Dopamine Addiction is a Myth -- Here's What the Science Says

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I recently learned there’s a new trend on social media: monk mode. It means cutting out distractions and going into self-isolation to become more productive. It’s supposedly based on science and particularly concerned with avoiding social media, because that’s addictive. But can social media really be addictive? Does the monk mode work? And what’s the science behind it? In this video, we'll sort it out.
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00:00 Intro
00:41 What Is Monk Mode?
03:18 What Is A Dopamine Addiction?
05:51 How Does Dopamine Work?
10:00 Can You Get Addicted to Social Media?
13:37 Summary
14:25 Protect Your Privacy With NordVPN
#science #mentalhealth

[@pwnmeisterage]

"I took control of my life, learned self-discipline, changed my values, and quit wasting my time on social media" says the social media influencer on social media.

[@Freakazoid12345]

Also social media influencers: "Look at these brand new Jordan's and iPhone I'm finding in lakes!" Never trust an, "influencer" that makes a living off of lying to children.

[@Optim40]

KZbin isn't really social media though. It's 50/50 kind of. Since some of that is here as well. BUT ...it's waaayy easier to use this for educational purposes only. Where instagram, facebook, tik tok are platforms specifically intended for either attention seekers, or for you to easily be in others peoples business, paying attention to other peoples lives, instead of just living your own.

[@Freakazoid12345]

@@Optim40 it's a video platform, first and foremost. Connected to other services through a shared user account.

[@VeeDubZster]

@@Optim40 with live streaming and regular uploads people develop a parasocial relationship with the people they watch so it certainly fits the social media definition imo.

[@Car_Mo]

@@Freakazoid12345 One could easily compare YT to Twitter and Instagram: -Media posting (videos) - check - Social interactions (comments) - check - Like button - check - Follow button - check - Communities - check And sadly, the big one ... an abundance of posters presenting subjective opinions as objective facts - check

[@aetoski8724]

"I won't tell you which because I don't want to discourage you from projecting your own problems onto me" Sabine is Legendary

[@kukulroukul4698]

Legendary $ ...with the mouth only

[@aesa1990]

@Aetoski i will forgo reading the comment section. it spoils these great zingers!

[@GodNeedsNoReligion]

This quote is just so good.

[@YourMomsBoyfriend69]

I literally laughed out loud and frightened my cat.

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

​@@aesa1990 pause at the end and THEN read them, LOL! 😉😄

[@sammicerise8553]

Laughed out loud at the “projecting your own problems on me”. I love her humor and delivery.

[@seans9203]

me too

[@huskiehuskerson5300]

A woman telling men about dopamine addiction lol when men literally have all the distractions and they must hustle to get a job to get a wife and get settled in life. She could never know the struggles of men, men must hustle to gain value, everyone is rude to men, no one gives a shit about male problems, all the hard jobs are done by men, they die they struggle they kill themselves no one gives a fuck unless it's a woman, women have always had it too easy and they still can't stop nagging, they want more, back in the day jobs were even harder and men hustled all day long while women stayed at home living a way easier life while men hustled and died.

[@Moregano]

I definitely have a bit of a problem with mindless scrolling, etc. I've been doing therapy for other reasons and have found that most of my repetitive or compulsive behaviors are actually about avoiding anxiety - mentally checking out or distracting myself in order to not face what's causing my anxiety - rather than repeating a pleasurable dopamine "kick." I would guess there's something about avoidance inherent in most addictions, but dopamine probably plays more of a role in some than in others, especially with drugs.

[@WinstonSmithGPT]

Isn’t that the latest research take on procrastination?

[@alphaomega6023]

@@WinstonSmithGPT Yes, it is.

[@shimrrashai-rc8fq]

I am a "chronic procrastinator" and can confirm this has a lot to do with it. It's typically that I'm avoiding something because I'm either anxious, depressed (i.e. I don't "see the point" in it because of the continuous thoughts of doom or gloom), or else because I feel mentally blocked or something like that.

[@davidwuhrer6704]

It's like you didn't watch the video. Dopamine is not instrumental in addiction, it is if anything symptomatic. Low dopamine levels are associated with addiction. A professor wrote an article on creative procrastination. He's done a lot of things while postponing other things, to the point where people asked him where he finds the time to do all that. That article is not as widely known or read as the KZbin video about how time consuming procrastination is, the one that never questions the assumption that procrastination is something that should be avoided by doing other things instead. Anxiety is not a good thing, is it. Why wouldn't you avoid it? But procrastination does the opposite in most people: They become anxious about approaching deadlines. Substance abuse also does not work the way most people think. The major problem with addiction is that the body becomes reliant on substances. It's not that the substance abuse is so rewarding that it creates and addiction. That doesn't happen. That's just not how dopamine works. The problem is that chronic use means it eventually stops working. There are often other unhealthy side effects of the substances as well. The cause of the addiction is whatever the drug helps with in the first place, not the drug itself; and then the addiction becomes its own problem on top of that. But yea, definitely a good idea to look into what is causing your anxiety in the first place. Address the cause, not the symptom. Alleviating the symptom could help with that though. Maybe.

[@malterann1287]

@@davidwuhrer6704 Hi David. Do you have a link of the article?

[@wj11jam78]

I always thought the idea sounded like bullshit, but I decided to try it anyway. What I found was that I was actually using constant sources of stimulation to block out troublesome and distressing thoughts, which is something I have been doing for a long time. Something which has helped me with that is A. Taking walks with my dog without any videos or social media, and B. Not using my phone while on public transport. Or, if I do use my phone, I just play music on it, which doesn't disrupt my thinking too much. Basically, I was using social media, video games, etc. to distract myself from addressing troubling thoughts that I didn't want to have to address. And so the "dopamine detox" really just forced me to confront that I'm still not doing too well at addressing these thoughts but at least I realise it's a proper problem now yknow

[@spacebunsarah]

Yep, I realized I was trans on day 3 of a dopamine detox because I had space to actually think for the first time in my adult life.

[@mohamedwalidoutaleb4970]

@@spacebunsarah lmao maybe some people shouldn’t think on their own

[@zimzob]

@@spacebunsarah you don’t have to believe every thought that comes through your head

[@samuelpenney5925]

​@Sarah 💖 Out of curiosity, how did you come to that conclusion? For me, it was years of questioning internally rather than just a couple days. How long have you identified as trans? What made you realize it? Im curious for other peoples experiences. I "realized" in middle school, came out in highschool, and I am currently finishing up my AS degree.

[@spacebunsarah]

@@samuelpenney5925 i was questioning for a few months and once I actually took the first step I knew that it was right for me immediately. i was pretty unaware and didn’t recognize the signs during my childhood but they were there looking back. I was doing trans activism work before i realized so being involved helped me realize too, because I thought it was always “you know at a young age.” Some people aren’t as self aware as others.

[@nova_supreme8390]

As we have learned from many tabletop roleplaying games, monks specialize in unarmed combat and thus cannot use handheld devices like smartphones. This means that they have greater chance of resisting mindaffecting ailments social media might cause so name it monk mode is very accurate.

[@SabineHossenfelder]

Ha 😜

[@jorriffhdhtrsegg]

I think its inaccurate because the detective called Monk if you've ever seen the show is extremely nervous, and likely has a number of DSM codes for himself. I previously used the term "Monk mode" to mean looking as incompetent and OCD as possible while being an absolute genius as a way to troll people who think about too much about themseves based on external confidence.

[@michaelmueller260]

Hmmm...I thought Monk Mode meant sitting down and shredding the piano with amazing jazz riffs.

[@smartinsilicon]

Affect of social media use requires a dice role, however

[@cosmosveil9355]

I recall seeing a clip of Sabine using a yo-yo in one of her music videos, which means she almost certainly has enough dexterity to be a monk. Her ability to see through obfuscation in scientific papers also suggests having a high wisdom score. Being a particle physicist obviously requires tremendous intelligence and the ability to understand the universe on a fundamental level. Her KZbin following combined with her music talent also indicates a strong charisma score. Conclusion- Sabine is a wizard/bard/monk multiclass who got very good dice rolls during character creation.

[@ianaustin5541]

I love the dry humor😂! She cracks jokes without changing her mode of expression, making the jokes sound as scientific as the topic she`s talking about. Not the slightest hint of interruption in her speech. Hilarious👏👍 While still not missing out to allow minor visual adjustments for emphasis.

[@em945]

...yup, doesn't skip a beat...

[@alkaholic4848]

It's natural - Germans don't have a sense of humour, they can't laugh, those jokes will've been written using formulas based on extensive statistical linguistic and cultural analysis for the sake of the audience.

[@ianaustin5541]

@sock 😄 I know what you mean LOL. I`m German, so hm... not sure but I think Germans are indeed a bit less giggly and maybe less shouting. There are quite a few german comedians who take that dry attitude to the extreme and use it as their trademark.

[@bookdmb]

They would be more funny if she changed her inflection to signal a joke, though.

[@ianaustin5541]

@@bookdmb I hear ya. I understand what you mean🖐🏼🙂

[@drc4168]

I have a very serious mental illness. I also have a PhD. I'm exhausted with increasing number of people self identifying as OCD/ADD/autistic/Bipolar ... based on entirely normal behaviour and (bad) habits. Yet they'll not seek out any actual medical advice. This is a marvelous, marvelous balanced and brilliant study. Thank you!!

[@curiousbunny2573]

You could have left it with “I have a PhD”. The mental illness is implied (jkjk)

[@drc4168]

@@curiousbunny2573 black humour!! Love it!!

[@JoHouse533]

I absolutely get where you are coming from, but I also recently learned that self-diagnosis is widely accepted in the autistic community because access to a proper diagnosis through the healthcare system may be restricted for different reasons. Of course, that self-assessment should include more than watching a few tiktok videos. I'm not autistic, but that idea resonates with me. I want to get assessed for ADHD, but it will likely be a few years before I get the chance. Hopefully, I will finish my PhD before that.

[@drc4168]

@@RakuRadio omg yes indeed! Desperate for a label or diagnosis...how about narcissistic personality disorder or simply lazy slob with a bad attitude lol

[@jimmaforprez]

I have a diagnosis, I suppose that dealing with self-diagnosed people can be equally as frustrating as someone who's undiagnosed and thinks they are fine.

[@jalex4251]

I have adhd and I’m glad you talked about focus, and how a “disorder” is when it interferes with your life. The adderall shortage has really hurt a lot of us (like disability hurt) and people dismiss us or make fun of us for being on “speed”.

[@samhughes6895]

As someone diagnosed ADD and prescribed adderall, it really is just speed. It is almost chemically identical to methamphetamine and has the exact same mechanism biologically. In clinical studies patients are unable to differentiate meth from adderall at similar doses. As someone on the drug it’s just good to know these things.

[@TheYoean]

​@@samhughes6895 while it's the same chemically, it's not the same biologically. The dose and especially speed of delivery makes a huge difference. It's like vape is more addictive than cigarettes because it creates a faster and higher spike.

[@michaelcallahan4180]

@@samhughes6895 It's amphetamine. But I think what OP is describing is the dismissive tone about a medicine. the numbers are roughly ~70% of patients were normalized and most of the rest reported improvements. Might be the most effective treatment we have for any neurological condition

[@samhughes6895]

@@michaelcallahan4180 I see what you’re saying and totally agree. As someone totally caught up in this I have a lot of thoughts about the institution surrounding ADD and its pills. For example, there is ample evidence that regular amphetamine dosage PERMANENTLY desensitizes and stunts the reward system in adolescent mammals. So then why are we wantonly giving kids this substance for a disorder that can only be considered a disorder insomuch as it inhibits children/adults from sitting still, inside, looking at a book or computer screen for 6-8 hours a day? The answer is that big pharma makes a big buck, and society gets to ignore the glaring issue of a broken industrial/educational culture.

[@juliavixen176]

@@samhughes6895 Methanol is almost chemically identical to ethanol, so I invite you to drink a glass of wood alcohol.

[@francescosamassa9854]

Quitting social media was one of the best thing I've ever done in my life: I'm calmer, more focused, I crave less attention from others, I don't compare myself to unreal standards anymore and I appreciate much more real life relationships with people.

[@dandavid2027]

Bro you on KZbin. Still wasting ur time

[@pallll12r]

​@@dandavid2027 KZbin is clearly different from the other one but ok

[@dolphinboy9717]

@@dandavid2027 hows that? yt isn't bad, its all in how you use it. Definitely not a time waste if you use it right

[@ro4eva]

@@dandavid2027 -- KZbin is fundamentally a video-sharing site with the ability to comment on some of them. Twitter (a.k.a. Cuntopia) is fundamentally a comment-sharing site with the ability to link some multimedia into said comments. I would argue there's a difference.

[@luckybarrel7829]

Same bro, no twitter facebook etc has been amazing. I haven't quit YT coz I get to learn so much here and develop my hobbies further.

[@tyjules9643]

the unexpected reward thing is called a variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement. Also since novel stimuli and context changes can cause increased dopamine, scrolling on something like tiktok where you can't predict when the new stimulating video will arise and can get so many context switches is very addictive and can keep you up and hooked

[@wander1027]

So right about the ocd. As someone who has been diagnosed with ocd, everytime someone claims "my ocd" becuase something is out of order etc, I think to myself "you have no idea what it is to have ocd"

[@sageinit]

They just mean OCPD instead of OCD but they don't know it

[@stemcareers8844]

​@@sageinit No. They mean having a quirk or habit or doing something totally normal (loke being neat) but for some reason they want to brand it a disorder. It's usually neither OCD nor OCPD.

[@Rikirie]

Many people are fastidious, not OCD.

[@lz43p15]

Dear Sabine I must admit that today I challenged bad luck as last week while watching your video I had a heart attack. But as you can see, more than superstition, the desire and joy of seeing and listening to your videos prevailed. A good dose of dopamine a week makes me happy. BTW Monk mode fit you.

[@SabineHossenfelder]

Alex, I'm sorry to hear! But glad you are around this week to let us know about it!

[@lz43p15]

@@SabineHossenfelder What I wrote is true but I don't want to make it pathetic. Now I'm recovering. Thank you so much for your wish

[@kevley26]

Damn Sabine's deadpan humor hits so hard its giving the homies hard attacks.

[@johnbloom1109]

@@lz43p15 lol you didn't have a heart attack

[@TerryBollinger]

Alex, I'm so sorry about your heart attack, but also delighted to see that you're still with us and commenting! I've noticed your comments several times and appreciated your insights. Stay on the mend for yourself, your family, and your friends - but also so we can continue hearing from you!

[@robertAGC]

I wouldn’t call it “monk mode,” but I gave up Facebook because constantly scrolling through my feed was causing anxiety, which led to problems with self-control. So it was definitely having a negative impact on my life. It has been a couple years at this point, and while I’m uncertain about whether I’m more productive, I am less anxious and less irritable, which is better for me and my family. I also modified how I consumed news, with a shift in focus from world/national news to local news. This has been helpful too.

[@jannikheidemann3805]

The feed is the output of a machine that tries to maximize engagement, and mostly it does so by eliciting strong emotions, rather than providing useful information or furthering genuine social interaction.

[@laestrella9727]

Yes, reduced globalism.

[@UCjNrKLyRJI-abFA8qiNo92Q]

fb feed is made to predict your emotions and control what you see to be contradictory in order to manipulate you into becoming dependent even when you dislike what you are seen

[@tuomasronnberg5244]

Social media is the single worst invention. It makes people unhappy, adults that are unable to focus, and increases social unrest. It's a net negative on all levels.

[@ReligionAndMaterialismDebunked]

:p

[@jyk1218]

Hi Sabine, I'm a woman in my 30s going through a very rough phase in my life, but your videos articulating nothing but facts (and a lot of times incorporating witty humor) really comforts me. It just reassures me how everything we think and feel can really be broken down into science. As it really should be. Knowing that lifts a lot of emotional burden off of me. Thank you so much and I hope you never stop making videos and educating us masses about how life should be.

[@papakias3922]

Many of us have troubles at out thirties, sometimes it feels that we are obliged to be happy and successful. I think what is important is to step by step reduce and even completely erase the need to be happy and successful

[@nadyayurukova]

When I was going through a really shitty period in my thirties, part of what put me back on my feet was extensive watching of KZbin videos from various university channels. I learned a lot about biology and other stuff and somehow it felt healing.

[@nexus4dev]

As someone who's addicted to learning and knowledge, I find it quite hard to maintain my goals because I always have the desire to learn something new and it hits me with dopamine

[@nexus4dev]

@@3x157 Yes it is a problem to me, because I want to learn too many things at once and then I don't know what to finish and what not, or what would be more useful for the future!

[@lizzyl.2486]

Not to be that annoying person on the internet, but have you looked into adhd?

[@jacobhempel1855]

I feel that. I have the same issue. What adds to the problem is the constant personal beratement as a result of switching topics all the time and not focusing on one of two which throws you into an existential crisis and, eventually, depression.

[@nexus4dev]

What sad and true about your comment is that I'm already in depression, I can't control my self for some reason, also I became emotionally weak@@jacobhempel1855

[@platzpropeller858]

Oh my god this is the first time that I have seen someone else facing this problem and openly admitting to it I always feel like anyone who I would talk to about that problem would laugh into my face as excessive learning is seen as socially desirable behaviour - the more education the better... Every time I came across information that gave me a particularly big dopamine rush ( aka something that I felt like was incredibly interesting, the kind of " WOW - no way" moments ") I always immediately get the urge to share that with anyone who I had thought would be as enthusiastic as me about these things but as it turns out they are not even remotely interested most of the time Sometimes they at least tried to fake interest because they knew this stuff is important to me but I could always tell they were not sincere and that wasn't exactly as satisfying as real enthusiasm I shared these moments fewer and fewer times until I eventually gave up trying , instead these Eureka-moments turned into constant reminder that my brain probably works inherently different and that I am doomed be alone for the rest of my life Not only, did I believe that no one understands me, but I came to the conclusion that there isn't anyone in existence who would even be able to do so, forcing me to live in existential isolation. Your comment gave me a little bit of hope I don't feel like an Alien trapped on earth anymore and for that I wanna thank you

[@mayamanign]

Sabine is an addiction all its own.

[@classica1fungus]

Im a fiend for Sabine

[@davidpaulcarlson8763]

Haaaaa!

[@nicktecky55]

You could say watching Sabine is a habit... I'll get me coat.

[@RamonInNZ]

@@nicktecky55 A white coat?

[@BigDsGaming2022]

love her to death my fav professor

[@Yournamehere368]

" I have alot of those in my record, but I wont tell you witch because I don't want to discourage you from projecting your own problems on me" This had me rolling. Love your delivery of these joke.

[@guidosillaste4297]

Witch or which?

[@viscache1]

“I won’t tell you which DSM #’s because I don’t want to discourage you from projecting your own problems on me…” I just found this channel and have some of the best one liners to repeat EVER from Sabine! Wonderful!

[@Yupppi]

Only thing I know is that ever since I quit opening Facebook 10 years ago and then Twitter some years ago, my mental health has been better and I've been more productive. I haven't felt as lonely and meaningless or angry. Also whenever I cut my time socializing online and do stuff like clean home, read for some hours, go for a walk, train with weights or sit a night practicing guitar playing, I feel deeper satisfaction and relaxation and less anxiety and depressive feelings disappear. And of course meditation. In short any activity outside digital technology and people that takes focus and lets your brain "speak" to you. After those activities my emotional stability is much higher.

[@jayocaine2946]

Could be placebo.

[@scientia.veritas]

​@@jayocaine2946when every single person says that their life improved after quitting social media, it is pretty much not a placebo.

[@strategicsage7694]

@@scientia.veritas Except every single person doesn't say that.

[@asdfssdfghgdfy5940]

@@jayocaine2946i think in this case it's one of those things where if it works it works. It's completely impossible to take a decent statistical measurement for this stuff because the act of getting off social media is likely coupled with other conscious and sub conscious changes. If you think you have a problem with social media I don't see how abstaining from it can be anything but good.

[@jayocaine2946]

@@scientia.veritas except for literally every single person does NOT say that lol nice try tho sweetie

[@brucecheesman2781]

Another high quality presentation. You are always very honest.

[@ameliazM]

I am out of Facebook for maybe 4 years now, out of Twitter by almost 2 years. I would say I am as happy now as I was before except the stress. Its tens of times less stressful. The human mind grew to its current size to adapt to the social complexity of human interaction. Reducing that complexity allows me to allocate my energy to other things that also make me happy.

[@Dr.JustIsWrong]

Social interaction is demanding.

[@DeyvsonMoutinhoCaliman]

I bought a house in the countryside because my girlfriend got pregnant, we married and it was cheaper here. But it took a month to get internet here, and around two months for it to be minimally decent. I was quite happy without internet, we slept very early, I did a lot of the work around the house, there were many things to be fixed. I learned so much, did so many things I didn't think I was able to do, like electrician and mason work. Then we got good internet and it's amazing how lazier I became. I still do a lot of work, built a house for our water pump, now I will build a house for the dog... But I feel like I am forcing myself to do those things, because I want to go back to the front of the computer, I don't feel fully motivated as before. Still interned is necessary, I need it for my job as a contractor, I can do 90% of my work from my house, my wife needs it as a teacher... It's good to watch and see everything... But there is much to be said for a world without internet, it's actually easier to be happy.

[@ponchovanillabean8074]

"Having less gray matter is kind of not good." I had to pause the video after that due to my laughing so hard. I love your sense of humor. YOU, and your videos, are a dopamine rush for me. Your delivery, your incredible cuteness (that is meant as a compliment) and your voice are all enthralling to me. Thank you for existing.

[@TraceyDeLaney]

So...obviously it's the dopamine hit that I get in anticipation of these videos every week that keeps me coming back -- oh, and the sharp wit and good information. 😄

[@ericnadeau4767]

Seriously, Sabine is not only a great source of knowledge, but an underappreciated stand up artist. If I believed in spirit animals, Sabine would be mine.

[@russbell6418]

The question is, do spirit animals raise your dopamine level, and are they addictive? And do they believe in you?

[@susanthejew6351]

con artist* but please tell me more about your boner for freud, since it's mostly his words she is parroting

[@-na-nomad6247]

Who are you calling an animal ?

[@akashsinha2880]

This one is buying comments and doling out false information and pseudo science to people. Never trust anything or any comment on KZbin.

[@compositestechbb9087]

I'm waiting to catch her on the Joe Rogan Experience soon lol.

[@glauconariston9606]

The mention of self attribution bias is fantastic, it's a shame that concept isn't more widely known. I enjoyed the callouts of influencer con artists.

[@qwertyisagpassword]

No way Sabine was the german mud wizard all along

[@bellegoodheart]

You are very right about the OCD. Now almost every influencer on social media is attributing their actions and inactions with OCD. Something that is considered normal, they brand it as OCD...People who really have the condition will be the ones suffering in the end.

[@insekta1701]

I really hate this ‘thing’ of calling personal behaviors ‘I’m so OCD about ____’, and how I constantly see and hear word ‘obsessed’ thrown around for people’s love or like of anything from a cookies recipe to some stupid cosmetic product, and even videos about animals and attributing ‘obsession’ to animals, like a specific kitty in a video who really enjoys playing with almonds as toys. I find it irksome, and extremely insensitive that people do this, while trying to sound ‘deep’ or ‘complicated’. As a kid, I used to accompany my mother to her college credit clinical experience job at care home for people with severe mental disabilities and mental health issues, and I saw many men and woman acting out their compulsions to avoid the punishment for not doing so, and I saw one woman wash her hands so much that her skin had bleeding cracks and pits in it. It was terrible. I was in the second grade, and I sat every day at the kitchen table to do my schoolwork and play with my toys and saw this poor woman washing and washing over and over again, and I’ll never forget her. I really hate that people have no idea what they’re saying and what meaning words have in regard to OCD, and if you call them out on it, they make up some story about how they know someone with OCD, which you can immediately tell absolute bullshit.

[@Reedemedknight]

Yeah we are- I’ve been diagnosed and medicated for severe obsessive compulsive disorder for 18 years…I remember when the same people romanticizing this disorder right now were making fun of me and starting rumors about me in school due to compulsions and obsession-fueled panic attacks I would display. Had to eventually be homeschooled.

[@davidwuhrer6704]

I'm so OCD, you're such an aspie, stop being such a schizo, you're paranoid, lol I'm such a geek, I'm defo on the spectrum, it's my ADD, I need to detox from this or that addiction, I'm so obsessed, you're such a nerd, I'm demi, I'm ace, stop being so anal, you're mental, I'm crazy, you're weird.

[@RickySTT]

I stopped throwing out “OCD” casually when it dawned on me that my compulsions were not manifestations of a disorder.

[@MrMikkyn]

I recently saw a video of Tim Star on tiktok faking that he was having an seizure, “I have a seizure, I have a seizure, I have a seizure”, recording himself on a livestream on tiktok, sitting in his car and shaking his hands. Psychiatric and neurological conditions have now been appropriated by individuals engaging in performative mental health, and the appropriation of psychiatric language by the mainstream discourse on social media. Its pretty much rendered the real suffering meaningless because all the terms are over-used online now, and are more like personality labels.

[@tayzonday]

I saw the thumbnail and immediately liked it more than any Disney Star Wars.

[@UlyssesWachowski-vw5vi]

Am I crazy or did you also leave a comment under a Patrick Teahan video? You are an incredibly cool dude and absolutely know what’s up on KZbin. Have a good day my friend.

[@susanthejew6351]

pseudo intellectuals everywhere

[@the-lettere]

Love you man

[@BassRemedy]

right there with u XD

[@bassben004]

This makes me think of John Kellogg and his desire to make cereal as unpleasant as possible because he believed enjoying things was bad

[@BenjaminBjornsen]

5 years without social media. The first year was hard, and it didnt feel like it was worth it. But after that horrible lonely year, things normalised. I got more focus, more direct contacts with friends and family- even befriended some neighbours and regulary play football with their kids. I started school again, studying to become an electrical Engineer. Overall, I just feel better, sleep better, eat better, everything is just better. But I would never quit watching educational entertainment on KZbin etc. I would never ditch you Sabine :)

[@FloppaTheBased]

"dopamine addiction does not exist" *sponsored by big tech lobby

[@BenjaminBjornsen]

@@3x157I disagree. And I never said it was evil. Its the addictive nature of it, and its designed that way, its like opium. And opium isn't evil, but its addictive.

[@TorianTammas]

@Benjamin - I stopped doing something which consumed 50% of my free time and I used this time to do other things. Surprise!

[@BenjaminBjornsen]

@@TorianTammasI spent most of my time doing one thing only, now I spend most of my time doing a multitude of things. And my life is better for it. Surprised?

[@HansLemurson]

"The plausible ideas are the ones you should be most careful with" Well said! It's easiest to be duped by things that seem to make sense, and let wishful thinking become your truth.

[@ramseyrodriguez8515]

I find it troubling that she is using one single study of 37 individuals to “disprove” all other causation links? Also social media is such a broad and vast definition, what about loot boxes in online games, and their relation to gambling? I find this Sabines video problematic, generating the same kind of “rush to conclusions” that is trying to portray as negative. At best, the most “objective” conclusion I might take From this video of her is that more research is needed. I recommend Anna Lambke’s book Dopamine Nation, she does a wonderful job explaining the current science, and even if arguing that doesn’t fit the addiction criteria (that is still in work), there seems a lot of mechanisms into play.

[@davidwuhrer6704]

Things that are so obvious that nobody sees the need to question them are practically always false. "If everyone agrees with me, I must be wrong." An observation shared by many philosophers. Careful though: Water is wet; everyone agrees with that. Not because it's wrong, but because it's axiomatic. (It's also wrong, but that's besides the point.)

[@HansLemurson]

@@davidwuhrer6704 No, I don't think that's true. That's survivorship bias. The bad ideas that persist are the ones that hide the best by looking like good ideas. The obviously bad ideas are obviously bad, and get eliminated very quickly, so we don't really have to deal with them.

[@davidwuhrer6704]

@@HansLemurson If something is obviously wrong, nobody will believe it anyway, even if it's true. I'm talking about the things that are so obviously true that nobody questions them. That those are practically always wrong has nothing to do with survivor bias. They are not hiding behind good ideas. They are not even adjacent to good ideas.

[@HansLemurson]

@@davidwuhrer6704 It has everything to do with survivor bias. Most things that are accepted as "obviously true" _are_ in fact true. It's just that the longest lived falsehoods are the ones that "seemed true" and were never questioned, so when you see something wrong it's almost always that kind of thing.

[@grayaj23]

The problem with influencers advocating for discipline is that they are probably the kinds of people who find discipline relatively easy. If I wasn't already dealing with anxiety, depression, motivation and obsessive behaviors, I might find that kind of discipline easier to achieve. So this boils down for me to where all self-help pseudocontent boils down: The solution to my problem is to solve my problem. Once I've solved my problem, I'll be able to do the things I need to do to solve it. I have a plan to eliminate procrastination from my life once and for all. I'll start it tomorrow and let you all know how it goes.

[@UlyssesWachowski-vw5vi]

Top tier comment.

[@catsnorkel]

The problem with influencers advocating for discipline is that they have no idea what they are talking about

[@crystaleidson6042]

I'd figured out some years back that I need to take regular, extended breaks from social media, because I have poor impulse control in that area. It comforts me greatly to know the cause and effect relationship might be different than I'd been led to believe. In other words, my brain's inefficiency at producing dopamine makes social media use hit me harder than average, instead of the other way around. And yes, the reason I keep going back is because of networking. There are many people I know and care about, who I don't have many other ways of keeping in touch with. So it's kind of a tightrope between protecting my brain and protecting my friendships.

[@jayocaine2946]

Certain brains dont "make less dopamine" there is evidence to the contrary - that all brains make the same amount of dopamine. Some just have more transmitters and require more dopamine to satiate

[@oumarh.gassama8063]

The subtlety of the jokes are one a complete another level here. I'm here for both the awesome quality content AND the perfectly timed jokes and even single words in context with the video feed.

[@logaandm]

I had a friend 40 years ago who said "it was the wanting" not "the having" that was the fun part of our shared hobby. Pretty insightful.

[@RW-rt5nd]

Depriving yourself of routine things does seem to resensitize you to things. For example, I couldn't listen to music for about 12 weeks and, upon resumption, it never sounded better. The body probably tends to achieve a certain equilibrium with neurotransmitters regardless of your environment but desensitization and resensitization definitely seem like real psychological phenomena though, as you say, the real story is likely more complex.

[@gabbar51ngh]

Same. I agree these self help gurus are simplifying things but eliminating things from life which are unnecessary do work.

[@ChicoCuantico]

True. This video is misleading in suggesting that addictive behaviors are a myth, or that the reward system is not involved. There is scientific evidence on these issues, and this video does not deny it, it just hides it.

[@davidwuhrer6704]

@@ChicoCuantico She never said addictive behaviours are a myth, she very explicitly pointed out what the accepted medical terms are, where to find them, what they actually mean, and how dopamine is not the reward hormone. You must have missed that part. What were you doing while not paying attention to half the video?

[@kalmmonke5037]

that is simply matter of novelty being more interesting

[@MrCmon113]

@@ChicoCuantico Sure addictions exist, but they're not due to there being too much or little of some neurotransmitter.

[@SooPRKrTkl]

I am currently experiencing the strange disconnect that comes between one and their societal endeavors, once they begin seeking themselves and isolating for disciplinary purposes. People seem to be very impatient with my desire to not go to baseball games, or have pointless company, or go party, or basically anything. I am busy getting my existence into focus and it causes others to believe that I dislike them now, or that I wasn't genuine to begin with. It does NOT matter how much I explain what I am pursuing, they STILL vy for my attention and throw shade when I'm like, "nah... I'm good right now, maybe a raincheck"... I feel like that buzz phrase "I'm working on myself" has been diluted into a vapid vehicle to vain praise - but certainly not taken seriously. This perspective may hinge on the circles we keep. I find that I don't really feel compelled to spend time with others where I am anyway, but I have completely changed in the past 2 years - I used to make it important to challenge my threshold of tolerance socially... But now I need to be alone. I do my best rationalizing then. Im in monk mode for sure

[@christopherpike9061]

Thank you for allowing me to project my problems on you! Great video, I always appreciate the thought and humour in your videos!

[@entelin]

This video is great timing. I've been working on becoming a self help guru myself and have developed a new psychotherapy regimen I call "Monk-ey Mode" it's prefaced by the principal that you should just do whatever you want in any given moment. I've been researching this by playing hundreds of hours of Elden ring, and procrastinating on doing my taxes. So far so good.

[@saleem2991]

At first I thought "not another one of those self-help bros" 😂

[@stevemawer848]

@@saleem2991 Always read to the end before making a judgement! 🙂 Then you know if they're an idiot!

[@JoHouse533]

Underrated comment. Good idea, perfectly executed. A+

[@grubfoot5707]

Just tried your regimen. I got naked in public and started throwing my poo at people. Currently hiding from the cops up a tree.

[@Pastamistic]

I've never done "monk mode" but my mental health definitely improves when I cut out the vast majority of my social media engagement. It certainly doesn't seem like an issue with dopamine. It's just a bad habit that leads to poor productivity and it's an extremely low value way to spend time leading to little personal satisfaction. The convenient and immediate connectivity with smart phones makes social media access the easiest way to find free entertainment. So it's easy to get stuck spending most of your time mindlessly droning through social media instead of doing something that's personally satisfying. There's a lot that I've learned through social media though. Like Sabine's KZbin channel. Which has information I likely never would have come across otherwise. I feel like you can learn new things at an incredibly fast rate thanks to social media if you can learn how to sort through the mountains of BS. It's typically a shallow knowledge though; it can't replace the in depth education of a particular subject that needs work and education to understand.

[@UlyssesWachowski-vw5vi]

Top tier comment. I completely agree on all points.

[@BenjaminCronce]

Social media helped me learn about myself. I didn't realize how different of a person I was from the "norm". It was only through having arguments with internet people that I realized this. Helped me identify my root cause for general anxiety that has plagued me for my entire life.

[@CG-lf8st]

This was a great video, thanks for doing a literary review of this whole concept!

[@craigphillips-1]

I just found you and subscribed. Your content and delivery is brilliant (on the handful I've seen). And your humor is priceless.

[@dreimeterpeter1157]

This channel is incredible, all this research data processed into an engaging presentation. Thank you so much

[@mousemade1]

So refreshing to see [as always] information presented with a sensible and engaging perspective! Also, I love your wry sense of humour. Thank you for all your excellent posts.

[@edthoreum7625]

6:36

[@neglectfulsausage7689]

Thanks for telling us that its not that people have ADHD or other issues. Its that they just havent grown up. You cured everyone.

[@commieRob]

I know that causation correlation is a basic thing, but thank you so much for calling it out. Ive seen hundreds of KZbin science videos, including those made by trained scientists, the completely ignore the issue.

[@kencory2476]

I quit social media of all kinds in 2019 and experienced a real uptick in my happiness. It wasn't long-lived, of course, but I think I still feel better for not using it overall. From my perspective, I think it's the kind of social media that encourages habitual scrolling (like facebook and twitter, though I don't know much about twitter) is the most damaging to my mental health. Media where you can genuinely learn stuff or enjoy art and music, like KZbin, is mostly beneficial. I don't feel addicted to KZbin, any more than I feel addicted to reading books.

[@fortunes_youtube]

I feel the same way. I took a break off Twitter in 2020. Regular exercise, good eating, and consistent sleep. Best I've probably ever felt. Sadly I'm back on social media, but I'm much better at controlling what I care to interact with. Curating genuine interests, removing stressful interactions, and not feeling committed is what I try to aim for.

[@ramseyrodriguez8515]

Dopamine Nation from Anna Lembke does a wonderful work explaining this and other dopamine mechanisms. Even if one doesn’t want to consider it “addiction”, there’s a lot of biological mechanism at play in modern work and Lembke does a wonderful work explaining them and the science behind them. Also, dopamine released in anticipation is something that have been documented in studies about gambling addiction, I find it weird that, given that is in the DSM, Sabine has passed by that kind of studies.

[@Sextus70]

​@Ramsey Rodriguez Indeed. There's a harmful component in most social media and other modern forms of entertainment that can be compared to gambling. Maybe it isn't as bad as a drug addiction, but they can definitely be psychologically detrimental if you don't learn to put limits and choose wisely the kind of content you consume.

[@MizMeow212]

So glad I found your channel Sabine! I love the topics addressed, the detailed research done on the various subjects and the straight faced delivery with just the right combination of sarcasm and humor. Also love how you called Jay Shetty a self-help guru cliché. I think of him as a scammer. It’s mind boggling to me how easy it is for him to manipulate the masses into giving him money for inexistent expertise and in some cases plagiarized content. If he was ever really a monk, he’s not portraying those values, as I doubt they teach in monasteries how to rip off people.

[@almatta3351]

Incredibly insightful information delivered temperately and concisely. Thank you Sabine 😎

[@jana731]

Yeah, I never feel worse or something when I don't use social media for a few days, but when I'm bored or stresses it's a coping mechanism and really a habbit.

[@michaelfried3123]

I've been in monk mode for a couple years now, zero anti-social media in my life, I feel and look at the world in a much more mentally stable way now.

[@michaelfried3123]

@D R I don't consider YT social media, although I know some people might. Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, those are social media sites, none of which I use, a few of which I've never used.

[@tomblaise]

@D R Although YT technically is social media, watching channels that teach you something in an easy to understand way, with visuals and intelligent commentary can be a productive use of your time! When people talk about monk mode or quitting social media, it’s usually because they are mindlessly scrolling through pictures of essentially nothing or memes.

[@rainbowkrampus]

@@michaelfried3123 Sorry man, you're down here in the comments with the rest of us addicts. Most people who watch this video will never come down here. The fact that you're here at all is proof positive that you are using the site as a social media venue. Use of social media is not a problem in and of itself. Carving out special exemptions for the social media site you like so that it's not tainted by the label isn't really achieving anything except possibly deluding yourself. YT is social media. Embrace it. Recognize that it can result in problem behavior as much as any other social media site.

[@2ndfloorsongs]

​​@@rainbowkrampus I agree, I think the main differentiator is how much a person uses the comments section. (Methinks one could possibly fit "protesting too much" in somewhere, but life's too short.)

[@ShinjiGetsGrounded]

@@2ndfloorsongs i only leave unhelpful or troll comments. i didnt watch the video.

[@cemacmillan]

Thank you for making clear the point that in one person what is a habit, is in another a life-shaping problem if the action is ego-dystonic.

[@jannikheidemann3805]

That totally messes with the human proclivity to make others thier role models.

[@stylis666]

@@jannikheidemann3805 Yes it does. We should look into that and be way more careful with it for other reasons as well, for instance our tendency to accept plausible sounding ideas more easily from people we find sympathetic than from research papers that have the data to back up ideas. We even go so far as to doubt a consensus over a layman's wild guess. And although it's good to doubt both papers and lay people, taking a baker's word on the environment over a consensus of decades of research of thousands of specialists is probably not a great thing, yet it is socially accepted and most often even encouraged to do so in most communities. I have found that my intentions changed who I find sympathetic and pleasurable to be around. I used to have a lot of problems I didn't know how to fix and it gave me a tendency to find people more sympathetic who made things up and said comforting words. Then I learned what caused my problems and I started working on them and I started to find people who make things up very annoying and a waste of time and a damaging factor to people and societies. Now my tendency is toward finding people more sympathetic who point out things I wasn't aware of, encouraging me to think about those things and look into them to learn more. I have always tried to find and mimic role models and it always lead to disappointments in their characters and motivations, except for a handful of people that I never thought I was mimicking a lot from: my mother, brother and his wife. They've always shown to be fallible and to want to learn and improve. This prevented me from putting them on a pedestal and allowed me to copy what worked without tying it to a specific role model. Now I that I finally know who I am and who I want to be and have grown into that person I also finally see that most of my character that I did copy from people was from sincere and kind people around me, like my mother, brother, and my brother's wife. And for some reason I don't easily accept as true what they tell me just because I find them sympathetic. I still do have that tendency with other people, especially when I hope they will find me sympathetic. I am just less worried that my family will hate me for having an opinion they don't like. After all, I do avoid people who have opinions I despise, but I will talk to my family members about it instead of avoiding them and the people around me seem to have the same pattern in making similar choices.

[@Jammoud]

so much current emphasis on productivity & goal achieving as the main motivators of “dopamine detox” and similar trends rather than reconciling distractions to simply develop self-awareness, insight, compassion, and moments of true rest. to only do things for the sake being more productive can be a subtle trap keeping people constantly seeking meaning from external & future goals. there’s a place for technology, social media, productivity etc… but needs to be pursued through the lens of compassion, presence, & insight.

[@icedrago6500]

Sabine, thanks so much for covering this topic!

[@tathagatasinha2939]

All I had to do to to overcome my Facebook addiction was to wake up one day and uninstall Facebook. (and just think of something else whenever I detected thoughts about Facebook in my mind and after a week I detected no new thoughts about FB at all)

[@youtubesuresuckscock]

Who installs or uninstalls websites? :tryingnot2laugh:

[@Rattus-Norvegicus]

@@youtubesuresuckscock Facebook is also a phone app...

[@traumflug]

To my self-observation it largely depends on how one uses social media. For example, Twitter has a "For You" timeline and a "Following" timeline. The former is more like Facebook, the latter shows tweets from followed accounts, only. The former stirs me up a lot, because I can never make reading tweets "complete", like "all tweets read", because there are always additional ones. I like to finish things, finding an end. The "Following" timeline allows this. Same for those lamenting about trolls on this medium. Simply don't follow them and you'll rarely see what they write.

[@UlyssesWachowski-vw5vi]

That’s cognitive behavioral therapy (basically) and it sounds like you did a good job!

[@Mark-xw5yt]

This is what I've been able to do with tiktok and instagram. But KZbin is just unshakable for me.

[@rolandemiltoledo1283]

Thank you for your work, Sabine

[@moxiousch]

We can become desensitized to nearly anything. Humans are incredibly adaptable in that we'll normalize almost all aspects of our own lives and that can be a bit jarring when you step back and look at it. 'Going monk' or dopamine fasting is, I think, a really useful way to step outside your routine and get a new perspective. Also, we DO become used to certain stimuli and there's a lot of anecdotal evidence (ie people talk) about starting the day off with low stimulation, enabling you to focus on your priorities instead of falling into the anticipation/dopamine cycle of pleasure-seeking behaviours. When you start the behaviour, it's hard to stop and step away from the high stimulation thing. It's especially difficult for ADHD folks who suffer from low dopamine anyway, so the allure of very fast and repeating stimuli is pretty hard to ignore. The packaging, overblown expectations and misinformation about dopamine is worrying, but the trend of re-examining your habits and norms is a good thing in my opinion.

[@davidwuhrer6704]

_> The packaging, overblown expectation, and misinformation about dopamine is worrying._ Indeed. And unfortunately your post is no exception to that. You make a good point about adaptability, but then seem to ignore the part where the lab mice with no dopamine were unable to adapt.

[@AnoNymous-dh2sv]

mild ADHD is common, but obviously that is a condition massively enlarged by internet memery. I'm pretty sure in the 1980s and back ADHD would not be easily diagnosed since it was much easier to not trigger it.

[@crystalding5589]

​@@davidwuhrer6704 I read over the comment youre commenting on and dont a "no dopamine" state is in scope here?

[@user-jv9xb5wz5c]

Reminds of the Spongebob Episode where Squidward was in the Perfekt Neighborhood and it made him desensitive

[@TorianTammas]

@moxiousch - People procrastinate are not properly organized and choose something else to do.

[@0ptimal]

Hmm, I think for some it can also happen as an information addiction. I typically do not fool around with social media, but I do always feel compelled to be listening or watching something interesting that is potentially teaching me something I didn't know. I feel like I do it too much.

[@rayoflight62]

Happy 1st April, Dr. Hossenfelder; and thank you for this video! I'm happy to confirm that not being on social media has been one of the wisest choices of my life! Greetings from the UK...

[@TheeSlickShady]

I can’t imagine the amount of work you do before making these vids, the research and prep, specifically Thank you so much! 🏆

[@Tt-qm2xg]

This was great. Thank you! Especially the part about what dopamine actually is. That helped me understand my overeating a lot!

[@avjake]

Thank you for this, Sabine. I have had mixed feelings about social media, and this video seems to explain those feelings well.

[@macsnafu]

I'm one of those KZbin bingers. I start watching KZbin videos, and I don't want to quit. I keep looking for more videos that might be interesting, or even just half-way interesting. I watched this video because social media has become such a big thing in society, so I thought this might provide some worthwhile insights into social media and our use of it. And Sabine came through with what science actually says or doesn't say about social media. Addiction isn't in the DSM? Well then, it must all be in our minds! ;-)

[@yes12337]

Imo not only social media, but internet in general is addictive and web developers are even using psychology-backed tricks (like information feed that can be scrolled without end) to make it even more addictive. If it wasn't then people wouldn't choose it over things the should do instead or put their health at risk by sitting to much. If this is not addiction, then what really is

[@hisham_hm]

Yeah, "is it on DSM or not" is such a weak take when it comes to mental health.

[@Thobeian]

Substance abuse is functionally a synonym, but it specifically references addictions that are life ruining and profoundly harm your mental health. Some people who get addicted to social media and engage constantly don’t necessarily crave any physical pleasure from the act, but rather emotional validation for pre-existing problems they are dealing with. Not everything we do causes a distinct chemical or nervous trigger, we sometimes just do things because they satisfy emotional needs, or stimulate deeper thinking, or distract our brains from other unavoidable issues in our daily life that trigger discomfort . It’s not all lizard-brain knee jerk reactions to pleasure. Simply put, It’s much more satisfying emotionally to rant about all your problems in a vacuum and just post it for the world to see than say, have a face-to-face discussion, debate, or argument with someone about those problems. They may push back, or ask questions you’ve answered 1000 times, or at the worst, be mad or judge you for complaining about something they don’t see as a problem. Social media caters to people who, whether rightly or otherwise, feel that their voice isn’t heard and their feelings aren’t validated. So in that way, it’s a perfect magnet for people with undiagnosed and untreated mental disorders! Social media addiction is definitely a phenomenon, but to treat it on par with dependency or drug abuse is not the way to combat it. If anything, having to use another term for drug addictions says more about people not understanding what an addiction is clinically vs. a normal bad habit: You can change bad habits; you fight an addiction tooth-and-nail. The most dangerous and addictive drugs (tobacco, alcohol, opioids, cocaine, amphetamines) have physical withdrawal symptoms that need medical help depending on how long it’s been affecting a person. Social media “withdrawal” makes you feel FOMO for two or three days.

[@macsnafu]

@@Thobeian I hold that there is a difference between physical and psychological addictions.

[@mars_ffs]

​@@hisham_hm yeah true, but sometimes u gotta use it to combat stupid ass takes like "adhd isn't real, ur just lazy"

[@SouravDas-vi1jh]

I love her sense of humor and delivery!!! ❤❤

[@madansharma2700]

Thanks for speaking clearly, and you are very funny in an understated manner.

[@seionne85]

Great video Sabine, thank you. Ive been trying to reroute my dopamine response to accomplishing things, for example focusing on how much bettter I'll feel once the laundry is done, then focusing on that feeling while doing the laundry. Once im done with the task ill take just a minute to bask in it before coming up with a new task. I think the shorter the task the better this works, but it has been difficult for me.

[@annebananne6835]

I do the same, for years now and feel freaking good about myself and my life. It changes your focus. I guess you could call it the classic: appreciation for the little things.

[@musicman9023]

Setting up small, achievable goals and reminding yourself how good you feel after you check them off your list is a great habit to combat persistent procrastination as well!

[@moondoggie32]

OMG, completely missing the message from God! Don't do your laundry! Why are you training yourself to be a slave to someone else's idea of how to behave! Go outside! Have some fun! If you get bored enough, do your laundry -- but not because you "have to."

[@seionne85]

@@moondoggie32 that's maybe the dumbest thing I've ever heard

[@MrCmon113]

You are thinking about things more and your behavior improves as a consequence. "Dopamine" doesn't help us understand what's going on there at all.

[@SofaKingShit]

Many people spent a lot their time gossiping before while others escaped from all of that nonsense into their books. Things change at the same time that they stay the same.

[@settofight]

It's a good point. The chaotic chunked into social media. A lot of furor surrounding consumption is a simple add on. Taste human!

[@hemanthharrilall6469]

Excellent video, very balanced view. Thanks for the clarity on social media healers and science based evidence

[@kuntal2kuntal]

I quit social media 7 yrs ago. And never regretted it. I feel more calm, more satisfied with myself, I spent more time with my real friends, and of course I have more time to do things that I really enjoy (not all of them are productive of course) and less time to think about trivial matters.

[@OfficialGOD]

So many kids are being conditioned with phone, it'll be harder for their minds to give up phone

[@CAThompson]

Before that it was television.

[@OfficialGOD]

@@CAThompson Yeah, there has always been something, but even a TV is more limited than a phone

[@Aquamayne100]

Sabine's monk robe 🤣

[@classica1fungus]

She's adorable

[@rogerlaro]

Thanks for this interesting take. I think you’re onto something. To take this idea further, I would say that the wider conversation is between the health benefits of moderation and the slippery slope down towards addictive behaviors of any type. Reward Deficiency Syndrome has a bit of research that explains social media addiction and many others in a more global context. Love your presentation style!

[@leo.nordmann]

Very good video, thanks for explaining so well!

[@YogonKalisto]

glad you clarified the anticipation re dopamine connect. having just viewed a recent Robert Sapolsky conversation, your vid snuggles in nicely. reflecting upon my own life, i can definitely see the thrill of anticipation (dopamine) for "the thing" and the letdown after, or even during "the thing". movie hype is a perfect example.

[@nalathekitten3594]

Good morning Sabine! I love your videos 🎉🎉 i always look forward to your updates thankyou

[@ianaustin5541]

Gosh, her videos are so interesting and I like that her research is in consideration of keeping a differentiated point of view.

[@Freakazoid12345]

She's German and I grew up in Germany as a kid. I find that it actually upsets most Americans (especially those with social media addiction) to hear things explained in a straight forward manner, showing multiple viewpoints and with a little humor.

[@ianaustin5541]

@@Freakazoid12345 >>upsets Americans

[@erickr199]

The frustrating thing about social media is that is engineered to make you as addicted as possible. They litterally hire people or use AI to know how to maximize the amount of hours one wastes on this sites.

[@wavesnowaves]

I think the reward feedback loop, can be somewhat “addictive” for people that feed off positive feedback potentially due to low self esteem. And this is where the “like”, (amongst others) is a well crafted mechanism to keep people looking at screens.

[@albirtarsha5370]

Man, I did that in the 80s to get through university. I lived without tv for 13 years in a time before the web and modern video gaming. I did this because it was super productive.

[@crschoen123]

Correlation ≠ Causation Thank you so much for emphasizing this!

[@minacapella8319]

That absolute burn right around the 10:20s made me choke on my drink, great job sabine! 😹😹😹 Lotta people need to hear that one and chew on it

[@JonathanLangdale]

I'm really glad you addressed this issue. I had been wondering about it after seeing a lot of nonsense online. I think social media is like over-eating ice-cream. This is a thing some people do to address depression, or problems in their lives. It's not the cause, but rather a symptom. Over use of social media is problem more common among people trying to escape problems in their lives, like gaming, drug addictions, alcohol use, etc.

[@Morimea]

This video is the same "nonsense online" as everything else. This video is a subjective overview of this context. If you put this video over other similar one-sided views - it just means you are following modern pattern of "follow celebrity", that social media want you to do.

[@JonathanLangdale]

@@Morimea Speak for yourself, dude. Today's everything-is-the-same-ism is maybe just as bad, or the same, as your silly attempt to assume to know my thought process, and to (wrongly) assume the worst about it.

[@edthoreum7625]

6:36

[@jpegjake]

Sabine always starts her video making you think she doesnt have much complex info to share in order to lull you into listening. She really does organize her speech into a perfectly concise nugget.

[@fannyalbi9040]

any good presentation need great preparation or homework for that matter.

[@rudra62]

And, sometimes, the telephone will ring. 🙃

[@user-fp8bm4ci3r]

Heyyy jus found this in my algorithm soup, and I’m glad I did. This was cool and you are wonderful thank you!!! New sub for ya 😌

[@dixiemerchant1052]

Excellent video!! (Quite a humors delivery too:-)

[@liberty-matrix]

"The algorithms know how to make you more engaged, the best way to get you more engaged is to make you more outraged. And the best way to make you more outraged is to use more inflammatory language and so forth. That's the reason everyone's upset, because social media is busy trying to make us upset." ~Eric Schmidt

[@RSRrobertwalker]

I love her wit and clever insights! Sa\bines comical narrations are a great asset to this channel! Always informative and fun to watch!

[@tianikane3312]

Thank you Sabine. I have always wondered why I am rapt in the process of getting to a goal and then lose interest once I get to the goal. Your explanation regarding dopamine and what it does has cleared this up for me. I have always thought I was somewhat weird in this loss of interest and people downed me for it, saying I should be 'proud' etc. that I have done such and such. I am creative but lose interest in the creation once it has been made, so much of it has been given away. It is the process that gives me the buzz, not the result

[@gregbailey45]

This works will with charitable endeavours. Get stuff done, move on...

[@Th3L0st0ne]

within a minute I knew I loved Sabine, of course she's a physicist! surely, the best video on the topic I have seen

[@MoistChickenLegs]

Great video, I wouldn't ever say people actually get addiction to dopamine, I've never believed kids actually get addicted to video games. I think when you see people present like this it's because they are compulsively running away from something. Rather than this being addiction, it's more interesting to look at it as a damaging coping mechanism that influences your ability to function neurologically. Crippling the reward system with relation to building and maintaining habits. But if you maintain good habits on a daily basis and use surplus dopamine activities as a reward, I can't really seeing quantity ever being an issue, dopamine is supposed to be good and feel good. It's not really addiction. Take for example the average person now, that needs to have earphones on to enjoy going for a refreshing walk, they are not addicted just because they can't enjoy the walk without it, but have become reliant on it making their walk pleasant for them when there are plenty of ways to do this normally. I think the way monk mode is framed is generally dishonest, and the science of it really stems down to behavioural deficiencies. There are tons of things that SHOULD just feel good to do for yourself, but most people get so lost in making the day to day more bearable that they desensitize themselves to the original activities. Edit: I have ADHD, so that is why I reframe dopamine addiction to be more of a behavioural deficiency. This framework shows you how to empower your dopamine receptors, and bring habit back into your life without remaining medication dependant forever.

[@UlyssesWachowski-vw5vi]

Hey buddy that’s me you’re talking about and I only wear headphones on walks because of my tinnitus! 😉

[@geddon436]

I used to believe the same, that video game addiction isn't a disorder, but, then I realized it is. I'm a 20 year video game addict. Go to bed at midnight, be at work for 5am, repeat five days a week. There was nothing wrong with my actions, I would tell myself. When I finally saw a therapist, then I realized I was addicted. I believe you are correct about, the addiction is a coping mechanism. Dysfunctional family, self-worth issues that were never addresed, chronic heatlh problems.

[@MoistChickenLegs]

@@geddon436 Yeah I have dealt with this for a long time too, the thing for me that helped was forcing myself to push gaming to the end of the day, after I've done all my self care and errands. It's a pretty slow process to get to that though, and you can't really just quit. I only meant to say that for many, it is not an addiction yet, and if people could identify the things that lead to it sooner, it wouldn't have to become one. It's just strange for me, because it never had to be video games, I had tons of other dopamine sources that did the trick too.

[@earlgrey2130]

Gaming addiction is on official diagnosis by now in the ICD-10. Its real. Whatever you don't "believe" doesnt matter when psychiatry all over the globe has patients with that diagnose requiring therapy. Its true tough that its not simply an addiction to dopamine (that is a ludicrous oversimplification). But dopamine plays an important role in addiction.

[@sinew1000]

Yeah dopamine addiction is not real for the average person. It is real though

[@raphaelhill586]

When I was teaching at a school in Thailand some of my male students would go literally monk mode. As in they would be ordained as monk or a week and have to live in a Buddhist monastery and shave their heads. At the end they had a little celebration then went back to normal. I also knew a monk from the UK who quit his monastery because senior monastics have to follow more rules over time. One of them being you had to quit social media use which he wasn't willing to do.

[@Freakazoid12345]

Lol, wasn't thinking about eastern/Asian countries. 😅

[@larisam6755]

Thank you, Sabine, for your great channel and these educational, often eye-opening, funny, no BS videos. Your intellect, charm, and German humor may be addictive! 😂

[@tallsmile28]

Thank you Sabine.

[@GyroCannon]

I did a social media cleanse for a month last year. It helped me clear my mind a bit because I removed any connections that I had with things that caused me negative mental outcomes. But once that cleared up, I was able to get back on in a much more healthy manner. Ultimately social media is like alcohol. Consuming it in reasonable ways can be good. It's easy to fall into a trap if you're not careful.

[@eengineer1able]

There is a difference between "there is no decisive evidence of a problem" and "there is no problem". We may say equally that we don't have clear evidence social media is healthy. However, we have many reasons to be at least concerned about social media and dopamine (or broadly mental health). Yes, skepticism is important, but "it's good for you" or "it's neutral" isn't the default we all should just assume for an activity that dominates the waking hours of millions of people.

[@Thoughtful_Balance]

Pursuit of all knowledge is required for what comes ahead. Thank you for trying for myself and for others.

[@Steve-yn3cs]

One new subscriber. You're funny. Great content.👍❤️

[@dennistucker1153]

Very good video. Thank you Sabine. :)