COMMIT
We are all familiar with the negative impact phones can have on our daily lives - now explore the science behind phone use to understand why we do what we do despite how we feel about it. The scientific data, paired with our daily experience with electronics, should provide a wake up call for all of us of how much our lives are impacted and why the mindless scrolling is an endless journey with no destination. Join us in breaking free of the hold that phones have on our attention. Restore your self-control. Regain meaning in your life. Commit to the movement to Raise Your Gaze.
Ready to Unplug?
Get back to healthy dopmine-releasing activities such as exercise, eating healthy, and connecting with loved ones.
Get to the heart of the issue - delete your worst app offender(s).
Charge your phone in a another room - not next to your bed.
Start a project with your spouse - find an activity with shared attention.
Replace phone use with another task - find something else to fill your time with.
Make changes for a week and journal about how you feel afterwards. Use honest reflection to recognize issues and evaluate solutions.
49% of Americans are addicted to their phones, with Gen Z reporting a staggering 69% addiction rate.
YOUR BRAIN
ON
YOUR PHONE
What is going on in our brain when we use our phone?
Our everyday cell phone use can trigger the release of large amounts of dopamine in our brain. Dopamine is a chemical messenger the brain releases to motivate us to continually pursue rewarding actions. This motivation comes from the temporary feeling of pleasure and the behavioral reinforcement that dopamine produces.
What is wrong with too much dopamine?
Everyday activities such as eating, exercising, and interacting with loved ones can trigger dopamine release. This is perfectly normal and helps contribute to a productive, happy life. However, we can take shortcuts to achieve the same dopamine release and associated pleasure response. Activites such as gambling, drug use, eating sugary foods, and cell phone use take advantage of the dopamine system, but the intense pleasure they produce and the ease that they can be aquired make their abuse all too common. At best, the dopamine system can lead to the production of good habits. At worst, it can lead to dependency and addiction.
Why do I feel bad even with so much dopamine?
When we are constantly exposing ourselves to activites that release high levels of dopamine, we can build up a tolerance to the dopamine release. This can cause us to be in a dopamine deficit state, meaning we need the high levels of dopamine to feel normal. Any time we are not in a high dopamine state, our brain tells us to seek a dopamine source. It is all too common for this dopamine source to be the one with the easiest accessability and most potency - the cell phones in our pockets can offer this quick hit.
Can I ever fulfill my need for dopamine?
The dopamine system is not satiable, so you will never feel completely satisfied or fulfilled. Dopamine is more about wanting rather than the actual liking of something. This can lead to feelings of frustration after a long session of doomscrolling through our phone - you sought pleasure but did not have an associated feeling of achievement or accomplishment.
How do I break this cycle?
Raise Your Gaze is dedicated to helping people recognize the harm that unhealthy phone use can cause. We recognize the importance of replacing quick dopamine hits with healthier, more stable dopamine releases over time. Our site is full of recommendations that have helped numerous people, including ourselves, regain control over our attention and break our bad habits. The process of regaining control takes disciple and dedication. Be ready to make drastic changes, then be ready for a newfound feeling of freedom and self control.