Thrills that can trap us
Why are some things so addictive?
Larger than Life
Tinbergen performed an experiment using butterflies. He made cardboard versions with wings that were larger and more colorful than real-life versions. The male butterflies tried to mate with these cardboard fakes even after real female butterflies were introduced. (Barrett, Deirdre. 2010. Supernormal stimulus. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.)
Have you ever found that after action-packed media that real life seems boring and not worth the work?
Why? Dopamine. It's a feel good hormone released as part of a reward system of our brain.
It can be released in anticipation of anything we enjoy--eating, shopping, working out, sex and more. When those things are earned, it's not such a problem.
But what about when there's no work involved, or when the levels of dopamine are exaggerated? That's where addictions form.
In the case of sex media--porn and erotica--those addictions can get in the way of emotional intimacy. And romance media addictions--romance novels or soap operas-- can get in the way of physical intimacy.
Either way, larger than life fantasy can make real relationships seem unrewarding and too much work.
But books and movies can't hug or listen or care, so do we really want to fall in love with them?
Have you ever found that after action-packed media that real life seems boring and not worth the work?
Why? Dopamine. It's a feel good hormone released as part of a reward system of our brain.
It can be released in anticipation of anything we enjoy--eating, shopping, working out, sex and more. When those things are earned, it's not such a problem.
But what about when there's no work involved, or when the levels of dopamine are exaggerated? That's where addictions form.
In the case of sex media--porn and erotica--those addictions can get in the way of emotional intimacy. And romance media addictions--romance novels or soap operas-- can get in the way of physical intimacy.
Either way, larger than life fantasy can make real relationships seem unrewarding and too much work.
But books and movies can't hug or listen or care, so do we really want to fall in love with them?
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A fun video that goes into dopamine challenges for this generation, without the guilt trips.
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Discussion:
Have you ever noticed some people get addicted super easy? It can be anything--food, media, drugs, sex, gambling, shopping, and more.
Some people easily cut back when they experience bad effects from indulgence. Others find the more they try to give it up, the more they addicted they become. Why? A hint may come from an experiment performed on rats. In one group, the rats were isolated. The other was a social setting with great recreation and food options. Both groups had access to morphine laced water. The isolated, bored rats became dependent on the morphine laced water. The rats with resources and social access ignored it. Isolation. Boredom. Trauma as well. They leave a person vulnerable to addiction. |
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