Feeling More Anxious Lately? It Might Be Your Screen Time (and No, It’s Not Just You)
- Made 2 Move Team
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
About the Author: Hannah Breal, PT, DPT is the co-owner of Made 2 Move Physical Therapy in Charleston and Charlotte. She helps athletes and active adults rebuild strength, mobility, and confidence so they can move pain-free for life.
Made 2 Move Physical Therapy – Charleston | Daniel Island | Mount Pleasant
If you’ve been feeling more anxious, unfocused, or just off lately… I get it.
Because I’ve been struggling too.
Not with the usual business-owner things. Not with patient care.
But with social media - and the way it’s been hijacking my brain.
And NO, this is not a plea for you to like our Instagram posts.
This has nothing to do with engagement and everything to do with how I’ve been consuming content and what it’s been doing to my mental health.
The Scroll Spiral I Didn’t Notice
Recently, I caught myself mid-scroll for the 20th time that day — and it hit me:
I wasn’t choosing to be on my phone. My phone was choosing for me.
I scroll at work while editing content.
I scroll when I’m “relaxing.”
I scroll when I need a break.
I scroll when I’m bored.
Sometimes I don’t even realize I’ve opened the app.
And despite spending all that time consuming content… I never feel relaxed afterward.
Just more anxious. More insecure. More unsettled.
What I’ve Been Consuming Lately? Basically One Long Message: “You’re Not Good Enough.”
You know the vibe:
“Look at everything I accomplished this year!”
“Here’s my cute outfit — link in bio!”
“My business is thriving. Compare it to yours!”
“Black Friday! Cyber Monday! Buy this to fix your entire life!”
“I got 800 likes. You got 40. Try harder!”
It is… a lot.
And after a few weeks of this?
My brain was running an internal monologue of:
Do more. Buy more. Be better. You’re behind.
NOT great for any human, but especially not great for a business owner trying to think clearly, lead a team, help patients, and stay creative.
And honestly?
The problem wasn’t Instagram.
It was me — choosing to consume all of it.
The Moment Everything Shifted
This week, I finally did something different.
I put my phone in another room before I started working.
And… holy crap.
I was more productive than I’ve been in weeks.
My brain felt quiet.
Ideas actually came back.
I could sit and write about physical therapy, patient care, and Made 2 Move for pages.
And every time I got the urge to check my phone, I realized I didn’t know where it was… so I just kept working.
It was the simplest thing, but it changed everything.
A Conversation That Stuck With Me
A few years ago on the podcast, I interviewed Anneclaire Nelson, the founder of ACE in Charleston.
She told me she has a rule:
No social media on Sundays. At all.
I was blown away.
Honestly, I still am.
I’m not ready for that yet — but I am ready for something.
My New Experiment (Feel Free to Join Me)
Here’s what I’m trying:
1. Hide my phone in a different room on deep-work days.
Not just face down.
Not on silent.
Literally out of reach.
2. Spend 4 hours on Sundays without my phone.
A whole four hours.I don’t even know what I’ll do yet.
(Probably stare at a wall? We’ll find out soon. I'll keep ya updated.)
Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
But if you’ve been feeling more anxious lately…
Or you want to feel a little less overwhelmed…
Or you're tired of wasting hours on a mini-screen…
Try this with me. Hit reply so we can hold each other accountable.
Because your health isn’t just strength, mobility, nutrition, steps, sleep, or bloodwork.
It’s what you consume, how you think, how you recover, your stress, your mindset — and yes, your relationship with your phone.
We have way more control than we think.
If You’re in Charleston, Daniel Island, or Mount Pleasant… Your Health Isn’t Just Physical
At Made 2 Move Physical Therapy, we help active adults, athletes, and busy humans build lives where they feel strong, confident, resilient, and in control — physically and mentally.
If pain, injury, stress, or overwhelm are keeping you from feeling your best, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
At Made 2 Move Physical Therapy, we help active adults and athletes in Daniel Island and Mount Pleasant stay strong, healthy, and injury-free so they can keep playing for years.
We have three convenient locations:
Our team of DPTs can help you move, play, and live without limitations.
Want to learn how to move better, stay pain-free, and actually understand your body?
Join our free Thrive Thursday newsletter — weekly insights from real physical therapists to help you train smarter, recover faster, and feel your best for life.
Written by Hannah Breal, PT, DPT, Co-Owner of Made 2 Move Physical Therapy, helping Charleston and Charlotte move pain-free for life.
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