Can phone usage induce ADHD?

Andrew Huberman discusses how smartphones can affect attention, suggesting that they may induce a type of attention deficit similar to ADHD. Explicitly, he points out that the rapid turnover of contexts within smartphones overwhelms our brains, making it harder to focus on necessary tasks like work and learning. This "induced ADHD" arises because the brain struggles with constantly switching contexts from the various stimuli (e.g., apps, websites, notifications) provided by smartphones. Huberman mentions ongoing studies that further explore this hypothesis [1].

He further explored in another discussion how smartphones and technologies not only distract but can exacerbate symptoms for those who might already have concentration difficulties. These interactions might not directly cause ADHD, but they can amplify difficulties in focusing that resemble ADHD symptoms [2].

Thus, while smartphones do not directly cause ADHD, their usage patterns can lead to an "induced" form of attention deficit that affects our ability to focus and manage daily tasks efficiently.