Problematic Social Media Use: PSMU Part 2

The Dr. Jules Plant-Based Podcast · Aug 30, 2026 · 20m

Your phone isn’t the problem by default. The problem starts when scrolling stops being a choice and becomes a reflex you barely notice until you feel anxious, drained, or weirdly dissatisfied with your own life. We dig into the research idea of problematic social media use and why it’s not defined by screen time alone, but by whether social media begins to interfere with your attention, emotions, sleep, and real-world relationships. We talk through the mechanics that make feeds so hard to put down: infinite scroll with no natural stopping point, intermittent “slot machine” rewards that keep…