We’ve all seen it, groups of kids at the park on their cell phones, at a family gathering, they just can’t seem to put down their iPad or iPhone to interact with others. They are so hooked on their devices that when you ask them to put them away they become aggressive or throw temper tantrums that leave you in awe.
These devices are a form of a digital drug because technology is hyper-arousing raising dopamine levels—the feel good neurotransmitter that you get when you’re excited about something, similar to sex. It’s something that’s peaked the interest of scientists who’ve done research using brain imaging showing the effect that technology has on the brain’s frontal cortex, which controls executive functioning, including impulse control, similar to the effects of cocaine.
