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Dopamine is a chemical neurotransmitter in the brain that tells us when we're feeling pleasure as a result of an enjoyable behavior or activity.
We are hardwired to enjoy certain behaviors that are essential for survival, such as eating and procreating.
The dopamine deficient may seek out harmful activities that release more of this chemical in order to feel good, such as drug or alcohol abuse.
Gambling addiction also has the same ability to change the brain, causing it to reduce dopamine production.
It can cause the same alterations of the user's brain chemistry, and leads to cravings and withdrawals when the addicted person can't play.
Technology companies are well aware of the reward system and use it to ensure we keep using their products.
Social media companies make their money through advertising, so their goal is to entice us to spend as much time as possible on their platform viewing ads. Notifications are one way they try to keep you connected.
Apps like Instagram sometimes store notifications about 'likes' on your photos so they can tell you about a larger number of 'likes' in one notification. This will cause an even bigger dopamine rush in the user, encouraging a dependence similar to addiction.
Understanding of addiction and awareness of the risks are growing, but realistically we are all still constantly exposed to addictive stimuli. Question your habits, take time to disconnect, and look after yourself.
Read on to learn more about how the Internet has changed our lives.
Most drugs target this reward system in the brain. They cause an unsustainable rush of pleasure that keeps users coming back for more.
Countries in the Asia-Pacific region are leading the world in the treatment of addiction to smart phones and social media. This part of the world has the highest level of smart phone users.
Unfortunately, we can be addicted to more than chemicals. Gambling is one of the longest established behavioral addictions.
Gaming is the second behavioral addiction to make it onto the WHO list, after gambling.
Many scientists consider availability to be at the root of modern addiction. For example, primitive humans needed to find sugar for their survival.
When the brain is overwhelmed by this flood, it reacts by producing lower levels of dopamine. This means that the drug user needs more and more to feel the same reaction.
It's likely that alcohol would be made illegal just like other harmful drugs if it was invented in modern times. However, it has become a societal norm due to generations of consumption and most cultures accept it.
Alcohol is as addictive and as dangerous as most illicit drugs.
Research shows that some people may be more likely to develop an alcohol addiction based on the way their reward system responds when they drink.
We recognize positive interactions through smiling faces, laughter, and supportive comments from our social circle.
Drugs and alcohol release a rush of dopamine five to 10 times higher than the normal level. We are conditioned to seek that rush of dopamine again, leading us down the path of addiction.
Dopamine: do we all have addictions?
The reward system in our brains that keeps us coming back for more
HEALTH Science
Great progress has been made in the study of addiction in recent decades. It's now clear that addiction is not simply an unsavory affliction reserved for a small minority. In fact, it affects us all. The human brain encourages us to repeat behaviors that are necessary for our survival, but nowadays there's a huge range of non-essential stimuli being thrown into the mix. Gaming, drugs, gambling, and smart phones are just some of the modern pleasures we're becoming addicted to. Click through the following gallery to learn more about the different kinds of addictions, and see if you find yourself on the list.