00:00We are living in a dopamine overloaded world.
00:03The more dopamine that's released and the faster that it's released,
00:07the more rewarding is that platform for a given individual's brain.
00:13Dopamine is a natural chemical our bodies need to experience pleasure and to learn.
00:18But when platforms hijack that reward system to keep us glued to the screen,
00:22engagement quickly becomes compulsive. Every day we reach for our phones more often than we think.
00:28Scientists like Anna Lemke say that's because of the dopamine kick it gives us.
00:32Dopamine is closely linked to motivation and reward seeking.
00:36It's released when we anticipate a positive outcome and that reinforces behavior.
00:41Social media is built on anticipation.
00:43You never know what the next swipe will bring and that keeps us checking,
00:47picking up the phone again and again.
00:49The problem, the behavior we're reinforcing is never ending.
00:53Imagine eating a bar of chocolate only for the next to instantly appear in your hand.
00:57That's how social media feeds work.
01:00Over time, researchers believe constant stimulation can make ordinary activities feel less rewarding by
01:05comparison.
01:06So how do we take back control?
01:09The addiction expert Anna Lemke recommends simple mindfulness exercises to help unlearn harmful habits.
01:15Sometimes just 30 days are enough to learn how to engage with our phones less compulsively,
01:21with more control.
01:22Take a break long enough for your brain to readjust and reduce the craving for digital rewards.
01:28Make your phone less tempting.
01:30Turn off notifications.
01:31Take your phone out of your bedroom and switch your phone to grayscale.
01:36Do things that are challenging, exercise, pick up a new skill, read a book.
01:41Activities that require effort may not deliver instant gratification,
01:45but they can help restore a healthier balance in the brain.
01:48The reason that I recommend dopamine fasting is because we know that in order to bring those
01:54dopamine levels back into balance and obtain a healthy level of dopamine firing,
02:02we need to abstain from our digital drug of choice for long enough for our brains to get the message,
02:10OK, I'm no longer getting this in external stimulus that's triggering dopamine.
02:15I now need to get it from within.
02:18You don't need to give up technology completely, but you can stop letting it control your attention.
