HI Will. Not sure I am into your calling yourself raw-dog Will. Phone Free at least has the FREE in there, and despite all the hippie slaming (generally, out there- not by you) there is ACTUALLY something GOOD about Freedom. Imagine that.
When I scroll for long periods and then I feel off kilter, it's because either my dopamine is depleted or my brain has adapted to these little spikes of dopamine with each swipe.
That's what you are trying to avoid, because life feels boring??
I get bored because I am unmotivated, and I can't concentrate while dopamine is wacked.
To feel better, I look for things to do, like going for a walk (no earbuds), meditation for 20 minutes, or go for a run. I find this gives my brain time to breathe to elevate my dopamine baseline.
Perhaps this is what your choo-choo ride gives you? We need a neurological interpretation here since we are messing with our brains.
Yes I think that's about right, in that there is a hangover associated with dopamine receptor downregulation. In the piece last week I wrote about other brain changes that lead to an immediate hangover.
But your question got me chewing on what I'm trying to say with this (which has been really valuable for me, thank you!) and I guess it's two things in addition…
That there is a long term effect around phone use too that is only cleared after three or four weeks. I'm arguing that daily intentional breaks can do that, changing our mood 24/7. And this cloud kind of hangs over all of us in a way we don't easily see. I think some describe it as “digital dementia”
That all of this is can be understood through our felt experience rather than wholly through science. I think the science is utterly true, but I think there's tonnes of value from the contemplative traditions in linking these biochemical changes to how we actually feel. How the chemical changes manifest in our conscious experience. I think talking in this way helps us more clearly see the benefit of “being bored”
HI Will. Not sure I am into your calling yourself raw-dog Will. Phone Free at least has the FREE in there, and despite all the hippie slaming (generally, out there- not by you) there is ACTUALLY something GOOD about Freedom. Imagine that.
Thanks for causing me to think!
Right back at you!
When I scroll for long periods and then I feel off kilter, it's because either my dopamine is depleted or my brain has adapted to these little spikes of dopamine with each swipe.
That's what you are trying to avoid, because life feels boring??
I get bored because I am unmotivated, and I can't concentrate while dopamine is wacked.
To feel better, I look for things to do, like going for a walk (no earbuds), meditation for 20 minutes, or go for a run. I find this gives my brain time to breathe to elevate my dopamine baseline.
Perhaps this is what your choo-choo ride gives you? We need a neurological interpretation here since we are messing with our brains.
Yes I think that's about right, in that there is a hangover associated with dopamine receptor downregulation. In the piece last week I wrote about other brain changes that lead to an immediate hangover.
But your question got me chewing on what I'm trying to say with this (which has been really valuable for me, thank you!) and I guess it's two things in addition…
That there is a long term effect around phone use too that is only cleared after three or four weeks. I'm arguing that daily intentional breaks can do that, changing our mood 24/7. And this cloud kind of hangs over all of us in a way we don't easily see. I think some describe it as “digital dementia”
That all of this is can be understood through our felt experience rather than wholly through science. I think the science is utterly true, but I think there's tonnes of value from the contemplative traditions in linking these biochemical changes to how we actually feel. How the chemical changes manifest in our conscious experience. I think talking in this way helps us more clearly see the benefit of “being bored”
Great write up. We should spell it "Dawg". Just really ramps up this hilarity.