{"id":39268,"date":"2024-02-26T13:52:59","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T20:52:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/womensvoice.com\/en-us\/?p=39268"},"modified":"2024-03-04T14:33:47","modified_gmt":"2024-03-04T21:33:47","slug":"devices-dopamine-and-motivation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/womensvoice.com\/en-us\/articles\/health\/devices-dopamine-and-motivation\/","title":{"rendered":"Devices \u2013 Dopamine and Motivation"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_image src=”https:\/\/womensvoice.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/02\/devices_banner.png” alt=”woman looking at cellphone screen” title_text=”devices_banner” admin_label=”Fullwidth Image” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_image][et_pb_fullwidth_code raw_content_tablet=”” raw_content_phone=”” raw_content_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Text – Fullwidth Leader Text” module_id=”fullwidth-leader-text” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” global_colors_info=”{}”]Smartphones put us in a trance, reinforcing our fragile human brains to keep tapping and swiping. <\/pee>[\/et_pb_fullwidth_code][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Body Content” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ header_font=”|700|||||||” header_text_color=”#509aa6″ header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”40px” vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”30px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_letter_spacing_last_edited=”off|phone” header_line_height_tablet=”” header_line_height_phone=”30px” header_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” z_index_tablet=”500″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Spend any time observing people, and you\u2019ll see heads down, fingers engaged, and eyes glued to screens. Smartphones put us in a trance, reinforcing our fragile human brains to keep tapping and swiping. We are witnessing a scary brain rewiring, putting the pleasure-pain cycle on extreme overdrive.<\/p>\n

The human brain, and hence our mood, thoughts, and actions, are influenced by the release of neurochemicals including those responsible for pain and pleasure. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that plays a main role in pleasure, while dopamine inhibitors do the opposite. Dopamine is released when we purchase the perfect pair of jeans, eat something delicious, have sex, smell our morning coffee, and have positive social interactions. Pressing the dopamine button makes us want more, motivating us to do more of the behaviors that press that button again.
While pressing the pleasure button causes a release of dopamine, our brain\u2019s built-in requirement for balance will compensate by releasing dopamine inhibitors. The problem many of us face today is that our constant need for pleasure \u2013 and dopamine \u2013 is causing the brain to overcompensate and create a dopamine deficit. The only way we know how to cope is by re-engaging the pleasure-inducing behaviors, like picking up our smartphones only minutes after we put them down.<\/p>\n

HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF A TECHNOLOGY ADDICTION<\/h5>\n

Smartphone \u2013 or technology \u2013 addiction is pervasive in North America and globally. The average person spends 3.25 hours on their phones daily; typing, tapping, and swiping over 2,600 times! The health impacts from smartphone use are diverse and include:<\/p>\n