Browsing the internet is one of the ways to get dopamine, but probably few would say that this activity brings a lot of joy. Why is that?
“Research has shown that it’s free dopamine, released for basically no effort. We get a dopamine hit by simply looking at the phone screen and doing nothing,” Jakucionis said.
Since little to no effort is required for browsing the web, the dopamine does not feel all that great. It should be noted that the newsfeed is basically never-ending, there’s always something new to read. That’s why it is so easy to just keep browsing.
“Let me scroll down, I’ll find something new there. And this novelty of information is precisely what causes the release of dopamine,” he continued. “When we put the phone down after a lengthy browsing session, something interesting happens: there’s no dopamine trigger anymore, now we need to get on with our life.”
When we stop browsing, our motivation plummets because now we may be forced to do something that is not necessarily enjoyable, interesting, and new. This is the reason why people experience irritation and not pleasure in their future endeavours. In order to avoid this vicious circle, people should limit their exposure to social media and browse the internet in moderation. Do not give in to this addiction, spend your time on more meaningful and useful activities.
