# Questioning our modern lifestyle | Alisha Khatija | TEDxDDUC Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9s8z7y1-4s Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/a9s8z7y1-4s Generated: 2026-03-09T15:35:33.021+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Alisha Khatija argues that breaking addictive cycles, which she breaks down using the REMAIN acronym (Recognize urges, Eliminate triggers, Substitute habits, Engage in meaningful activity, and Truth in self-reflection), is achievable by understanding the natural 'highs' provided by dopamine and endorphins, and actively seeking healthier replacements for harmful behaviors. **Key Points:** - The speaker, Alisha Khatija, outlines a five-step process called REMAIN to break addictive cycles: Recognize urges, Eliminate triggers, Substitute habits, Engage in meaningful activity, and Truth in self-reflection. - Khatija highlights that natural highs come from neurochemicals like Dopamine (released when expecting a reward) and Serotonin (linked to calm and emotional balance). - She contrasts these natural rewards with addictive substances (nicotine, marijuana, alcohol) and synthetic highs (social media scrolling, junk food, gambling) that hijack the dopamine system. - The 'Substitute' step involves replacing unhealthy patterns (like excessive phone use) with healthier alternatives (like exercise or hobbies) to redirect the drive for stimulation. - The 'Engage' step encourages finding activities that promote bodily movement or mental focus, such as sports or music, which ground a person in reality. - The final step, 'Truth,' emphasizes the courage to be honest with oneself about unrealistic expectations and emotional states like stress or boredom that fuel addictive behavior. - Khatija shares personal background, including studying Psychology and Business Management at Murdoch University in Dubai, and being a certified skydiver and PADI diver. ![Screenshot at 00:45: The speaker introduces the core theme of the talk with the slide 'CHASING NATURES HIGH', setting the stage for a discussion contrasting natural rewards with addictive behaviors.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/a9s8z7y1-4s/00-00-45.jpg) **Context:** Alisha Khatija delivers a TEDx talk titled "Chasing Natures High" (later referenced as 'Tesseract x Chasing Natures high') at TEDx DDUC. The presentation focuses on overcoming modern behavioral addictions by understanding the brain's natural reward systems (dopamine and serotonin) and applying a structured, five-step framework called REMAIN to foster healthier habits and self-awareness. ## Detailed Analysis Alisha Khatija delivers a presentation outlining a strategy, summarized by the acronym REMAIN, for overcoming unhealthy addictive behaviors prevalent in modern society. She begins by asking the audience to recall the last time they felt high from substances like nicotine, marijuana, or alcohol, contrasting these with synthetic highs derived from social media scrolling, binge eating junk food, or gambling, all of which stimulate the brain's reward system. Khatija explains that the goal is not necessarily to eliminate the craving entirely but to redirect the energy behind it using natural neurochemical releases. She details the chemical basis for natural highs, showcasing the structures of Dopamine (associated with expecting rewards, which motivates repetition) and Serotonin (linked to calm and emotional balance). Her proposed solution is the REMAIN framework: **R**ecognize urges (like reaching for a late-night snack or cigarette when stressed or bored), **E**liminate triggers (by removing associated objects or environments), **S**ubstitute behaviors (replacing scrolling with exercise, for example), **E**ngage in grounding activities (like physical movement or creative pursuits), and **T**ruth (being honest with oneself about underlying emotional states like stress or boredom). She emphasizes that finding a healthier alternative that releases endorphins or serotonin is key, rather than just trying to stop the negative behavior. Khatija shares that her personal experiences, including pursuing studies in Psychology and Business Management in Dubai and engaging in extreme sports like skydiving, informed her perspective on breaking destructive cycles. ### Introduction & Context - Alisha Khatija, a 21-year-old student pursuing Psychology and Business Management in Dubai, opens by questioning the audience about their recent experiences with synthetic highs (drugs, social media, junk food, gambling) versus natural highs. ### The Chemistry of Highs - Explains that Dopamine drives the motivation to repeat rewarding actions, while Serotonin regulates calm and emotional balance; addictive behaviors hijack these natural systems. ### The REMAIN Framework - Presents a five-step strategy for breaking unhealthy cycles: **R**ecognize urges, **E**liminate triggers, **S**ubstitute habits, **E**ngage in grounding activities, and **T**ruth in self-reflection. ### Elimination & Substitution - Advises eliminating triggers (e.g., removing cigarettes or junk food) and actively substituting unhealthy habits with healthier alternatives (e.g., exercise, hobbies like badminton or guitar) to achieve a natural high. ### Engagement - Encourages engaging in activities involving bodily movement or creative focus, which can ground individuals and provide positive neurochemical feedback. ### Truth - Concludes by stressing the importance of self-honesty—telling oneself the truth about underlying emotions like stress or boredom that drive the need to escape reality—as the final crucial step for lasting change. ![Screenshot at 00:25: The speaker lists substances that provide a false high: nicotine, marijuana, alcohol, and recreational drugs, setting up the problem of addiction.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/a9s8z7y1-4s/00-00-25.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:45: The title slide, 'CHASING NATURES HIGH', frames the talk around pursuing natural forms of fulfillment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/a9s8z7y1-4s/00-00-45.jpg) ![Screenshot at 02:10: A slide illustrating modern addictive behaviors: excessive scrolling \('Just one more scroll!'\), overeating junk food, and gambling, highlighting the synthetic highs people seek.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/a9s8z7y1-4s/00-02-10.jpg) ![Screenshot at 07:57: A visual representation of the 'Substitute' step, showing a trade-off between phone use \(addiction trigger\) and exercise \(healthy alternative\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/a9s8z7y1-4s/00-07-57.jpg)