Hey ,

Morphine…

One of the strongest pain relieving substances known to mankind.

It was discovered in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, and derived from opium…making it extremely addictive.

(Fun Fact: Morphine was named after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams)

Most people have never had morphine…

But we ALL have something just as powerful and addictive…

Our smartphones.

Wait, a second….

“If smartphones are just as powerful as morphine…

Then why don’t they just give smartphones to wounded soldiers in the field?”

Alright…smarty pants…

Anyways…

When I say smartphones, this includes social media, email, videos, notifications, and everything else that comes with it…

And our mental health suffers severely from its use and overuse….especially when we use it as an agent to numb our pain…like morphine.

I dug into the similarities between smartphone use and morphine, and I think you’ll find it the similarities pretty interesting:

1. Addiction and Dopamine Release:

   • Morphine: It hijacks the brain's reward system by binding to opioid receptors, triggering a surge of dopamine…a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure. This intense rush reinforces addictive behaviors by providing euphoric highs that users chase relentlessly.

   • Smartphone: Alarmingly similar to morphine, smartphones manipulate your brain chemistry to release dopamine with every ping…whether it's a like, a message, or a notification. This creates a dangerous reward loop, manipulating us into compulsive addictive phone use.

2. Tolerance and Escalation:

   • Morphine: Regular use desensitizes the body, necessitating ever-larger doses to feel the same effects, spiraling into a dangerous dependency.

   • Smartphone: When you use your smartphone you can get trapped in a cycle of needing more…more time, more engaging content…to recapture initial feelings of satisfaction, leading to a feeling of being enslaved to your screen.

3. Withdrawal Symptoms:

   • Morphine: Cutting off morphine after prolonged use can unleash severe withdrawal symptoms like pain, extreme irritability, and destabilizing mood swings, signaling a deep physical dependency.

   • Smartphone: Disturbingly, heavy smartphone users exhibit similar withdrawal effects…feeling anxious, irritable, and even depressed when deprived of their devices, which reveals a scary psychological dependency.

4. Pain Relief vs. Escapism:

   • Morphine: Used for its potent pain-relieving properties, morphine offers users an escape from physical agony.

   • Smartphone: Smartphones offer a psychological escape, seducing you into a digital haze that allows them to avoid real-world discomforts, responsibilities, and emotions, promoting an unhealthy detachment from reality.

5. Impact on Brain Structure and Function:

   • Morphine: Chronic use can distort brain structures related to reward, motivation, and decision-making, drastically altering cognitive functions and emotional health.

   • Smartphone: Emerging studies are showing that excessive smartphone use similarly deform brain regions crucial for attention, decision-making, and emotional stability, potentially causing long-term neurological damage.

Smartphones really have become “digital morphine drips"…

Providing constant, on-demand psychological relief, pleasure, and escape, potentially leading to tolerance and dependence, much like a drug.

But since smartphone addiction has been normalized and promoted by almost EVERYONE…it’s not seen or acknowledged as a “real addiction”…

Yet it has all the same properties of an addiction.

So why is this important for YOU?

Well for people with PTSD or trauma the downside of excessive smartphone use is even greater:

1. Increased Anxiety and Stress:

   • Constant notifications and the pressure to remain connected can heighten anxiety, contributing to stress buildup. For someone with PTSD, this continuous influx of alerts can trigger hyperarousal and stress responses, potentially aggravating symptoms.

2. Disruption of Sleep:

   • Blue light emitted by smartphone screens disrupts the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. Poor sleep can severely affect those with PTSD, worsening symptoms such as nightmares, insomnia, and daytime fatigue.

3. Heightened Symptoms of Depression:

   • Social media and constant connectivity can lead to comparisons, feelings of inadequacy, and a sense of isolation, all of which can deepen feelings of depression. For individuals with PTSD, who may already feel disconnected from others, this can reinforce feelings of isolation and despair.

4. Impairment in Emotional Regulation:

   • Overuse of smartphones can lead to difficulty in managing and understanding emotions, a critical area often already compromised in those with PTSD. The superficial interactions on social media may replace deeper, more meaningful real-life connections that are essential for emotional support.

5. Social Isolation:

   • Despite being more connected than ever, excessive smartphone use can lead to a feeling of isolation from real-world relationships and communities. For someone with PTSD, social support is crucial, and isolation can hurt recovery.

6. Cognitive Decline:

   • Constant multitasking and distraction can impede focus and cognitive capacity. For PTSD sufferers, who may already struggle with concentration and memory, this can exacerbate cognitive challenges.

I say all this just to help you become aware of the impact smartphones, social media, and all digital media can have on your life.

All I know is this…

The more digital media and interaction I remove?

The better my life gets…

More peace.

Deeper relationships.

More fulfillment.

What about you?

Have you ever “detoxed” from the digital world?

Give it a try…

You’ll likely find that you’re more addicted and have a stronger psychological dependency on your phone than you think…

– BRAD

“No one can heal you, but YOU.”

Struggling With PTSD and Don't Know Where to Start?

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