7 Years 146 days - Gamify7 Years 146 days - Gamify
I'm Quitting Alcohol
David Boyle talks candidly about slipping into phone addiction, comparing it to an alcohol binge and discussing how it affects his anxiety and creativity. He reflects on possible solutions, from app blockers to a "wise phone", and how less screen time brings clearer thinking in recovery.
8:06•8 Oct 2026
Phone Blowouts, Dopamine Hits and a Comedian’s Battle with Screen Addiction
Episode Overview
- Phone addiction can mimic the compulsive cycle of alcohol binges, minus the hangover but with persistent anxiety.
- App blockers may help some people reclaim time, but workarounds can turn them into another time sink.
- Minimalist "wise phones" are considered as a permanent way to cut off distracting apps and endless scrolling.
- Time away from the phone allows the mind to process and combine information, improving clarity and creative thinking.
- Heavy screen use may trigger or worsen ADHD-like symptoms, while reduced use can calm and focus the mind.
“As soon as I open it, if I'm not in and out, I feel like I'm like a fly caught in a fucking spider web.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This short, sharp episode of "I'm Quitting Alcohol" shifts the focus from booze to another habit that’s just as slippery: phone addiction. Comedian David Boyle talks through a fresh "blowout" with his smartphone, and the way endless scrolling feels eerily similar to going on a bender—only without the hangover, but with a lingering anxiety that keeps tugging you back.
Boyle explains how his phone use has crept back into his life after a successful week-long break, describing five-hour scroll sessions broken into constant "little dopamine hits" that leave his mind scattered and his day ruined. He compares the urge to unlock his phone to the old cigarette habit of needing something in your hand and at your mouth, saying, "As soon as I open it...
I feel like I'm like a fly caught in a fucking spider web." You’ll hear him chat about a conversation with his mate Johnny Door, who uses an app blocker to reclaim time and focus—though Boyle admits he can’t stick to blockers because he always finds a workaround. Instead, he’s eyeing a more drastic solution: a "wise phone" with stripped-back features, something permanent that might finally break the cycle.
He talks about how time off the phone gave his mind space to process and "synthesise" years of unprocessed information, bringing clarity and better comedy writing. Back on the phone, though, his thoughts bounce around and his creativity stalls, making him question whether his ADHD-type symptoms are really just screen-triggered.
For anyone in recovery who recognises the same compulsive patterns with their phone, this episode offers raw, sweary honesty and a reminder that sobriety isn’t just about alcohol—it's also about the habits that steal your focus and your life. Where might your own "fly caught in a spider web" moments be hiding?
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