Addictions come in different ways; some are obvious, like overconsuming opioids, some not much, like mindless online scrolling. Both control your brain, chasing the same secret chemical, dopamine.
Excesses in phone usage and opioid consumption trigger the brain’s reward system, leading to dopamine release, which leads to addictive behaviors. Showing us two separate addictions, but the similarity both addictions have.
The average person spends a total of 6 hours and 38 minutes per day online, according to BACKLINKO. As we spend each minute online, our brains are actively releasing Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in your brain, which can become seriously addictive.
Each tweet, message and notification we get is only reinforcing the spike of dopamine, leaving many continuously stuck on what the Cleveland Clinic calls the “feel-good” hormone.
A sense of happiness, motivation, alertness, and focus, a similar feeling to what opioid consumers experience. The feeling of happiness is what makes users continue to use opioids. As well as pain relief and giving a feeling of euphoria. This only leads to addictive behaviours and continuation of prescription pain relievers.
Even if these are two different disorders, they hijack the brain’s reward system, which leads to similar discrepancies and cravings. The Department of Health in New York State reports some behavioral signs for opioids include a drop in grades or performance at work, moodiness, irritability, nervousness, giddiness, as well as a change in attitude or personality.
According to a report from the Addiction Center, phone addictions include a similar list of signs such as lower concentration, loneliness, anxiety, stress, and more.
These signs show a disruption in normal daily life activities and have some sort of similar withdrawal – reinforcing the dopamine reward system, making it difficult to stop without help.
Luckily, many resources and strategies can help overcome these addictions. Some steps include modifying phone usage, according to HelpGuide.org, including turning off your phone at certain times, not bringing your phone to bed or the dinner table, and removing social media apps. This will eventually limit your screentime, leaving you with less phone usage and a decrease in screentime.
As for opioid misuse, contacting your local doctors and talking about the problem can be a step further in your recovery. IKON Recovery Center recommends engaging in healthy activities and hobbies to reduce drug-seeking behaviours which can help and give you long-lasting benefits.
Whether it’s opioid addiction or phone addiction, both disrupt daily life, which can make recovery seem unreachable, but by recognizing the symptoms and doing something to address these issues, we can easily break the cycle.
With resources like mindful phone usage, healthy hobbies, and therapy, those with addictions can recover and rebuild their lives.
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
