I feel like this is a dumb question, but I’m really struggling with my phone addiction and I want to know why this happens. I’m also generally curious about the brain and how it works, especially in addiction cases. Is our brain evolution just not caught up with the new technology?
I’m already aware that our brains release dopamine when we use our phones, but why?
Yesterday I read that our brains release dopamine when we fulfill a survival need- the article used eating and sex as examples. Obviously we’ll die without eating, and our species will die without sex (reproduction), so it makes sense for our brains to reward us for these things.
But scrolling on a smartphone isn’t a survival need. It’s fun, but we won’t die without it. So why does my brain release dopamine when I use my phone, so much that I’ve become addicted to it (specifically scrolling)?
In: Biology
Dopamine is supposed to reward you for “good survival behavior”.
But when our brain developed there were no phones, so we basically misinterpret phone usage as good for us for various reasons.
First of all it’s colourful and flashy. When something is colourful in nature it’s usually a good idea to pay attention to it. It might be a tasty fruit, or a poisonous insect. Whatever it is you should investigate and not ignore.
Then it’s communicative. You’re talking to other humans (even if indirectly) and we’re a social species where interacting positively with other humans is necessary for survival.
Another aspect is that some types of social media are specifically designed to get emotional responses from you. They have an algorithm that tracks your interests and then presents you more of those things that you paid attention to. Your phone basically learns what your brain reacts to and gives you more of it.
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