The book offers great insights into the psychology of behavioural addiction, and gives positives examples of technology used for good but also the way it is designed to keep you hooked, through selective sounds, dopamine triggering structures and also how it links to our sense of self and self esteem. Given today’s fascination with technology, it’s easy to understand the state of the attention economy, how it infiltrates our every waking hour, and I’ll it often serves us, in the way we form bonds and relationships, our productivity, and desire to exist in the world. Revealing the surprising causes and sometimes bizarre nature of addiction, this book will equip you with the tools and understanding you need to navigate our irresistible new world. But what exactly is an addiction? And what, if anything, might we do about it?įrom cliff-hangers to earworms, from religion to pornography, and from the awesome allure of the Kim Kardashian: Hollywood app to the unexpected benefits of the 'butt-brush effect', Irresistible blends fascinating stories with ingenious science to explain how and why we all got hooked.

This extraordinary feat has changed the behaviour of billions of people, and especially the young: by current medical standards, we are experiencing an unprecedented global pandemic of addiction.

In recent years, media and technology have perfected the lucrative art of gaining and holding our attention. How many times have you checked your phone today? Why are messaging apps, email and social media so hard to resist? How come we always end up watching another episode?

Irresistible from adam alter