Do Humans Need a Tech De-Addiction Center Already?

This post has been written by Oggy, the canine soul in me!

Hi, hoomans! I love to cuddle and play with you and help you relax and have fun. But sometimes I do get annoyed with you and bark at you. You don’t understand(you’re human afterall). What I can’t figure out is that while you all make giant strides in technology, why are you becoming more anxious and depressed too. They really need a tech de-addiction center urgently. Bear with me while I explain.

Over 150 years ago, Charles Dickens, an amazing storyteller wrote this:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Now it’s 2023. Do you sense some deja vu? As I said earlier, while humans have made so much progress in science and space exploration, they are also becoming more anxious and depressed. The last decade have seen technology affecting human behavior in a big way. And now there’s the talk of AI.

Tech De-addiction Center

So, what they need already is a Tech De-addiction Centre. Let me elaborate.

Today, humans get huge dopamine doses from social media and web technologies.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in reward, motivation, and learning. You release dopamine when you do something that is pleasurable or rewarding, such as eating a delicious food, getting a compliment, or winning a game.

Social media and web technologies are designed to trigger the release of dopamine. They do this by using a variety of techniques, such as:

• Variable rewards: Social media platforms and websites often use a system of variable rewards. This means that you are not always sure when you will be rewarded for your actions. This creates a sense of uncertainty and anticipation, which can increase the release of dopamine.
• Notifications: Notifications are a great way to get your attention. When you see a notification, your brain releases dopamine, which makes you want to check it out.
• Personalized content: Social media platforms and websites use algorithms to show you content that they think you will be interested in. This content is often tailored to your interests, which can make it more rewarding to engage with.

The constant release of dopamine can lead to addiction. This is because the human brains become conditioned to expect a reward every time we use social media or a web technology. When we don’t get the reward, we may feel anxious or even depressed.

The excess dopamine levels may be contributing to a number of problems, including ADHD, addiction, and anxiety. With the excess dopamine levels the human brains become desensitized to it. This means that they need more and more dopamine to feel the same level of pleasure.

In addition, too much dopamine can also lead to problems with attention and focus. This is because dopamine is involved in the ‘reward pathway’ in their brains. This pathway is responsible for motivating humans to do things that are rewarding. However, if they are constantly bombarded with rewards, their brains can become overstimulated and they may find it difficult to focus on anything else.

Things to do @ Tech De-addiction Center

If you find that you are spending a lot of time on social media or other web technologies, and you are feeling anxious or depressed when you are not using them, it is important to take a step back and assess your use. There are a number of things you can do to reduce your reliance on these technologies, such as:

• Set limits on your time spent on social media.
• Unfollow accounts that are not making you feel good.
• Take breaks from social media throughout the day.
• Find other activities that you enjoy and that do not involve social media.

It is also important to remember that social media and web technologies are not inherently bad. They can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, learn new things, and be entertained. However, it is important to use them in a healthy way and to be aware of the potential risks.

I do try to push humans to relax and play. We go together to the playground for a walk everyday. I worry about them when they have no time to spend in nature.

I  love to play and interact with humans, especially children. We are very gentle, affectionate, and energetic. We also enjoy being outdoors and exploring new places. All of us can swim, fetch, run, and jump with ease.

I invite you to spend time in nature with your friends or family. And me, ofcourse! 

Welcome to the tech de-addiction center. LabStudio Library is a tech deaddiction centre.