **
Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College Siruvathur Perambalur * ABC Hospital Trichy**
Tamilnadu India
@drmaaleem
