Ever wonder why our screen devices feel so addicting?
The simple answer is screen devices, video games, social media and other recreational screen activities are addictive because they are designed to be. The tech industry invests hundreds of millions of dollars in research studies, led by experts in behavioral addiction, to attract us to the device, pick it up more often, and not set it down.
That is fine. That is their job and they are in the business of selling their product. Our job then is to know how it works and how to protect ourselves from the adverse effects such as increased anxiety, irritability, lower productivity, and damaged relationships. So here is how it works.
1. The Devices and Apps Activate the Brain’s Reward Pathways
Our screen devices, games, and applications activate the brains “seeking” system. The seeking system is important because it drives us towards certain behaviors that support our survival such as eating and procreation.
Screen devices themselves, regardless of the content, have been found to activate the brains seeking system and release of the neurochemical dopamine. Dopamine is the primary neurochemical activated in both behavioral and chemical addictions, and it is activated when we are anticipating a reward.
Dopamine triggers as sense of “desire” and “wanting,” not “liking” or a sense of “satisfaction.” As a result, dopamine will drive us towards behaviors, even when we do not like them, and, without a subsequent feeling of satisfaction, leave us wanting another “hit.” In other words, dopamine keeps driving us towards a behavior but does not, on its own, provide a lasting sense of satisfaction after a goal is achieved.
2. We Don’t Know When the Next “Reward” is coming
Addictive technology often uses what behavioral psychologist call a “variable reward” pattern. In other words, you don’t know when the next “reward” is coming. Think of a slot machine. We keep pulling the lever (or pushing the button) because the next one could be the big one. And then the next, and the next, and so on. It keeps us coming back.
The same principal is behind video games and even endless social media feeds. Our brain releases a squirt of dopamine before each move we make in the game, anticipating possible outcomes, and before each swipe on our phone, wondering what picture or post might come up next.
What is unique about technology is the continual release of dopamine stimulated by every move in the game and every swipe on our phone. And there is always one more enemy, one more level, one more post in the endless stream of online content.
3. We Develop a Tolerance
In an effort to return balance to the system, our brains down-regulate the production and uptake of dopamine. With less naturally available dopamine, we need more of the activity to get the same effect, and our brains drive us towards behaviors that stimulate its release. In other words, if our brain has associated a screen device with dopamine, we will be driven back towards the screen device more and more.
Another word for this is tolerance. And, our increased tolerance leads us to checking our phone more frequently (even when there is no alert), spending more time on social media, and playing increasingly intense video games.
The bottom line here is that it is not our fault we are increasingly “addicted” to our devices. They activate the “seeking system” and our brains respond the way they are designed to. The challenge for all of us then is to better understand how our brains interact with technology so we can take advantage of the benefits these devises provide while avoiding potential negative effects. The good news is the changes to our brain are not permanent and by adopting TechHealthy habits we can reverse the effects.