As the UK prepares to ban under-16s from social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat in spring 2027, addiction experts warn that many children are already showing signs of dependency. Nick Dunkley, 47, operations manager at UK Addiction Treatment (UKAT), the country's largest private addiction treatment provider, reports a rising number of under-18s seeking help for social media addiction.
What Defines a Social Media Addiction?
According to UKAT, a child's love for their phone becomes an addiction when they experience an overwhelming urge to engage repeatedly, even when it causes harm. This is not a simple craving like wanting chocolate; addiction can leave individuals unable to function without the behavior. Dunkley explains that short, sharp videos deliver instant dopamine, leading to constant scrolling without absorbing anything.
Nine Signs of Social Media Addiction
To test for acute symptoms, Dunkley suggests taking a phone away from a 15-year-old. Signs include:
- Lack of eye contact
- Difficulty engaging in face-to-face conversations
- Physical agitation
- Eyes darting toward where their phone is
- Lack of sleep from doom-scrolling
- Persistent headaches
- Worsening eyesight
- Decreased attention span and IQ
- Sneaking second phones into rehab or refusing to surrender devices
These behaviors may be dismissed as typical teenage behavior, but they become pronounced in addiction.
Withdrawal and the Ban
When the ban takes effect, parents should expect withdrawal symptoms such as mood changes, agitation, and argumentativeness. Dunkley urges parents and schools to support young people through this transition. He is hopeful that within six months to a year, the impact on youth will diminish, saying, 'We're not depriving them now – we already did, now we're trying to give them their childhood back.'
The biggest threat to the ban's success, Dunkley warns, is parents bending the rules to allow their children access. He advises parents to use the ban as empowerment: 'We know the harm social media does for children – now this ban enables parents and schools to say no without the peer pressure.'
Practical Advice for Parents
Dunkley emphasizes that parents should not give in to children's demands for social media access. Instead, they should enforce the ban consistently. 'I know what I'd rather my child be doing rather than living in a world that doesn't exist, and aspiring to things they can never reach,' he adds.
For confidential help with social media addiction, visit UKAT's website.
