Social Media Addiction: Breaking the Scroll Cycle with Dr. Alaina Puff

You reach for your phone while you’re waiting, between tasks, or when you finally get into bed. Scrolling feels like a little time for yourself, but you put the phone down feeling more drained, with less time for the things you wanted to do. In this episode of Push Pause to Heal, Dr. Alaina Puff returns for a candid conversation about social media addiction, doomscrolling, dopamine, and how to build a different relationship with your phone. Alaina shares the wake-up call of seeing more than six hours of daily screen time while feeling like she had no time to care for herself. We explore why our phones can become a place to escape when we’re exhausted, how unpredictable rewards keep us checking, and what we may be seeking underneath the urge to scroll. We also get practical about protecting sleep, setting phone boundaries, and finding moments of connection and enjoyment in everyday life. Alaina shares how small changes helped her move toward weekends with Do Not Disturb turned on and more attention available for the people she loves. In this conversation, we discuss: • Dopamine and intermittent reinforcement, including why social media can feel like a slot machine. • How to notice automatic phone pickups and get curious about what you need. • The difference between distraction and a break that leaves you feeling restored. • Recognizing when phone use is interfering with sleep, relationships, or caring for yourself. • Moving your phone away from your bed and creating a different evening routine. • Practicing brief periods away from your phone and reconnecting with reading, creativity, nature, and conversation. If you’re ready to spend less time scrolling and feel more present in your own life, this conversation offers a compassionate place to start. ABOUT DR. ALAINA PUFF Dr. Alaina Puff is an intuitive business coach, speaker, and founder of Flow State Coaching & Consulting. She helps ambitious women leaders unlearn patterns of over-giving, doing it alone, and dimming themselves down, supporting them in stepping into wealth, visibility, and impact from a place of alignment and feminine power. Drawing on a PhD in psychology, neuroscience, trauma-informed coaching, and somatic work, Alaina helps women build self-trust and a way of leading that honors their well-being. CONNECT WITH ALAINA Flow State Coaching & Consulting: https://www.flowstatecc.com/ Instagram, @dralainapuff:   / dralainapuff   RESOURCES FROM DR. EMILY 🌿 Health Begins Here Get personalized coaching and support as you practice sustainable habits around nourishment, movement, sleep, and stress. Together, we help you find a starting point that fits your life. Learn more: https://www.balancedlivingfm.com/sche... 🌿 Balanced Living Experience Make room to practice what you’re learning through simple monthly wellness practices, reflection, and community support. Learn more: https://www.balancedlivingfm.com/bala... 💛 Balanced Daily Bundle The foundational supplement bundle I personally take every day, created to make supporting the basics simple. Shop the bundle: https://shop.balancedlivingfm.com/col... If this conversation encouraged you, follow Push Pause to Heal and share the episode with someone who could use it. You’re allowed to reclaim your attention, one small moment at a time. #SocialMediaAddiction #ScreenTime #DigitalDetox