Positive Steps
Sadhbh Dunne
You may have noticed, either in yourself or in others, a strong need to instantly fulfil a desire or an urge. It’s the need for instant gratification.
As humans, we are primed to seek out pleasure and avoid pain. Dopamine is referred to as the ‘feel good hormone’ due to its link to feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Generally, the brain’s dopamine system will always favour the instant reward over potential long-term success. Basically, if we have a choice between something that has benefits in the here and now or something with benefits that won’t become clear until a future date, the majority of us will be drawn to the first option.
So, is dopamine-driven action just how we are programmed? Are we slaves to dopamine hits, or do we have more choice than we might realise?
It’s interesting to consider whether the dominance of dopamine-seeking behaviour has become more prevalent as society has evolved and grown.
Technology
A huge player of instant gratification is, perhaps not surprisingly, technology. As it has advanced throughout the years, so has our need and hunger for accessing things immediately.
The internet opened our eyes to many more possibilities – not least e-commerce. We can order things we see or hear about in minutes. If you order before a certain cut-off time, it may even land at your door within 24 hours. Once upon a time who’d have even believed that same-day delivery could be a thing?
In addition to this there are all the streaming platforms that present us with thousands of viewing options to settle into. A movie not living not up to expectations or not what you expected? Fear not, as you have a limitless choice to find a better fit. (The scroll really can feel limitless on a Friday night, and not in a good way!)
With Netflix, YouTube and other streaming services you can jump to exactly where you want to be with literally a click of a button. No waiting around. I’ve heard of children looking to skip the ads on the bog-standard television, such is their familiarity with streaming services!
Another one of the instant-gratification heavy hitters is of course social media. If you’re feeling low about yourself or just want some approval, you can fire up an image and watch the interactions and positive affirmations roll in. This validation from peers is a major provider of instant gratification, clearly seen in the popularity of these platforms.
Future proofing
Try to remember that sometimes, achieving a desire can feel sweeter if you’ve had to wait for it, if you’ve had to show patience. When things are available instantaneously, you are more likely to experience feelings of boredom.
Be aware of the impulse to seek instant gratification when it strikes, and if at all possible avoid its negative consequences by not giving into temptation.
If you do give in, take note of any undesirable consequences, as recognising these can help you deal with similar situations or choices should they arise again. If you have purchased something expensive on a whim but then subsequently experience some guilt or worry about your financial affairs, you may spend some more time weighing up your options in future scenarios. At least you are getting to a place where the decisions you make are more thoughtful and informed, which is only a good thing.
But remember, the pull towards instant gratification is innate. There’s no point in beating yourself up about it either. Whatever way you look at it, humans are in fact hardwired for instant gratification, so you are unlikely to be able to avoid giving into its temptation completely.
Now I must download that book onto my Kindle….
Sadhbh Dunne is a qualified life coach based in Westport. She is the founder of Ember Coaching (embercoaching.ie) and can be reached at sadhbh@embercoaching.ie.
This article originally appeared on www.mayonews.ie