Dopamine Beka...?

Sriranga VN
Jul 23, 2025
3 min read

Dopamine baeka....?!!

Chinnasami was angry. He got up in haste from his chair, hitting the table and overturned the chair. The tabby cat which was peacefully lost in its dreams, purred in fright and clambered to the top of ceiling shelf.

Sami rushed outside, without looking back. His dog Mylo braved it along with him and followed him with its tail in mid postion, unsure.

Sami was in foul mood. He was angry at his Amma, who never listened to him, as he explained how his friend, Kuccha, was getting his own bicycle. What nonsense!, Sami exclaimed in his mind. Amma was so fascinated with the spell of the stupid cellphone and did not hear him speak about the red bicycle ....

Sami rambled along to his fav place at his private abode on the fallen wooden log, right underneath the cave, which was formed as a result of the dense shade and foliage which encircled the log.

Sami was the king in this abode. He watched a spider building its gossamer like web. A small bird twittered and the farm felt silent except for conversations of birds and insects.

Sami! Saaammii! a voice pierced his reverie. Saami! his dad was calling as he came searching for him. Appa!! Sami answered, and ran to the outstretched hands of his dad. It felt good to feel Appas wet skin n faint smell of the perfume lingering on his skin.

Appa, "I am angry". "Amma does not listen when I speak", he blurted in frustration. "She is into the cellphone, not listening to me", he said holding his tears.

Oh! Appa exclaimed and understood what Sami was feeling. "It is a dopamine addiction" he said.

Sami, "do you know dopamine or neurotransmitters", Appa asked and then explained. Neurotransmitters are small chemicals which carry messages to and fro from brain. And Dopamine is an neurotransmitter released in brain when we expect any reward. Like when I give you a chocolate or when your teacher praises you infront of class, he said. "When dopamine is released, you feel good, happy and on top of world", dad explained .

Sami, dad said, the cellphone content is designed such that as you watch, dopamine release happens. You feel happy as you are pulled more and more into watching cellphone content and want to keep up this state of dopamine high. Yes, addictions can happen bcoz brain craves for dopamine highs...!

Aww!! Saami exclaimed, it is exactly like when Mylo wags his tail, jumps and follows me when I give him a treat. Dopamine is the treat, people's brains craves for, which gets supplied when people watch cellphone content which they like.

Yes, Appa smiled "you got it Sami". Mylo, treat, dopamine, cellphone content and dopamine craving, Appa smiled as his son made the connection of why cellphone is so addictive .

Appa, "you really make things so simple", Sami mouthed as his anger of Amma levelled off as he understood the reason why cellphone usage becomes so compulsive.

Come Sami! Appa led him, and took him to the Jamoon tree n picked up the tangy-sweet- bitter-purple jamoon fruits and both took a bite forgetting the tensions of the past. What a beautiful life! Sami smiled and patted Mylo as he scampered along in the farm....