The Seventh Kingdom: Is Technology Addiction Real Jan. 2015 | Page 38

BRAIN REACTION
As previously mentioned, addiction occurs in the limbic system of the brain. This area
of the brain controls emotional and behavioural responses. Dopamine is a chemical
which is released to remind us of our behaviour. The level of this chemical rises in
response to pleasure and this is what drives addiction.
The three stages to addiction are as follows:
Anticipation - the build up to the activity.
Reward - a sense of euphoria within the brain.
Repeat – due to the depletion of the reward system, addicts
will repeat an activity to reach the same feeling of euphoria.
This acts as a lo op since the more the activity is
repeated, the more the limbic system is depleted.
(CNN Newsro om, 2012)

fig 23.1
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CHAPTER TWO: BEHAVIOURAL ADDICTION