eli5: Why is social media so addicting?

Question

eli5: Why is social media so addicting?

In: 5

Answer 1

When we receive things like “likes” on social media, we feel acceptance by the tribe and our brains produce a dopamine rush not much unlike when we eat things like sugar. Over time, those who use social media often have their brains become conditioned to this stream of small dopamine hits, and when they go without it they tend to feel a deficit, thus the addiction.