Addictions: old, new, and not yet recognised | Conversation with Monika Kuzminskaite | Blind Spot #8

SUMMARY

Until the mid-20th century, addiction was seen as a moral flaw. Today we know it’s a diagnosable disorder — yet new addictions like social media, gaming or compulsive shopping are still poorly recognised, even though their brain mechanisms resemble those of alcohol or gambling. Anything that offers quick relief can become addictive, especially when it helps us escape discomfort.

The harm is harder to measure: unlike alcohol or tobacco, scrolling or burnout leaves psychological damage, not medical bills. Regulation is also tricky — classic tools like excise taxes don’t apply. Marketing mechanisms that drive “user engagement” often reinforce addictive patterns.

Real change requires alternatives, not just bans. We need to normalise switching off, taking breaks, choosing silence. Behaviour change, Monika says, has three steps: recognising the problem, distancing from the trigger, and preparing for discomfort.

If society keeps treating nightly scrolling as normal, addictions will grow. And without self-empathy — accepting that negative feelings are part of life — people stay vulnerable. Trying to silence discomfort at all costs is exactly how addictions, old or new, take hold.