Beep, Beep, Beep – the alarm blares from my phone early in the morning. Eyes half-closed I groggily reach out for it on my bedside table. Instantly, I’m bombarded by a tsunami of notifications, emails and social updates. I sit up, scrolling mindlessly through my phone, my mind racing with the sheer volume of information. This constant barrage doesn’t stop at breakfast. The pings follow me to work, continuously hindering my productivity. The urge to stay updated with everyone else’s lives and to remain connected leaves me feeling utterly drained.
Have you ever wondered why you can’t stop scrolling through your phone? Tech companies exploit and leverage our addictions to maximise profits. These dopamine feedback loops keep users engaged with their products. From push notifications to autoplay features, these companies employ various strategies to encourage continued use of their platforms, often at the expense of our well-being. This leaves us questioning whether we are truly engaging with our devices or just being controlled by them.
Dopamine and the reward loop
We’ve all been there, scrolling on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to check updates only to realise that 20 minutes have flown by. This is the dopamine-seeking reward loop in action. Dopamine is created in various parts of our brains and plays a critical role in thinking, mood, and motivation.
According to the researcher Kent Berridge dopamine fuels our wanting system driving us to seek out more rewards. In contrast, the liking system which involves other neurotransmitters like endorphins provides the feeling of satisfaction. However, the wanting system is stronger leading to an insatiable craving for more. With every photo and headline you encounter your dopamine system becomes activated perpetuating this never-ending cycle. Although it’s hard to break free from this cycle, you can gain control immediately by pressing the home button and putting your phone away.
Dopamine influences our daily habits and long-term goals. It is a key player in motivation, learning and decision-making. Understanding its role helps us recognise feedback loops. Short dopamine feedback loops are connected to rewards that can have a positive impact on our daily lives. When we engage in rewarding activities dopamine is released creating a cascade of neural activity which we experience as pleasure or satisfaction. Constantly checking social media notifications, playing video games, and eating sugary snacks can all activate these rapid reward cycles. Scrolling through a feed and receiving a like on a post triggers short bursts of dopamine that keeps users coming back for more.
Restoring genuine connections
One of the most overlooked aspects of the use of technology is how it impacts our relationships. I have often gone out to eat and seen couples or families sitting across from each other, completely absorbed in their phones, taking photos of their food and texting away! This behaviour defeats the purpose of going out altogether. When was the last time you enjoyed a meal without checking your phone? It’s crucial to be present during these moments to have meaningful conversations. Brief breaks from screens can foster stronger, authentic interactions.
The need for a digital detox
In an era where digital devices dominate our daily lives the concept of a digital detox has emerged as a remedy for issues such as stress, anxiety, and procrastination.
A digital detox involves the elimination of the use of devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and computers to focus on health, real life interactions and activities. This practice can significantly improve health, well-being, and relationships. However, it has become almost impossible to go without our phones for even five minutes – therefore, it’s important to slowly start reducing time on your devices to be able to go for a digital detox. Scientific studies are highlighting how the pervasiveness of phones is having a negative impact on health therefore their use becoming more problematic!
Social media apps on our phones are major contributors to feelings of loneliness and inadequacy. as individuals often compare our lives to the idealised images that they see online. This comparison exacerbates feelings of inadequacy, fear of missing out (FOMO) which impacts self-esteem and triggers anxiety within individuals. This further underscores the importance of stepping away from our phones to reconnect with our life and surroundings. Many have become dependent on their phones and the fear of being without them sends them into a panic! Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt insists that smartphones and social media are a ‘surge of suffering’ that is affecting teens all over the world.
Research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has revealed how one in eight young people want help in reducing their screen time use. Two studies have been conducted where there has been a connection between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and it has been linked to mental health.
Creating boundaries with technology
Designate specific times during the day when you will stay away from your phone. For instance, establish times when phones are off the menu when eating and dining out with your friends and family. Putting your phones away before sleeping for around an hour will help you sleep better.
Mindfulness and awareness techniques are powerful tools that can help us manage these short-term dopamine feedback loops. This can help us make more conscious choices about how we spend our time and energy. Engaging in activities like exercise or learning new skills can also offer other forms of reward that contribute to long-term wellbeing.
A digital detox doesn’t mean that you’re just going to abandon your phones overnight, however, it has become a necessity in today’s world to limit your phone use and to reflect on how technology has taken control over our lives. By intentionally decreasing screen time we can enhance our mental health, strengthen personal relationships, and improve the overall quality of our life. Implementing a digital detox requires discipline and consistency however the benefits are numerous and well worth the effort. The time to act is now. Take control of your digital habits today and create a healthier balance between the digital world and reality.
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