The Body’s Reward System

God created us so wonderfully, designing a beautiful, internal rewarding system. Yet, forces of evil have found a way to trigger it without genuine cause.

We are meant to feel good when we achieve something real - like the first dollhouse I built for my daughter years ago, or finally finishing my book after six long years. Holding that first hard-copy in my hand delivered a generous injection of dopamine. Well done, Warren! That was a reward for a tangible achievement.

Getting positive reactions on social media delivers those exact same rewards. My theory is that all these false triggers and the overwhelming amount of feel-good hormones our bodies are forced to produce can corrupt the entire system.

Consider sugar: Too much sugar leads to excessive insulin production, eventually causing the body to become resistant, resulting in a diagnosis of diabetes.

If excessive sugar leads to insulin resistance, what happens when our bodies become resistant to dopamine? I believe the answer is a profound, weakening emotional crash: depression sets in.

Why the Fix is a Failure

But why is this addiction so powerful? Because the 'Dopamine Devil' is a master manipulator.

The sad truth - and I write about this in my book, Virtual Reality: The Weapons of Mass Destruction - is that many people struggle with some form of rejection, low self-esteem, or an inferiority complex. Social media validation offers a cheap, temporary plaster. It covers the wound but doesn't heal it.

You have to ask yourself the difficult questions: Is this fix truly fixing you, or is it leading you to a darker place? Are you slowly but surely failing to respond to the authentic rewards that life is offering?

To fully grasp the scope of this struggle, we must look beyond the screen and consider the spiritual dimension. As the scriptures of Ephesians 6:12 remind us, "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

I hardly get 20 likes on my posts and maybe five comments, whereas some receive thousands for sharing something not even worthy of a glance. This lack of engagement does not haunt me when I share something profound, because I have peace; I know the difference between real achievement and a virtual reward. This is my peace, and I want it to be yours.

My Takeaway

Australia has just put a ban on social media for all kids under 16. They are actively protecting their children from the corporate drug dealers! We should start protecting ourselves too.

Keep this in mind and let's reclaim our authentic reward system.

Be blessed!