Study: Being on Your Phone For 68 Mins. Daily May Be a Sign of Depression

It’s 2015 — our whole life revolves around our phone. It’s not a luxury anymore, but a necessity.

Now, new research from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago suggests how much time people are on their phones could help diagnose signs of depression.

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First, the study found that those who spend longer amounts of time on their phones are more likely to be depressed. The average daily usage for people with depression was found to be just over an hour — 68 minutes — compared to 17 minutes for those who aren’t.

The study aims to help doctors figure out a way they can help out depressed patients without having to ask them questions.

They can also track their GPS location through their phones, as they found people who spend most of their time at home are also more likely to be depressed.

Researchers in the study were able to identify people with depressive symptoms with an 87% accuracy.

The study was published in the “Journal of Medical Internet Research.”