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I would encourage you to not think of this in an addiction framework. Instead think of this as a self medicating framework.

Why are you choosing reddit over spending time your baby? Do you fear handling the baby? Does handling the baby make you feel uncomfortable thoughts or feelings?

Is there something, like ego, that reddit gives you?

This is a good problem for self journaling, working with someone, or whatever your preferred form of self introspection is.



It gives a constant stream of novelty and instant gratification, two things the human mind is deeply biased to crave, delivered through an interface produced by decades of A/B testing and applied behavioral psychology.

It absolutely is an addiction machine.


Is chocolate an addiction machine?

It tastes good. People really like it. Given the choice between rice cakes and chocolate, you'd probably choose chocolate. Chocolate manufacturers test chocolates and release the more successful ones.


Does chocolate have teams of behavioral psychologists designing every aspect of the experience of its acquisition and consumption in order to create a situation in which a huge chunk of our society is unable to stop compulsively consuming it to a point where it's negatively affecting their lives?


Chronic media consumption is not always based on avoidance. It is very easy to open social media during genuine downtime "for 5 minutes" only for an hour to pass before you know it. That is just bad self control due to dopamine addiction.


Dopamine addiction isn't a real thing. You don't get addicted to going for a jog or eating chocolate.




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