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Brain zapping may help break social media addiction

NCT ID NCT07410104

Symptom relief Sponsor: Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tests whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called tDCS can reduce the urge to use social media and lower addiction severity. Sixty university students with moderate to severe social media addiction will be randomly assigned to receive real tDCS, a sham (fake) stimulation, or no stimulation over 10 sessions. Researchers will measure changes in craving and addiction scores right after treatment and again five weeks later.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a non-drug treatment for social media addiction by reducing cravings and problematic use.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage trial with only 60 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The sham group helps rule out placebo, but the effect may be small or temporary.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 60 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Mar 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Sep 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥18 years. * Availability to participate in all study phases/sessions. * IAT score ≥31 (moderate to severe level). Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of depressive, anxiety, or bipolar disorders with recent symptoms; schizophrenia; psychotic disorders; or autism spectrum disorder. * Recent psychotropic medication use or dose change within the last 3 months. * Current need for inpatient care or ongoing psychotherapy. * History of dizziness or seizures/convulsions. * Contraindications to tDCS, including pregnancy, metallic implants, tumors, prior brain surgery, or significant anatomical brain alterations.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Internet Addiction Disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Craving Craving to use social media Internet addiction Social media addiction

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Egas Moniz School of Health and Science

    RECRUITING

    Almada, Portugal

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