Resource · 2026-05-13
Phone Addiction Self-Test: 10 Questions to Assess Your Relationship With Your Phone
Is your phone use normal or problematic? Answer these 10 research-backed questions to assess your relationship with your smartphone and find out what to do next.
How to use this self-test
This self-test is based on criteria used in clinical research on problematic smartphone use, including the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) and the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS). It is not a diagnostic tool — only a qualified mental health professional can diagnose behavioral addiction. However, it can help you recognize patterns and decide whether to seek additional support.
For each question, answer honestly based on your behavior over the past month. Use a simple scale: 0 = Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, 4 = Always. Add up your scores at the end. The higher your total, the more likely it is that your phone use is interfering with your life.
The 10 questions
1. Do you find yourself losing track of time while using your phone, spending longer than you intended? 2. Do you feel anxious, irritable, or restless when you cannot access your phone? 3. Do you use your phone to escape from negative feelings such as boredom, stress, or loneliness? 4. Have you tried to reduce your phone use but found yourself unable to stick to your limits? 5. Do you check your phone first thing in the morning and last thing at night? 6. Has your phone use caused problems at work, school, or in your relationships? 7. Do you find yourself using your phone even when you are with friends or family? 8. Do you feel a compulsive need to check notifications immediately when they arrive? 9. Have you experienced sleep problems related to late-night phone use? 10. Do you feel that your phone use has reduced your ability to focus or be present?
These questions assess the core components of problematic use: compulsivity, withdrawal, tolerance, functional impairment, and emotional dysregulation. If you answered 'Often' or 'Always' to more than three questions, your phone use is likely causing meaningful problems in your life. If you answered 'Sometimes' or higher to more than five questions, you would likely benefit from intentional intervention.
Interpreting your results
A score of 0–10 suggests normal phone use with minimal interference. You may still benefit from occasional digital boundaries, but your relationship with your phone is generally healthy. A score of 11–20 suggests mild problematic use. Your phone is starting to interfere with your life in specific areas — perhaps sleep, focus, or relationships. Targeted interventions like notification reduction, app limits, or friction-based tools like TaskGate are likely to help.
A score of 21–30 suggests moderate problematic use. Your phone is significantly impacting your wellbeing, and willpower-based strategies are unlikely to be sufficient. You need structural changes: app blockers, scheduled phone-free periods, environmental redesign, and possibly professional support. A score of 31–40 suggests severe problematic use. Your phone use resembles behavioral addiction, and you should consider consulting a mental health professional who specializes in technology addiction.
What to do next
Regardless of your score, the goal is progress, not perfection. Start with the highest-impact intervention: disable non-essential notifications. This single change removes the primary trigger for compulsive checking. Next, add friction to your most problematic apps. TaskGate requires a short task before opening distracting apps, transforming automatic scrolling into a deliberate choice. Set a daily time limit on social media using Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing.
If your score was moderate or high, consider a digital sabbath — one day per week without screens — to reset your baseline. Track your screen time weekly and celebrate reductions, no matter how small. If you have tried these strategies and still cannot control your use, seek professional help. Phone addiction is increasingly recognized as a legitimate clinical concern, and therapists who specialize in behavioral addiction can provide structured treatment. The first step is acknowledging the problem. You have already done that by taking this test.