Dopamine Addiction and the Seven of Swords: A call to steal back our attention

This week I’ve been doing a deep dive into the world of Dopamine. What it is, how it shapes motivation and survival, and how companies exploit that science to keep us hooked. Essentially, dopamine is the neurotransmitter that drives motivation, helping us seek food, water, shelter, and sex–the basics for survival. Under chronic stress (and who isn’t stressed these days, with you know, *waves hands at everything*), dopamine levels drop, leaving us less motivated to care for ourselves and meet those basic needs. In an effort to restore balance, our body then craves quick “hits” of scrolling, sugar, shopping, a drink, anything that gives us a surge of dopamine. The problem is that dopamine operates in short bursts that create fleeting pleasure that leaves us wanting more.