The Dopamine Brain: Balancing Pleasure and Purpose in Life

In this course, Dr. Anastasia Hronis (B Psych, Hons; M Clin Psych; AMusA; LMusA; Ph.D.; clinical psychologist; founder, Australian Institute for Human Wellness) heads off the lecture with a discussion of how gambling, social media, dating apps, and porn websites all fuel dopamine-driven behaviours, with which we may – given the design of modern technology – come to have an unhealthy relationship. With a quick review of some of the chief neurotransmitters, including dopamine, Dr. Hronis shows how “sticky tech”, with intermittent reinforcement and infinite scrolling, works to keep us engaged, leading to at least harm, if not addiction. She explains how the way forward is by substituting value-driven behaviours for dopamine-driven ones, using distress tolerance techniques if it’s too hard to choose according to our values in the moment of intense cravings.