Finding True Pleasure in a World of Cheap Thrills

If you struggle with overspending, you are far from alone. Six in ten people in America live paycheck to paycheck, with over 40% saying they consistently overspend.

Credit card debt is at an all-time high, and honestly, it doesn’t come as a surprise. Our society today is designed to push people toward more online shopping.
Here’s the chemical behind that compulsion: dopamine.

Understanding Dopamine

Dopamine is a hormone and a type of neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, made in your brain. Your nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells. These messages also travel between your brain and the rest of your body.

It affects your body, brain, and behaviour. It helps us focus, work towards goals, and find things interesting.

The Modern Dopamine Dilemma

Our world today is designed to drown us in cheap dopamine. Historically, alcohol, drugs, and sugary foods were the main contributors to dopamine addiction.

Today, we have so much more access and starting at a much younger age. Scrolling through Instagram and TikTok is cheap – you just need a smartphone and internet access.

And there is a reason these apps are littered with advertisements.

When you buy something at the store, the moment of pleasure is fleeting. When you buy something online, it is the anticipation that contributes to the positive feeling.

This means online shopping can give you more excitement than regular shopping because you feel excited from the moment you place an order until the moment you receive it.

But it’s turning us into dopamine addicts, and each like, swipe, and purchase is feeding our habit.

The consequence? Higher and higher credit card debt, more and more people with financial anxiety, and landfills full of junk nobody actually needs.

The System is Seamless

Here is the main issue: this system is designed to be seamless. Your credit card is saved in your phone, the advertisements you see are shown at the exact moment you are most susceptible to purchasing, and the products advertised to you are based on thousands of hours of data these companies have on you.

Taking Control of Your Dopamine

If you want a fighting chance at curbing your overspending habit, you need to take an active role in reducing this form of cheap dopamine.

Start by replacing it with healthier forms of pleasure:

Make your prayers longer: Truly reflect instead of rushing through

Schedule time in your week to spend time in the sun.

Schedule time to see friends and family you love.

Prioritize getting a healthy amount of sleep.

Eat nutrient-dense foods instead of opting for sugary snacks.

In a world designed to keep people in a cycle of working to spend their money, we have to consciously make an effort to find pleasure in the blessings Allah has provided us.

Sound familiar?

13:26

Allah gives abundant or limited provisions to whoever He wills. And the disbelievers become prideful of ˹the pleasures of˺ this worldly life. But the life of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is nothing but a fleeting enjoyment.

13:27

The disbelievers say, “If only a sign could be sent down to him from his Lord.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Indeed, Allah leaves to stray whoever He wills, and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him—

13:28

those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.

Seeking True Freedom through Faith

Truly, Islam is a complete way of life.

It is only through intentional spending, by actively seeking out healthy forms of pleasure that we will be able to grow our wealth.