How Christians Can Break Free from the Grip of Dopamine Media
One of the fruits of this digital age is the rise of dopamine media. Unlike entertainment media, which was limited to television, digital media is right at our fingertips. We are oversaturated with content every day, with new forms of media being pumped out at a rapid pace.
If you want to watch shows and movies, you don't have to wait for them to be aired on TV at a scheduled time; you can catch them online through a streaming service whenever you desire! Social media bombards us with notifications throughout the day while the algorithms are constantly refreshed to whatever piques your interests. Video games are constantly being released, with downloadable content, as well as in-game purchases to keep your heart happy. Pornography provides a super stimulus to the mind which has been likened to heroin.
You can equate dopamine to a buffet, where you serve as many kinds of food on your plate and go back for a second or third portion. Unlike food, which eventually makes you full, dopamine media only leaves you hungry for more media because of the cornucopia of content that is constantly pouring out every day.
How It Hijacks Faith
Christians are not immune to dopamine media, so we must tread caution; otherwise, we will become consumed by it. When we look at Scripture, we see how many times God's own people have sinned through idolatry (Exodus 20:3-4), such as the golden calf (Exodus 32). Nowadays, idolatry has gone beyond statues into our very own screens. As a result, we end up spending more time on our devices than in God's Word and prayer. Our screen time accumulates each day, making us realize how much time we end up on these screens. According to Harmony Healthcare IT's survey in 2024, Americans spend an average of 5 hours and 16 minutes per day on their phones, a 14% increase from the previous year. That's a lot of hours in a day, let alone when you add it all up for an entire year!
One dangerous aspect of dopamine media is doomscrolling, in which you just scroll through the internet or social media aimlessly for an excessive amount of time. You know you're doomscrolling when you are just staring at the screen without any purpose whatsoever. The screen becomes like a magnet to your eyes, almost hypnotizing you in sight. Additionally, doomscrolling subsequently leads to brain rot, which is described by Merriam-Webster as "material of low or addictive quality, typically in online media, that preoccupies someone to the point it is said to affect mental functioning." The term was also named Oxford's Word of the Year in 2024.
"'Brain rot' speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time. It feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology. It's not surprising that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our choice this year," said Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages.
"I find it fascinating that the term 'brain rot' has been adopted by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, those communities largely responsible for the use and creation of the digital content the term refers to. These communities have amplified the expression through social media channels, the very place said to cause 'brain rot'. It demonstrates a somewhat cheeky self-awareness in the younger generations about the harmful impact of social media that they've inherited."
The fact that brain rot became Oxford's 2024 Word of the Year highlights how prevalent the term has become in our lives. This is how you know you've sunk deep into the idolatry of dopamine media when your mind has been hijacked by the digital world. It is no surprise when people end up struggling in their walks of faith, relationships, and doing life in the real world because we prioritize our screens over the Lord. What a sad reality it is when we have chosen trivial things over the eternal, becoming addicted and unproductive in the process. As stated by the author of Ecclesiastes, it is "all vanity like chasing the wind."
Breaking Free
Rather than wait on the next dopamine hit by the algorithm, renew your mind in the Word of God (Romans 12:2). We can counter doomscrolling and brain rot when we are constantly nourished on the words of the faith (1 Timothy 4:6). Establish a routine, such as cultivating time with God through the Word and prayer each morning rather than defaulting to going to your phone and scrolling on social media. The same can apply at the end of the day. Disconnect from all media an hour before going to bed. In James Clear's bestselling book, Atomic Habits, he discusses how changing your environment is one way to establish good habits in your life, as it will make it easier to do them.
In an excerpt from his book, Clear shares how one's environment goes beyond motivation, which we typically consider when making a new habit.
"Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior. We tend to believe our habits are a product of our motivation, talent, and effort. Certainly, these qualities matter. But the surprising thing is, especially over a long time period, your personal characteristics tend to get overpowered by your environment," he said.
Practically speaking, rather than having your phone by your bed at night, put it away in another room so it becomes harder to access. Instead, put your Bible by your bedside so you can read it at the close of your day as well as the beginning.
Another approach is through a digital detox, where you limit your time on digital devices to avoid screen overuse. Try to go a whole day without social media, turn off notifications, and even delete the apps if necessary. Over time, you will realize how much time you waste on the screen when you're not on it and how much more time you have to focus on greater priorities, such as God and relationships in your life.
Value Your Time
Once upon a time, humanity lived without social media, therefore, we know it's not the end of the world when we refrain from it. We are to use it in moderation, cultivating self-control in the process. As God's Word states, we are to "make the best use of the time, for the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:6). Life is short, our time is short, therefore redeem it rather than waste it before it's gone. Cherish every moment and live to the glory of God for we will someday give an account of our lives when we stand before Him at the judgment seat (Romans 14:12).
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/fizkes
Originally published February 21, 2025.
