Ramadan is a gift from Allah, a month in which He makes it easier for us to grow closer and conscious of Him.
But Ramadans of today look very different to how they did 10 or even 5 years ago. Our phones are always on, we are always available and accessible, and always influenceable. We’ve slipped into a culture where every single time someone messages you, you feel obliged to respond immediately, and the social media dopamine loop keeps us glued to our phones.
Why is the dopamine loop negative?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and hormone that is a chemical messenger. It reinforces behaviours by creating feelings of satisfaction, and when we experience it during social media scrolling it encourages us to reach for our phone. But the nature of social media is unpredictable, and your brain never knows which moment, post, or story might bring reward, which keeps you hooked.
This is called variable reward enforcement, which we should be alert to in Ramadan. When we’re fasting, our glucose levels drop, which reduces our cognitive energy and impulse control.
That’s why it’s so tempting to reach for social media when we’re feeling exhausted.
What’s the solution?
- Set boundaries with your phone. Make sure you never use it during prayer or while reading Quran.
- Try to swap out any Quran apps for a physical Quran to help you to stay focused. If you depend on your phone for Islamic learning – such as an app that reads along with taraweeh – use your phone’s in-built screentime or downtime functions to help you to lock social media apps at specific times of day.
- Set screentime limits for the entire day – such as limiting each app to 30 minutes per day.
- You can even buy a fob that locks your phone and leave it somewhere out of sight to help control the impulse to pick you your phone.
Set your intention
As we enter Ramadan, make sure you set your intention to use your phone only for apps that nourish the soul. Be mindful of the trap of social media, and work to retrain your brain for focus, reflection and patience.
May Allah make this Ramadan one of learning and forgiveness, and help you to focus intentionally on ibadah.
