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A human brain, operating at a greater degree of complexity, tries to figure out the pattern that governs the variable rewards. The brain of a compulsive gambler releases dopamine, a reward chemical, to motivate the gambler to pay attention to the seemingly causal connection between pulling the lever and winning the jackpot. Near misses, such as two cherries but not three, deepen the compulsion to keep playing. The apparent causal connection forms between the motivation to seek reward and the deployment of our attention. This is called incentive salience, and it creates a pattern of activation in the brain that resembles drug addiction, binge eating, and other compulsive habits.
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Don’t get me wrong, experiencing the unpleasant physical sensations of your habitual negative rumination is highly uncomfortable. It can be excruciating and make us want to run for the hills, or regress to our old coping mechanisms. It is a monumental task that requires tremendous discipline and support. For those who are negatively affected by systemic oppression on a societal level, the task of liberating the mind from habitual fear can feel all the more like swimming against the current, because powerful and often violent forces of prejudice are mustered against their sense of individual sovereignty.
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