People Who Scroll On Their Phones While Watching TV Usually Have These 10 Personality Traits
It's more complex than just hyperactivity.
DimaBerlin | Shutterstock While phone and technology dependencies have risen dramatically in recent years, according to research from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the truth behind people who scroll on their phones while watching TV or indulge in other media simultaneously aren't being solely affected by that desire to constantly consume — it's much deeper than that.
From personality traits to hyperactivity to escapism, there are psychological roots in our behavioral tendencies, even if it's what we rely on to unwind or how we enjoy our favorite Netflix shows.
Here are 10 personality traits of people who scroll on their phones while watching TV
1. They struggle with focus and concentration
Dean Drobot | Shutterstock.com
According to clinical psychologist Tiffany Taft, many people struggle with feeling overstimulated in their day-to-day lives, whether they have attention disorders like ADHD or not, constantly overwhelmed by their emotions, senses, and thoughts. For some, having a distraction from that internal turmoil and chaos can be calming, even if it's doomscrolling and watching TV at the same time.
Many people need additional stimulation to help them to focus, even if it's something like watching TV. The comfort of additional stimuli and a distraction can actually comfort some people, helping their mind to unwind, escape constant turmoil, and focus on what they're watching.
2. They're lonely
Voronaman | Shutterstock.com
Amid a loneliness epidemic, many people are yearning for connection and community, and some are finding it in online spaces and through online accessibility to communication. When you're watching a comfort show or movie, you can reap the benefits of shared experience and community in online spaces, finding some escapism and self-soothing.
Desires to reconnect stem from these lonely feelings, according to a study from the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, and oftentimes the only way for people to connect with their inner circle is online.
3. They're afraid of missing out
Voronaman | Shutterstock.com
According to a 2016 study, the majority of people who tend to overuse their phones struggle with a fear of missing out — on news headlines, worldly events, and of course, staying connected with their communities and inner circles.
Coupled with a lack of in-person social connection, this excessive use of social media, phones, and technology also mentally affects mental health, feeding into a toxic cycle of loneliness, anxiety, and depression that draws everyone back into the digital landscape. It's not just escapism, but a desperate need to feel connected that leads to endless doomscrolling and technological multitasking.
4. They seek control in their lives
Antonio Guillem | Shutterstock.com
Complex emotions and stressful routines take a toll on our daily lives, whether we're aware of it emotionally and physically or not. People who tend to rely on their phones or multitask with media at the end of a long day, often use it as a means of control — they can ensure they're not overwhelmed by these difficult emotions by resorting to constant stimulation.
Ruminating on these negative emotions without healthy coping mechanisms draws people to these escapist routes for comfort, according to a 2023 study on work conflict, to help them maintain a sense of peace in their routines. Of course, avoiding pent-up emotions and difficult situations might help to craft a misguided sense of control, but eventually our emotions demand to be felt and resolved.
5. They struggle to live in the present moment
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock.com
The cycle of overusing media escapes and our phones feed into feelings of isolation and mood fluctuations long-term, but in the present moment, they can feed into a sense of calm and focus. For people who scroll on their phones while watching TV, this overstimulation can help them to divert their attention away from uncomfortable emotions and focus on something more tangible.
Like all of these other emotional responses to stress in our lives and unacknowledged harmful personality traits, they never truly go away, they just manifest in other uncomfortable ways in our lives.
6. They have unresolved or repressed trauma
SB Arts Media | Shutterstock.com
People who struggle with PTSD or mental illness tend to be more prone to the consequences of sensory overload or overstimulation, according to a Khiron Clinics report, but sometimes the superficial stimulation of technology or a comfort show can feel comforting, even while being similarly overwhelming.
It takes all of your brain power to focus on the things in front of you — whether it's your phone, the TV, or some other form of entertainment — that distracts you from the more uncomfortable emotions and overstimulating feelings you're experiencing. It's a means to avoid addressing repressed traumas, according to expert trauma coaches, that fuels people to continue engaging in these potentially harmful and dismissive behaviors.
7. They're constantly anxious
Inside Creative House | Shutterstock.com
Many people with a dysregulated nervous system struggle with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and overstimulation, according to trauma coach Liz Tenuto, that often feel impossible to overcome, whether it's sitting in traffic or resorting to anger during an argument.
They seek comfort from uncomfortable emotions, not because they're ill equipped to address them, but because they're too overwhelmed in their current state to make the space to heal or healthily cope.
8. They have unhealthy stress coping mechanisms
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock.com
Whether it's stemming from internal conflict, a job, or a toxic relationship, many people live in a constant state of stress that feels impossible to escape from even in their personal life. Stuck in the "fight or flight" mode, they're seeking the same stimulation their day-to-day stress brings into their life to find comfort.
Unable to endure the deafening silence or overwhelming thoughts that erupt in their alone time, they resort to podcasts, TV, or their phone to simulate a similarly stressful environment with constant input.
9. They're habitual
DimaBerlin | Shutterstock.com
Many people have adopted technological habits that feel impossible to break, from having their phone glued in their hands to reaching for our phones first thing in the morning. Like other habits and vices, they've become comfort and stability in our routines, making them inherently hard to break away from.
For many people who scroll on their phones while watching TV, it's simply a habit they've struggled to break or haven't noticed at all. While there's always an argument of overstimulation and unhealthy coping, for some it's simply habitual.
10. They're codependent in their relationships
Fizkes | Shutterstock.com
While sharing and engaging with people online while watching our favorite shows is oftentimes an extension of our need for connection, this constant desire can be a sign of codependency. If you're not able to enjoy alone time or engage in an activity without sharing it with another person, you're not always prioritizing space for yourself.
If you're constantly anxious about missing a text or not being able to communicate with a partner or a friend at all hours of the day, consider setting some boundaries for yourself. How can you ensure you protect your own space? What are some self-soothing activities you can integrate into your routine to ensure you're not constantly reaching for your phone?
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango who focuses on health and wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.