Everyday Addictions: The Things We’re Unknowingly Addicted To

What comes to mind when you hear the word “addiction”? Probably drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes… But what about social media? Shopping? Anxious thoughts? The constant urge to check your phone?

According to Dr. Jud Brewer, addiction isn’t limited to substances. In fact, there are many forms of addiction quietly embedded in our everyday lives—right at the center of our routines and deep within our minds.

Anyone Can Be Addicted to Something

Dr. Jud Brewer is an addiction psychiatrist. Throughout his academic career, he has worked with patients addicted to substances like methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. But over time, he realized something crucial: addiction isn’t just about chemicals. The core issue lies in “continuing a behavior despite negative consequences.” In other words, even when something drains you or makes you unhappy, you just can’t stop.

By this definition, continuing to tweet obsessively can be an addiction. Daydreaming, compulsive shopping, gaming, longing for someone you can’t let go of, emotional eating—all of these can be part of the same cycle.

Modern Life Fuels Addiction

In the 1800s, buying a new pair of shoes might take days or even weeks. Today, it takes two clicks and a few hours. This instant gratification clashes with our brain’s ancient “reward-based learning system,” creating powerful urges, habits—and addictions.

Our brain still operates with a primal system built to keep us from starving, urging us toward sugar when it’s available. But we’re no longer starving. Yet that same mechanism still says, “Just one more sweet, one more video, one more scroll…”

And tech companies know this. Variable rewards (like unpredictable notifications), instant access, and algorithms that tap into personal weaknesses—all of it targets our brain’s dopamine system, pushing us to repeat behaviors again and again.

Addiction Has a Hidden Face

During his research, Dr. Brewer discovered that many people are “addicted to thinking.” Constantly analyzing, planning, worrying, trying to control—these too can form addiction loops. This isn’t just behavioral—it’s a neurobiological fact.

Willpower Isn’t Enough

Ever wonder why New Year’s resolutions rarely last past February? Because willpower lives in the brain’s most evolved—and most fragile—region: the prefrontal cortex. And under stress, this area goes offline. So in the moments we most need control, we’re actually at our weakest neurologically.

Willpower alone isn’t enough to break the habit loop. It can even backfire, leading to frustration and burnout.

Where Is the Solution?

The core solution lies in mindfulness.

Mindfulness—observing the present moment without judgment—is one of the rare approaches that can engage both the “old brain” (which drives habit loops) and the “new brain” (which makes rational decisions) simultaneously. When you spark a sense of curiosity, your brain interprets this curiosity as a reward, making change more sustainable.

For example, when you find yourself caught in a habit, instead of feeling guilty, try asking:

• Why am I doing this?

• What am I truly feeling right now?

• What is this really giving me?

These questions help you step out of autopilot and mark the starting point of real change.

Hope from Modern Science

Research shows that mindfulness can increase smoking cessation rates by up to five times, and reduce binge eating and anxious thinking by as much as 40%. In studies involving anxious physicians, mindfulness led to relief levels as high as 50%.

Mindfulness isn’t just about calm—it’s a powerful tool to retrain the brain’s reward system.

Conclusion: Don’t Fight Your Mind—Work With It

No, you don’t have to throw your phone out the window. You don’t need to block Amazon either. What you need is to understand how your mind works—and collaborate with it. By cultivating habits of curiosity and kindness, you can build a healthy, sustainable inner motivation.

Remember:

• We all have brains wired for addiction.

• It’s not your fault—your brain evolved this way to survive.

• The modern world is designed to trigger these tendencies.

• The solution lies in getting the “new brain” to work with the “old brain.”

And yes, it’s absolutely possible.

Get to Know Your Mind

Instead of fighting it, learn to work with it. Because curiosity, mindfulness, and kindness might just be the keys to real, lasting transformation.

References

• Brewer, J. A. (2024). Bested by the Buddha: Does Ancient Theory Outperform Modern-Day Psychology for Habit Change and Addiction Treatment?. Mindfulness, 15(5), 1038-1043.

• Brewer, Judson & Elwafi, Hani & Davis, Jake. (2012). Craving to Quit: Psychological Models and Neurobiological Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training as Treatment for Addictions. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors. 10.1037/a0028490.