Dr. Alok Kanojia

Therefore, our capacity to experience pleasure and behavioral reinforcement actually goes down for the rest of the day, which is what creates this experience that people have where like after you spend some time using a device, you don't feel like doing anything else. And when you do it, it requires like it's like a slog, right? You have to force yourself to do it.

And then you don't get any sense of satisfaction, even though like in a different circumstance, doing like a solid chunk of work will like make you feel good, right? You're like, yeah, I did it. But that our brain is just empty. So we don't have those feelings.

And then you don't get any sense of satisfaction, even though like in a different circumstance, doing like a solid chunk of work will like make you feel good, right? You're like, yeah, I did it. But that our brain is just empty. So we don't have those feelings.

And then you don't get any sense of satisfaction, even though like in a different circumstance, doing like a solid chunk of work will like make you feel good, right? You're like, yeah, I did it. But that our brain is just empty. So we don't have those feelings.

We have these different circuits, like we have the sense of identity. We have a sense of community. So these are different parts of the brain that are getting activated. But I think a big challenge that we have is that, you know, a lot of what technology does and a lot of what we struggle with has nothing to do with dopamine.

We have these different circuits, like we have the sense of identity. We have a sense of community. So these are different parts of the brain that are getting activated. But I think a big challenge that we have is that, you know, a lot of what technology does and a lot of what we struggle with has nothing to do with dopamine.

We have these different circuits, like we have the sense of identity. We have a sense of community. So these are different parts of the brain that are getting activated. But I think a big challenge that we have is that, you know, a lot of what technology does and a lot of what we struggle with has nothing to do with dopamine.

So a really good example of this is if we look at the amygdala and the limbic system. So the amygdala is our survival center of the brain where we experience fear and anxiety. And then our limbic system is more broadly like our emotional circuitry in the brain. And technology is addictive for a couple of reasons.

So a really good example of this is if we look at the amygdala and the limbic system. So the amygdala is our survival center of the brain where we experience fear and anxiety. And then our limbic system is more broadly like our emotional circuitry in the brain. And technology is addictive for a couple of reasons.

So a really good example of this is if we look at the amygdala and the limbic system. So the amygdala is our survival center of the brain where we experience fear and anxiety. And then our limbic system is more broadly like our emotional circuitry in the brain. And technology is addictive for a couple of reasons.

One is that it activates dopamine, which gives us pleasure and reinforces the behavior. But then the other thing that happens is anytime we use technology, it usually suppresses our negative emotional circuitry. If we look at addictions, all addictions do two things. They give us pleasure and they take away pain.

One is that it activates dopamine, which gives us pleasure and reinforces the behavior. But then the other thing that happens is anytime we use technology, it usually suppresses our negative emotional circuitry. If we look at addictions, all addictions do two things. They give us pleasure and they take away pain.

One is that it activates dopamine, which gives us pleasure and reinforces the behavior. But then the other thing that happens is anytime we use technology, it usually suppresses our negative emotional circuitry. If we look at addictions, all addictions do two things. They give us pleasure and they take away pain.

And usually what happens over time is we will actually acclimatize or build tolerance to the pleasure. So if you look at someone who's struggling with alcohol, the first couple of drinks they have, they're having a blast or maybe they're enjoying it. And then later on, like when you're on drink number eight or drink number nine or drink number 10, it's no longer fun. Right.

And usually what happens over time is we will actually acclimatize or build tolerance to the pleasure. So if you look at someone who's struggling with alcohol, the first couple of drinks they have, they're having a blast or maybe they're enjoying it. And then later on, like when you're on drink number eight or drink number nine or drink number 10, it's no longer fun. Right.

And usually what happens over time is we will actually acclimatize or build tolerance to the pleasure. So if you look at someone who's struggling with alcohol, the first couple of drinks they have, they're having a blast or maybe they're enjoying it. And then later on, like when you're on drink number eight or drink number nine or drink number 10, it's no longer fun. Right.

So when I have patients that are like carrying fifths of vodka around and like like tucking them away in purses or in drawers at work or things like that, and they're drinking throughout the day, they're not drinking to have a blast. They're drinking to numb certain parts of their brain. And that's what we also see with technology. Right.

So when I have patients that are like carrying fifths of vodka around and like like tucking them away in purses or in drawers at work or things like that, and they're drinking throughout the day, they're not drinking to have a blast. They're drinking to numb certain parts of their brain. And that's what we also see with technology. Right.

So when I have patients that are like carrying fifths of vodka around and like like tucking them away in purses or in drawers at work or things like that, and they're drinking throughout the day, they're not drinking to have a blast. They're drinking to numb certain parts of their brain. And that's what we also see with technology. Right.

So like when you're kind of like when you're stressed out and you go and you like, you know, sit down for a couple of minutes and you pull out your phone and 30 minutes go by. It's not like you're having a blast and laughing and full of pleasure. It kind of numbs out all the stress and all the that you have to deal with.