Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked

In the age of nonstop scrolling, here's how to break free of behavioral addiction

Dear friends, good afternoon! I am Tom Niklas, a seasoned writer and book reviewer. Welcome everyone to the Tom's ReadVault, please subscribe to me and join us in reading 100 books a year together.

It's Christmas break. Are your kids playing with family or glued to their phones and video games? If so, they may be exhibiting signs of behavioral addiction. The bestselling book I'm recommending today - Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked - addresses this very issue.

In the past, when we heard the word "addiction", we associated it with drugs, smoking - substance addictions that have existed for ages. But behavioral addictions are different. Take a peek into any room today and you'll likely spot folks glued to their phones. We used to accuse kids of having no self-control around games. But now, with smartphones ubiquitous, even seniors can appear more addicted than children. When over 50% of the population exhibits addictive behaviors, we can't ignore it.

The stats are staggering. According to the book, in 2015 American adults spent 2 hours and 48 minutes daily on their phones - a 10x increase from 18 minutes in 2008! Nearly half experience "extreme anxiety" without their device. This points to a widespread addiction.

The author coined the term "nomophobia" to describe this intense phone dependence. Surveys show 46% of people can no longer endure life without a smartphone. I'm sure many around me, especially youngsters, can relate to being phone-fixated and restless throughout the day.

If left unchecked, such screen addictions can inflict irreversible brain damage over time. Studies show excessive phone use alters the structure and chemistry of teens' brains, impacting their ability to focus, recall, and think critically. Much like long-term substance abuse can be addictive and harmful, so can phone overuse slowly corrupt our mental faculties. Indications already point to declining empathy and social skills among younger generations.

So behavioral addiction is not just about ingrained habits. It also chips away mercilessly at our susceptible brains. It has infiltrated facets of daily life, changing how we connect with the world and ourselves. My goal in sharing this book is twofold - to raise awareness about addictive behaviors and prompt reflections on how we can integrate technology moderately and consciously into our lives.

So what exactly drives these addictive behaviors? Scientific research in the book suggests behavioral addictions stem from pain or anxiety. We compulsively perform certain actions to temporarily relieve internal anguish - it's an instinctive response.

Take Isaac Vaisberg for example. Despite a happy family and stellar academics, he was addicted to gaming. It turns out he had intense social needs that real life couldn't fulfill. So he found purpose and companionship through his gaming avatar, easing his pain substantially. His "anguish" was essentially isolation and lack of validation from society.

But why did gaming provide such fulfillment? The answer lies in dopamine - the neurotransmitter in our brains that induces happiness and satisfaction. We release dopamine when rewarded during games or socially approved online. For Isaac, gaming injected a steady supply of "feel-good hormones."

However, Kent Berridge's research shows dopamine only correlates to "wanting" not "liking." In other words, the pleasure addicted gamers feel represents dopamine craving more than an actual liking of the game. This explains why people get hooked so relentlessly.

So the physiology of behavioral addiction is rooted in the dopamine "highs" provoked by games or phones. It temporarily numbs our anxiety and distress, but complicates matters in the long run. Understanding this mechanism helps us view addictive behaviors more objectively - as false sensations of happiness. With this awareness, we can have a healthier relationship with electronics, instead of slipping down the rabbit hole.

So what makes us so easily duped by phones and games? Turns out, behind these addictive products lies some ingenious psychology - "design inertia" that leads us by the nose. I've summarized these habit-forming techniques into "The Six Tools of Engagement":

First, compelling goals. Goals motivate by providing meaning and incentive to act. Take my Facebook feed for instance. Tesla is releasing a new limited-edition car, only 1000 available for pre-order. Instantly I'm intrigued and feel urgency - oh no, gotta act quick with limited stock! See how goals can drive behavior?

Even in mundane shopping, websites like Amazon incorporate tactics like flash sales and bidding to turn purchases into competitive goals. People stay glued past midnight vying for deals, anxious to not miss out. By stirring up anxiety and FOMO, goals unconsciously compel us forward, gulping down addictive products along the way.

Such anxiety and responsibility are unique to goals. As endless goals keep us hooked and busy, we get strung around unconsciously by various apps and games. A 30-minute task may now demand 1-2 hours, large chunks wasted scrolling Instagram or snacking on videos.

So firstly, we must recognize how goals hijack our drives. Not all externally imposed goals serve our inner needs. We have to differentiate outer from inner goals to avoid overabidance to the former at the latter’s expense.

Next, variable rewards. Simply put, variable rewards provide random spurts of positive reinforcement from using certain products or activities. Their unpredictability greatly amplifies motivation to keep chasing rewards.

Take Facebook's ubiquitous "Like" for example. The instant gratification from friends liking your posts offers variable social rewards. You can't predict how many Likes you'll get, which depends on many uncontrollable factors. So you impulsively create more posts to keep up the suspense. It’s like playing lottery - the warped uncertainty powerfully feeds engagement.

Similar mechanisms underpin TikTok hearts, game achievement badges and more. By rewarding unpredictably, they override self-control and compel addictive usage. So stay vigilant when using such platforms, checking in with your inner compass momentarily, not letting external validation hijack your emotions or actions.

Third, effortless progression. What games or apps hook users helplessly? A key trait is quickly imparting a sense of fast advancement early on. This “sugarcoat” numbs wariness, falsely puffing up your sense of achievement.

Take the author’s first time bowling with his brother. As a complete novice, he luckily bowled a strike his very first go. Seeing his brother’s eyes light up ecstatically, he got hooked on the sport, convinced he had a knack for it. In reality though, beginner’s luck probably soon plateaued his progress. But that initial “quick win” sufficiently reeled him in.