Wed Oct 15 13:30:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewrite as a news article suitable for The Hindu:
**Summary:**
An article published in The Hindu on October 15, 2025, discusses the impact of technology on the brain’s dopamine reward system. It argues that the constant stimulation from social media, short videos, and other digital content triggers dopamine release in a way similar to addictive drugs, leading to compulsive behaviors, fractured attention, anxiety, and potentially addiction. The article highlights that this is often by design, a result of behavioral engineering by algorithms. Young adults and teenagers are particularly vulnerable due to their developing brains. The article suggests solutions like “dopamine fasting,” mindful technology use, real-life connections, and healthy routines to rebalance dopamine levels and improve mental well-being. It emphasizes awareness as the first step in preventing the negative consequences of excessive screen time and encourages parents, teachers, and clinicians to model balanced behaviors.
**News Article:**
**Tech’s Dopamine Trap: Are Social Media ‘Likes’ the New Addiction?**
**By [The Hindu Staff]**
**Bengaluru, October 15, 2025:** In today’s hyper-connected world, the constant stream of notifications, likes, and endless content is rewiring our brains, according to a recent article in The Hindu’s “Health Matters” section. The piece, authored by Dr. Pretty Duggar Gupta, a consultant psychiatrist at Aster Hospital, Bengaluru, explores the increasingly concerning impact of technology on the brain’s dopamine reward system.
Dr. Gupta argues that the intermittent dopamine release triggered by social media, short videos, and streaming services mimics the effects of addictive drugs. This constant stimulation leads to compulsive checking behaviors, fractured attention spans, anxiety, and potential withdrawal symptoms when disconnected. Functional MRI studies are now showing overlapping brain activity during social media engagement and substance use, reinforcing the concern that digital stimuli can indeed trigger the same reward circuits that drive addiction.
“Every ping, like, and notification serves to deliver tiny doses of dopamine,” explains Dr. Gupta. “Social media, short videos, reels, and streaming services exploit this gap, producing dependency with their endless cycle of suspense and satisfaction.”
The article emphasizes that this “dopamine-driven design” is often intentional, a product of sophisticated algorithms designed to maximize user engagement. This is especially concerning for young adults and teenagers, whose brains are still developing and therefore more susceptible to the addictive nature of digital stimulation. Studies have shown a direct correlation between excessive social media use and increased levels of anxiety and depression in adolescents.
So, what can be done? Dr. Gupta advocates for a multi-pronged approach, including “dopamine fasting” – taking breaks from technology to reset the brain’s reward system. Other strategies include mindful technology consumption, prioritizing real-life connections, ensuring good sleep and nutrition, and engaging in activities that provide slower, more lasting rewards.
“The intent is not to escape pleasure, but to find balance between excitement and tranquility, stimulation and calmness,” Dr. Gupta writes. “True pleasure, as it turns out, isn’t about chasing dopamine – it is about harnessing it.”
The article concludes with a call to action for parents, teachers, and clinicians to model balanced behaviors and promote mental resilience in the next generation. In an environment that rewards instant gratification, the article suggests, learning to slow down and cultivate focus, presence, and purpose may be the key to a happier and healthier future.
First Piper 