Revenge Cravings And Justice Addiction: Is Social Media To Blame?

Is the U.S. a justice-addicted nation? On Thursday’s episode of Dr. Phil, “America’s Short Fuse: Afraid to Leave the House,” Dr. James Kimmel Jr., a lecturer in psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine who researches revenge cravings, justice addiction, violence prevention, and mental health says both Americans and others around the world have been experiencing an increasing number of grievances that have to be managed. Or, things that we think are unjust, including racial and political grievances, the pandemic, climate change and more. Simultaneously, he says, the advent of social networking platforms has made it very easy to turn grievances into contagion. “If you think you’ve been wronged, you’re now able, on social networking platforms, to spread that across millions of people instantaneously.” Continuing, Dr. Kimmel says, “In human history, we’ve never had anything quite like this where we could experience and gratify revenge cravings at will – almost at no cost to ourselves.” Is America’s justice addiction here to stay, or can this behavior be turned around? Check your local listing to find out where to watch Thursday’s, Dr. Phil. WATCH: Why A Psychiatric Researcher Says, ‘America Is Becoming A Justice-Addicted Nation’ TELL DR. PHIL YOUR STORY: Outrageous news story in your town?