“I tried to go one day without any screens and I couldn't do it.”
That failure is the most honest data you've collected in months. You now know the depth of the dependency. Not theoretically, physically. The anxiety, the boredom, the compulsive reaching for something that isn't there. That's withdrawal, and it's real. The device has become a crutch for every uncomfortable feeling. Recognizing that is uncomfortable. It's also necessary.
Your Practice
Don't try a full day again yet. Start with one hour. Pick a time, after dinner, first thing in the morning, and go screen-free for 60 minutes. Walk, cook, read a physical book, sit outside. Build up slowly. This is a muscle. You're not weak for struggling. You're training against the most addictive technology in human history.
The Architects
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”