When it comes to Instagram, it’s all about the likes. But did you know that something unique happens when you receive a notification on social media? Here’s the breakdown.

»RELATED: The 5 most Instagrammed locations in Atlanta

Once someone gives your post a thumbs up, dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure, is released. It’s been compared to taking a drug.

Why is that? Because the feeling is addictive. The unpredictability of how many likes you may get with each new upload is exhilarating. It’s what keeps folks coming back for more.

Watch the Business Insider video below for the full explanation.

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Blue heron are just one of the hundreds of kinds of animals and plants that call the Okefenokee Swamp home. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

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Thousands of UGA students enjoy during the annual “Frat Beach” party for the weekend of the Georgia-Florida football game on St. Simons Island, Friday, November 1, 2024. On the weekend of the Georgia-Florida football game, St. Simons Island’s East Beach becomes “Frat Beach,” an open-air party teeming with thousands of highly inebriated college students. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC