Social media has become an integral part of our lives, and with it, we have become addicted to the dopamine rush we get when we receive likes, retweets, or comments. The science behind this addiction lies in the natural chemical produced in our brains called dopamine, which is responsible for the reward and pleasure feeling we experience.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that transfers signals from one part of the brain to another, and it plays a crucial role in love, lust, motivation, attention, movement, and addiction. The level of dopamine in our brain is pre-built into our bodies, and too much dopamine can lead to addiction to whatever behavior activated the increase.
The dopamine loop is a process in which our brain seeks pleasure and reward, gets rewarded, and seeks more. This loop can be activated by social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. When we post something on these platforms, we get immediate feedback in the form of likes and comments, which triggers a dopamine rush. This dopamine rush encourages us to post more, seek more feedback, and repeat the cycle.
Big tech companies are well aware of how the dopamine loop works, and they use it to keep us hooked to their platforms. They want us to keep seeking more and more feedback, so they can keep us engaged and sell our attention to advertisers.
However, this addiction to social media can have adverse effects on our brains. Excessive use of social media can cause stress, which can lead to addiction. Stress can shut down the prefrontal cortex, which is the “executive” part of the brain responsible for limiting dopamine and our sense of pleasure or reward. When our brain gets used to a higher level of dopamine, it wants us to keep seeking that addictive substance or habit for more.
In conclusion, the addiction to social media is not just a psychological issue but also a neurological one. The science behind addiction lies in the natural chemical produced in our brains called dopamine. Big tech companies use this knowledge to keep us engaged and addicted to their platforms. It’s essential to be aware of this addiction and take measures to control our use of social media to prevent any adverse effects on our brains.
