1. Impulse Addiction and the Frontal Lobe: The Hidden Science of Sin

Written by Raheela Shahid and Taaha Ahmad.

It all only took a single click.

In his dorm room late at night, Adil spaced off, feeling something he could not exactly define. It was just a moment of stress, loneliness, maybe boredom, he could not remember, but his finger was on a link, and before he could reason himself against it, he succumbed. The high was instant, the guilt sharper. “Never again,” he whispered. But nights turned into weeks. What began as a curiosity spiralled into a craving he couldn’t seem to resist. frontal lobe

Adil’s story isn’t rare. Whether it’s compulsive gaming, doom scrolling, pornography, overeating, shopping, or even constant checking of social media, impulse addictions are shaping the modern psyche. They’re easy to fall into, hard to crawl out of, and often misunderstood.

But why does the same brain that helps us solve equations, write poetry, and love deeply… sometimes trap us in cycles of self-sabotage? To answer this, we journey into the most mysterious seat of decision-making and moral restraint in the human body: the frontal lobe.

The Frontal Lobe: The Brain’s Inner Executive

The frontal lobe or the prefrontal cortex of our brain is our brain CEO. It prethinks, anticipates, manages the feelings and manages the impulses. This region, located just behind your forehead, acts like the brakes on a speeding car. It is what convinces you not to send an angry message, not to have that fourth piece of cake or visit that site.

There is a twist here, this is that the frontal lobe is not developed fully till mid-20s and maybe even later in males. This justifies why teenagers mostly act on impulse, not that they are bad, but the mind has not yet fully developed neurologically in the restraint area.

We can therefore see impulse addiction as the war between an overactive limbic system (happy brain ) and a worn-out or even underdeveloped prefrontal cortex. The pleasure is cried out as yes by the limbic system and said, in a low tone, wait by the frontal lobe.

But what happens when the whisper isn’t loud enough?

Impulse addiction can transform into a tool of dark psychology, where one may manipulate themselves or others for personal gain or quick pleasure. As an example, people may get addicted to the necessity to gain social validation using the power of social media to display an illusion of perfection in their lives as they fight with inner unhappiness.

Dopamine – The Two-edged Knife

As long as we indulge in such activities that are pleasurable, our brain releases dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter sometimes called the feel-good chemical. It’s natural. Healthy, even. A small dopamine hit when we achieve a goal or enjoy a laugh? Totally normal.

The problem is, many modern behaviours hijack this system. Such technologies, as social media apps, are meant to develop an unstable, rewarding system; you keep swiping, as you can get something exciting. Equally, pornography, binge-watching and online shopping supply dopamine hits quickly and easily with little or no effort.

After some time, the brain becomes much in need of a larger amount of the stimulus to have the same effect, which is termed as desensitisation. In the meantime, the prefrontal cortex is less engaged. That is why individuals buried in the impulse addiction usually complain that they do not even enjoy it anymore, but still, they cannot stop.

It is not a bad thing, but neurological.

 The use of this dopamine behaviour is typical in dark psychology. For example, one can take the emotional manipulation tactic and guilt or flatter to get the intended reaction at the same time, knowing very well how to activate the reward circuits in the brains of others. We can become the victims of such influences due to the weaknesses of our psychological composition.

A Deeper Battle: The Nafs and the Frontal Lobe

Islam has a term, Nafs, which refers to the lower self or ego as a force which influences us into the base desires. Qur an explains the three stages of Nafs as commanding ( Nafs al-ammarah ), blaming ( Nafs al-lawwamah ), and peaceful ( Nafs al-mutma-innah ).

From a psychological perspective, these mirror levels of self-regulation.

• The commanding self aligns with unchecked impulses and a dormant frontal lobe.
• The blaming self is the awakened conscience, the guilt that follows indulgence, signalling that the prefrontal cortex is trying to regain control.
• The peaceful self represents harmony when the soul has mastered itself, and dopamine is no longer the ruler.

This interplay between neuroscience and spirituality is not coincidental. In fact, the struggle between the nafs and the aql (intellect) is mirrored by the neural tug-of-war between the limbic system and prefrontal cortex.

The Internal War: Shame, Guilt, and the Psychology of Relapse

Addiction to impulse is frequently accompanied by the shame that something is wrong with me. They are, but psychology makes a distinction between guilt, which can be used as a drive toward positive change and shame, which is the cause of self-hate and subsequent indulgence.

Imagine this cycle:

1. Trigger (stress, boredom, sadness)
2. Impulse (urge to indulge)
3. Action (indulgence in the behaviour)
4. Relief (brief dopamine spike)
5. Guilt and shame
6. More stress → back to step 1
7. This loop is hard to break because each step reinforces the next. And in a society of perfectionism and liking by the people around, it is scary to say that you are fighting these wars.

The dark aspect of psychology comes in when people attempt to deal with such feelings and resort to unhealthy addiction as a coping method to get away with it, and as a result, harm other people or themselves.

But here lies the beauty of prophetic teachings.

The Prophetic Lens: Redemptive Look at Human Struggle.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷴ in no way reproached those who could not control their impulses. He accepted the fact that the inner struggle is inseparable from man.  In one hadith, he said:

“Every child of Adam is a sinner, and the best of sinners are those who repent.” (Tirmidhi)

Pay attention to the set-up: sin is to be foreseen, redemption to be respected.The Prophet (S.A.W) didn’t focus on perfection, but on returning to God, to conscience, to oneself. He also advised seeking support from the community, recognising that the path to healing often involves surrendering the illusion of control that dark psychology attempts to enforce.

He also advised:

“The strong one is not the one who can wrestle, but the one who controls himself when angry.” (Bukhari)

Here, “control” is celebrated, not as suppression, but as strength of character. In today’s language, we might call this emotional regulation one of the prefrontal cortex’s core functions.

The Prophet ﷺ taught emotional intelligence before it was a buzzword. He also modelled mercy towards others and oneself.

The Modern Mind: Bridging Science and Soul

How then do we start healing from an addiction to impulse, neurologically and spiritually?

1. How to Be Aware of Your Triggers

Monitor the occurrence of the feeling and the reason behind it. Is it boredom? Loneliness? Stress? This assists you in dealing not with the symptom but with the cause.

2. Brain Lift ( Frontal Lobe )

Activities such as mindfulness, journaling and promises to make yourself wait a bit (just a few seconds) are cognitive exercises, and doctors recommend these kinds of things to help re-activate your prefrontal cortex. Imagine it to be like a muscle that gets stronger when exercised.

3. Dopamine Overloading Reduction

Try a short dopamine detox, no social media or binge content for 24–48 hours. You’ll notice how hypersensitive your brain has become. Recalibrate your system.

4. Reframe Your Identity

You are not your urges. You are not your past. In Islam, tawba (repentance) means to turn around. It’s not a guilt trap, it’s a divine reset button.

5. Seek Connection, Not Isolation

The thriving impulse addiction takes place in secret. Consult a therapist, a mentor or a close friend. One of the strongest cures to compulsion is connection.

A Moment of Reflection

Now, put yourself in front of a mirror, not to point out your imperfection, but to see how human you are. The struggle is not on your own. You are programmed to desire, your inner being to pursue, and your Maker will always be your forgiver. Always remember that.

The frontal lobe is the biological seat of willpower, but the heart remains the spiritual compass. When both are aligned through intention, reflection, and mercy, transformation becomes possible.

So tonight, if you feel that urge, pause. Breathe. Listen not just to the pull of the limbic system, but to the whisper of the prefrontal cortex… and the calling of your soul.

You are more than the sum of your impulses.

And the door of change is always open.

More love than Hate.

CTA:
And are you ready to gain the role of your mind back and grasp your impulses?

Learn more about neuroscience, Islamic psychology and self-growth. Leave your comments or keep them to yourself.

Because true healing begins when science meets the soul.

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