Digital Drug: How Technology Hijacked Our Minds and How to Reclaim Them
By Barry Brian Burrows
We live in a world more connected than ever — yet more distracted, anxious, and detached from ourselves. Every ping, swipe, and scroll promises pleasure, but delivers dependency. Digital Drug exposes how technology has rewired our brains and reshaped our lives — and how we can break free.
In this eye-opening and deeply human exploration, Barry Brian Burrows takes readers on a journey through the hidden psychology of modern tech. From dopamine-driven design and social media manipulation to the growing crisis of digital childhood, he reveals how screens have become society's most subtle addiction — one that alters attention, emotion, and even identity.
Drawing from neuroscience, behavioral science, and real-life experience, Digital Drug examines:
- The Digital High — why our brains crave constant connection.
- The Dopamine Factory — how apps exploit the brain's reward circuits.
- Digital Childhood — what happens when kids grow up plugged in.
- Hijacked by Design — the algorithms that profit from distraction.
- Reclaiming Neurobalance — practical steps to restore focus, calm, and control.
But this book is not just a warning — it's a wake-up call and a roadmap to renewal. Burrows offers a powerful blueprint for digital detox and mindful technology use, showing that the real solution isn't abandoning tech, but transforming our relationship with it.
Through vivid storytelling and scientific clarity, Digital Drug reminds us that true connection starts where the screen ends — in stillness, conversation, creativity, and presence. This is a book for anyone who has ever looked up from a device and realized something deeper was missing.
Insightful, urgent, and hopeful, Digital Drug challenges us to reclaim our most valuable resource — our attention — and rediscover what it means to be fully human in the age of the algorithm.
