New Essay Says Your Scrolling Habit Is Really Pain Relief

Why do so many people fail to quit scrolling, vaping, or overworking? A new essay by Chris Lakin says we're asking the wrong question. Addictions, he argues, aren't things you're helplessly hooked "to." They're strategies — a kind of anesthesia you use to numb pain you'd rather not feel. That's why trying harder often doesn't work.

Think about the last time you felt genuinely happy — a good vacation, a stable stretch of life, time with people you love. Chances are the urge to scroll or snack or drink wasn't really there. Lakin's point: no suffering, no need for a painkiller. That also explains the frustrating whac-a-mole effect, where you quit one habit and quietly develop a new one. The pain is still there, so you find another way to numb it.

This is not a reason to feel hopeless. Instead of attacking habits directly, the essay suggests looking underneath them. In one example, an alignment researcher used to spend 6 to 8 hours working and then 5 to 6 hours at night vegging out on YouTube. After working through what was bothering him, that dropped sharply — and he started spending the time talking with friends instead. His habits faded without willpower, and he didn't even mention them until a three-month follow-up.

Lakin adds a fair warning: don't rip out your coping strategies carelessly. If you're under real stress, your habits may currently be the best tools you have, and removing them without support can leave you worse off. His advice is gentle — treat your habits as a signal that something hurts, and deal with the hurt when you're able.