Many people enjoy going on shopping sprees and often end up accumulating items they never actually use.

Shopping addiction is just one type of addiction. In everyday life, it's not hard to spot individuals who exhibit similar patterns. Those who love reading might constantly gather more information than they can digest.

Snack enthusiasts continue munching despite knowing it's not beneficial for their health, and avid TV watchers stay up late, not necessarily for the content they desire to watch. What issue are these people facing, and what exerts such a powerful influence over their behavior? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that significantly impacts both human emotions and actions.

Dopamine is a chemical produced by the brain's prefrontal cortex. While its name and molecular formula might sound unfamiliar, the feelings it induces, such as longing, excitement, and anticipation, are likely well-known to you.

The intense feelings associated with love, for instance, are a result of increased dopamine production in the brain.

When the brain anticipates that a particular behavior will yield benefits, it releases dopamine, creating a sense of longing and anticipation. Once this feeling arises, the body is compelled to engage in that action.

Throughout evolution, the brain has effectively controlled the entire organism to pursue benefits and compete for survival in nature's harsh conditions.

The brain is inherently rational, believing that even if the immediate results of behavior are unsatisfactory, continued action in line with evolutionary insights will eventually lead to benefits. This mechanism was successful until humans entered the modern civilized world.

In primitive societies, where nutrient-rich foods were scarce, it made sense to eat as much as possible when available. The unpredictability of future food availability justified not stopping eating when full.

Similarly, resources like books and information were limited throughout most of human history, making it wise to collect them even if they couldn't be immediately utilized.

Dopamine-driven behavior is oriented toward future rewards, and the human body strongly adheres to this principle, acting according to the situation. This commitment to reward is why dopamine is referred to as the body's reward center. However, dopamine's influence extends beyond this. The highly intelligent prefrontal cortex of the brain can learn new things, recognize and understand unfamiliar concepts, remember potential rewards, and adjust the dopamine secretion mechanism accordingly.

This ability to access new things is fueled by dopamine.

Children excelling in school are often more motivated to learn, finding the process enjoyable and less stressful. This is because the brain associates good grades with praise, resulting in a positive feeling.

For high-achieving students, this connection happens spontaneously. Everyone can consciously cultivate this by linking the "learning process" to "dopamine production." Despite dopamine being meant to serve human interests and increase advantages in survival, the modern world presents challenges.

With an overabundance of nutrition, materials, and information, many primitive physiological designs, effective in the past, now lead to harmful behavioral deviations like bulimia, shopping addiction, and information compulsion.

Entering the modern information society has exposed mankind to an unprecedented abundance, testing our ability to adapt. Facing the complexities of modern society requires developing new skills such as judgment and willpower, enabling the mind to mature and navigate a more intricate social environment. To succeed in this complex society, one must understand the reasons behind dopamine-driven desires and use wisdom to evaluate their worthiness. Additionally, learning to actively use dopamine's motivational properties can help correct bad habits and foster good ones.