You know that rush. It’s the specific, electric jolt you get when your phone pings with a notification from someone you actually like, or the weirdly satisfying "thwack" of a golf ball hitting the sweet spot of the club. It’s a physical sensation that starts in the chest and radiates outward. People often describe being hooked on that feeling, but we rarely talk about what that "feeling" actually is from a biological or psychological perspective. It isn't just one thing. It’s a chemical cocktail mixed by your brain to keep you coming back for more, whether that’s more work, more scrolling, or more risk.
It’s powerful.
Evolutionarily speaking, this mechanism exists for a very good reason. If our ancestors didn't get a "hit" of pleasure from eating high-calorie marrow or successfully hunting a mammoth, they wouldn't have had the motivation to do it again. But in 2026, the world is engineered to keep us perpetually chasing. We are living in an era of "manufactured salience," where every app developer and snack food scientist is trying to ensure you stay hooked on that feeling of a quick reward.
The Neurochemistry of the Chase
When we talk about being hooked, we are mostly talking about dopamine. But here is what most people get wrong: dopamine isn't about pleasure. It’s about anticipation.
Robert Sapolsky, a neuroendocrinology professor at Stanford, has spent decades explaining that dopamine levels in the brain spike more during the wait for a reward than during the receipt of the reward itself. It is the chemical of "maybe." If you knew for a fact that clicking a link would give you a boring result, your brain wouldn't itch. But because it might be something life-changing—or at least funny—you’re stuck. You’re chasing the ghost of a payoff.
This is why gambling is so much more addictive than a guaranteed paycheck. The uncertainty is the engine.
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It’s Not Just One Chemical
While dopamine does the heavy lifting for the "craving," other chemicals join the party to create the full experience of being hooked on that feeling.
- Oxytocin: This is the "cuddle hormone," though that’s a bit of a simplification. It handles the feeling of belonging and social safety. When you get a "like" on a post, you’re getting a micro-dose of oxytocin alongside the dopamine.
- Endorphins: These are the body's natural painkillers. They are responsible for the "runner's high." You usually have to push through some level of discomfort to get these, which is why the feeling of finishing a grueling workout is so much more profound than just sitting on the couch.
- Serotonin: This is about status and pride. When you feel respected or accomplished, serotonin is what provides that long-lasting sense of "I’ve made it."
Why the "Feeling" Becomes a Trap
We are wired for a world of scarcity, but we live in a world of abundance. This creates a massive mismatch.
When you’re hooked on that feeling of social validation, you might find yourself checking your Instagram metrics every eleven minutes. Honestly, it’s exhausting. The brain hasn't caught up to the fact that a digital "thumbs up" doesn't actually mean you’re safe from predators in the wild. We treat digital rejection with the same physiological panic our ancestors felt when being exiled from a tribe.
The "feeling" can also become a problem in high-performance environments. Think about day traders or professional athletes. They are often hooked on the high of a win, but the brain has a mechanism called homeostasis. If you experience too much of a high, your brain down-regulates its receptors. You essentially become "numb" to the smaller joys of life because you’ve pushed the system too hard. This is the classic hedonic treadmill. You run faster and faster just to stay in the same place emotionally.
The Role of Variable Rewards
B.F. Skinner, the famous behaviorist, proved this back in the mid-20th century with pigeons. He found that if a pigeon got a food pellet every time it pecked a button, it would eventually get bored and stop. But if the pellets came out at random intervals—sometimes after two pecks, sometimes after twenty—the pigeon would peck that button until it collapsed.
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We aren't much different from those pigeons.
Modern technology uses "Variable Ratio Reinforcement" to keep us hooked on that feeling of discovery. The "infinite scroll" is the digital version of Skinner’s box. You don't know if the next swipe will reveal a boring advertisement or a masterpiece, so you keep swiping. This isn't a lack of willpower; it’s a biological exploit.
Breaking the Cycle Without Losing the Joy
So, how do you manage being hooked on that feeling without becoming a slave to it? It isn't about becoming a monk or deleting every app you own. It’s about "interleaving" your rewards.
Anna Lembke, author of Dopamine Nation and a psychiatrist at Stanford, suggests that we need to embrace the "pain" side of the pleasure-pain balance. If we only chase the high, our brain tilts the scale toward pain to compensate. This is why you feel a "crash" after a day of binge-watching TV or eating junk food.
To find a healthy balance, you have to do hard things.
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Taking a cold shower, doing a difficult workout, or engaging in deep, focused work actually "tilts" the scale toward the pain side first. In response, your brain naturally moves the scale back toward pleasure, resulting in a more stable, long-lasting sense of well-being. It’s a slower burn, sure, but it’s much more sustainable than the jagged peaks and valleys of a digital addiction.
Real-World Examples of the "Feeling" in Action
Look at the world of "Sneakerheads." Why would someone spend $1,500 on a pair of shoes? It’s rarely about the leather quality. It’s about the hunt. The feeling of finally securing a limited-release drop provides a massive surge of dopamine and serotonin. They are hooked on that feeling of exclusivity and the successful "hunt."
Or consider the "flow state" in gaming or coding. When the challenge of a task perfectly matches your skill level, you lose track of time. This is a "feeling" that is actually productive. It’s a cocktail of norepinephrine (focus), dopamine (interest), and anandamide (lateral thinking). People who are hooked on the feeling of flow often describe it as the most rewarding experience in human life. Unlike the cheap high of a slot machine, flow leaves you feeling energized rather than drained.
Actionable Steps for Emotional Regulation
If you feel like you're losing control to your cravings, there are specific, evidence-based ways to recalibrate.
- Practice "Dopamine Fasting" (The Correct Way): You don't have to sit in a dark room. Just try one day a week where you avoid "artificial" rewards. No social media, no processed sugar, no online shopping. This allows your brain's receptors to reset.
- Delay the Gratification: When you feel the urge to check your phone or buy something online, tell yourself you can do it in ten minutes. Usually, the "itch" of the dopamine spike will subside within that window.
- Identify the "Why": Are you hooked on that feeling because you’re bored, or because you’re avoiding a difficult task? Often, our "hooks" are just coping mechanisms for underlying stress.
- Prioritize High-Effort Rewards: Switch from passive consumption (watching videos) to active creation (writing, building, cooking). The feeling of accomplishment provides a much healthier neurochemical profile than the feeling of consumption.
- Use Physical Anchors: When you feel a craving hit, change your physical environment. Walk outside. The change in visual stimuli can break the neurological loop.
Understanding that you are biologically predisposed to being hooked on that feeling is the first step toward freedom. We aren't broken; we’re just tuned for a different world. By intentionally choosing which feelings we chase, we can reclaim our focus and build a life that feels genuinely good, rather than one that just provides a series of temporary flashes.
Start by noticing the "itch." The moment you realize you are reaching for a distraction is the moment you gain the power to put it down. It’s not about never feeling the rush; it’s about making sure you’re the one in the driver's seat when the rush happens.