The use of digital drugs is encouraged by the world ’ s education systems , youth groups , churches , and culture . The problem is dopamine levels generated by both illicit and digital drugs are incredibly high , enough to cause a literal dependency . Until we have a paradigm shift in thinking about digital activities , the problem will only worsen .
HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY AFFECT YOUR BRAIN ?
By Brad Huddleston
You know that feeling you get during a really good kiss ?
That exhilarating sensation comes from neurochemicals in your brain , especially dopamine , 1 a neurotransmitter that rewards you with those intense emotions of joy when it arrives in the brain ’ s pleasure center , known as the nucleus accumbens , a part of the reward circuit . 2 When we engage in highly stimulating activities , dopamine is released into the Autobahn of the brain , and we are “ rewarded ” with feelings of pleasure . These rewards are either healthy or harmfully addictive . A small amount of dopamine from an activity , like physical exercise , can be beneficial , but continuous large spikes , like the effects of cocaine , are addictive and destructive . It ’ s like the difference between a warm fire on a winter ’ s night and your house burning to the ground .
In terms of brain health , it ’ s one thing to receive the “ happy hormone ” resulting from the aforementioned smooch ; it ’ s an entirely different thing to be rewarded with it from illicit or digital drugs . My cautionary message about digital drugs — screens , video games , and tablets — is incredibly challenging because they are legal , even desired by many . There isn ’ t the stigma attached to social media and Netflix binging as there is with cocaine and heroin .
LITERAL ADDICTION
The shocking headline from the October 7 , 2019 , edition of USA Today reads , “ Epic Games Sued for Not Warning Parents ‘ Fortnite ’ is Allegedly as Addictive as Cocaine .”
The court case came as no surprise to me . After all , I ’ m the author of the book and video Digital Cocaine : A Journey Toward iBalance . I ’ ve been beating this drum for years . Audiences worldwide watch and listen to my presentations with great intensity . However , I discovered early on that many more people listen to me without truly hearing me .
I have two major hurdles when communicating that digital drugs are as addictive as their non-virtual counterparts — heroin , cocaine , alcohol , tobacco , etc . Digital addiction is not a metaphor ; it is a literal addiction . First , most parents I speak to believe they and their children are the exceptions to the science and warnings I present . 3 The second obstacle I face is convincing my audiences that addiction to devices affects the brain the same way cocaine does . In an online interview , Dr . Nicholas Kardaras , psychotherapist , addiction specialist , and author of Glow Kids , said : “. . . this hypnotic trance , that I call it , is now being backed by research that shows that these screens are affecting [ the ] frontal cortex of a child ’ s brain in exactly the same way as cocaine .” 4
DOES CONTENT MATTER ?
Many digital activities we don ’ t consider harmful actually are . Sometimes , I think parents try to give me the impression they only allow their children to use technology for “ educational purposes .” It often sounds like they ’ re merely telling me what I want to hear , but I play along . Please forgive me if I misjudge them . I believe they allow their children to use digital devices in conjunction with their education , but I know that ’ s not all they use them for .
I tell parents that even if their child only uses educational software , the brain does not make an exception regarding addiction just because their school requires children to use the internet and educational apps . A digital drug is a drug , whether the dealer is on a street corner or in the public school around the corner .
Dr . Victoria Dunckley addresses the issue in Reset Your Child ’ s Brain . She writes , “. . . it ’ s essential to realize that any electronic screen interaction , regardless of content , can irritate the nervous system — it ’ s the medium , not the message .” 5 Believing that digital content such as education apps and Christian podcasts are not addictive is a widespread assumption that desperately needs dispelling . And fast .
40 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW