5 Comments
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Jory Des Jardins's avatar

Wow, Dave. You just wrote the recipe for reclaiming ourselves in this time of mass hijacking of our higher purpose.

David Armano's avatar

“Reclaiming ourselves”. Love that Jory

Neural Foundry's avatar

The framwork of observe-starve-replace is smart, but what I've seen with my freinds stuck in the loop is that they know the triggers and still can't quit them. The real lever is that replacement step needs friction removal and immediate feedback. Like HVAC work giving visible bank account growth. Most "quit doomscrolling" advice fails becuase it offers delayed gratification against instant emotional payoff.

David Armano's avatar

You make a good point--that dopamine is one HELL of a drug. It is possible to get this loop under control, as illustrated by my son's story. But there's no silver bullet to your broader point.

Cat Howland's avatar

Rage and empathy loops are powerful. Thank you, @davidarmano, for naming it so clearly alongside the antidotes: real people, real actions, and real progress toward personal goals and contentment.