Loneliness, Boredom, and Vulnerability to Addiction

Our phones make life easier in countless ways. They connect us, inform us, and keep our lives running. But they also creep into every quiet moment, stealing our focus and dulling the satisfaction we find in real experiences.

In this episode of Office Hours, I talk about how our phones tap into the brain’s reward system and what we can do to reclaim control. I am not suggesting that you give up your devices entirely, since that is likely unrealistic for most people. Instead, I offer simple guardrails that help you enjoy the benefits of technology without letting it dominate your day. I share five practical strategies to create boundaries that help you stay focused, balanced, and fully present.

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Where to find Arthur Brooks: 

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(04:22) An overview of dopamine and its role in learning, motivation, and reward

(09:08) How addiction hijacks dopamine, and why some of us are more vulnerable than others

(13:50) Who is most at risk for phone addiction and other dangers of phone use

(17:48) The two paths to breaking addiction and when moderation simply doesn’t work

(19:09) Why moderation is the right approach for phones and how much we’re overusing them

(24:33) Strategy #1: Tech-free times

(28:45) Strategy #2: Tech-free zones

(30:45) Strategy #3: Device-free breaks 

(32:09) Strategy #4: Mindful consumption 

(36:21) Strategy #5: Turn off your notifications 

(39:33) Q&A: Handling anxiety when you put your phone down

(41:00) Q&A: Breaking the morning phone habit

(41:53) Q&A: Finding happiness as an introvert

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Referenced:

• How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/

• The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN

• Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence: https://www.amazon.com/Dopamine-Nation-Finding-Balance-Indulgence/dp/152474672X 

• Anhedonia: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/25155-anhedonia

• How Cues Drive Our Behavior: https://neurosciencenews.com/behavior-cues-dopamine-9654  

• Dopamine and Addiction: https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-103337

• Neurotransmitter Dopamine (DA) and its Role in the Development of Social Media Addiction: https://www.iomcworld.org/open-access/neurotransmitter-dopamine-da-and-its-role-in-the-development-of-social-media-addiction-59222.html 

• 2 Proven Strategies (and 1 Big Mistake) for Dealing with Anxiety: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/podcast/2-proven-strategies-and-1-big-mistake-for-dealing-with-anxiety 

• Are bored minds more likely to be addicted? The relationship between boredom proneness and problematic mobile phone use: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460319314364  

• Depression, anxiety, and smartphone addiction in university students- A cross-sectional study: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/08/22/how-teens-and-parents-navigate-screen-time-and-device-distractions

• ...References continued at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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