Unplug Your Addiction

What does binge-watching Netflix, listening to music and playing games have in common? These activities trigger a special part of the brain and cause the release of a hormone and neurotransmitter called dopamine. So, what makes dopamine related to addiction?

Dopamine is released in situations in which the human brain experiences pleasure and is also responsible for motivation, promising that a certain action would yield pleasure. Suppose you are playing your favourite game and your brain releases dopamine. This cycle is repeated when you are indulged in more gaming sessions later on. At a certain point, your brain associates "gaming" with "dopamine." Since the brain loves these doses of dopamine, addiction develops.

Some software developers have expressed guilt and admitted to designing their applications in such a way that the user is hooked into checking their status quite frequently. They use the addiction mechanism of the human brain to their commercial advantage.

To test the role of dopamine in addiction, Christian Lüscher, a professor at the University of Geneva in Switzerland and his team designed an experiment. The experiment consisted of small levers that the mice could press at their convenience. Upon pulling the lever, special sensors within their brains would release dopamine. In a very short while, it was observed that the mice were showing addictive behaviour as they kept on pressing the lever. Lüscher observed that the mice had stopped eating and drinking. He concluded that, if left for a couple of hours, the mice would die quickly, but very happy. This is just the nervous system at work and is not much different from ours.

How can I "unplug" my addiction?

There is not a particular rulebook when it comes to getting rid of addiction. However, now that we understand what causes addiction in the very first place, we can use it to mitigate its effects. Withdrawal is one of the many useful solutions. Early withdrawal symptoms can include increased anxiety and a strong desire to use gadgets. Upon continuation, there is a good chance that one may find themselves more efficient and less inclined to use these devices. Control is the key.

Recently, there has been a wellness trend called "dopamine detox" on social media that has gained some momentum. It follows the same principle as withdrawal but somewhat lands on the extreme end of the spectrum. This technique encourages its users to withdraw anything that releases dopamine altogether, including some foods. This is not entirely wrong but there are people who take it one step ahead and go into starvation and/or self-isolation as talking to your loved ones releases dopamine as well. However, doing this does not "reset" your body's dopamine system and is a very common misconception with little scientific backing.

The end of the line is that one can unplug their addiction by reducing dependency on what causes the addiction itself without resorting to self-harm and by appreciating the good things in life.

Osaman is a curious mind always wondering about AI, simulations, theoretical physics and philosophy. To discuss nerd stuff DM him on www.fb.com/osaman.binahmed