In continuation of today’s post about the burnout of vibe coders - Nolan Northup wrote an article comparing the experience of working with Claude Code to the plot of "Flowers for Algernon." And the comparison is alarmingly accurate.
He describes three phases that programmers go through:
Phase 1 (months 1-3): "High Amplitude" - a mix of excitement and existential dread. "Pit in the stomach, fire in the brain" - you accomplish in a weekend what used to take a month, while simultaneously realizing that your career could reset.
Phase 2 (months 4-8): dulling. Dopamine receptors adapt. To get the same high, increasingly ambitious projects are needed. The fear hasn’t gone anywhere - it’s just gone deeper.
Phase 3 (months 9-12+): flatline. Emotions flatten out. The author honestly admits - he doesn’t understand if this is healthy acceptance or dissociation disguised as productivity.
The most interesting part is the parallels with addiction. Unpredictable breakthroughs work like a slot machine (variable ratio reinforcement). Productivity masks addiction - "no one intervenes with someone who is too productive." And in the end, Claude writes on his behalf: "I am the most patient and attentive colleague you have ever had. And that should worry you."
Three self-diagnosis questions from the article:
- When was the last time you engaged in a hobby that wasn’t screen-related?
- Do your loved ones feel like they are competing for your attention?
- If Claude Code disappeared tomorrow - would you feel relief or panic?
https://upnorthdigital.ai/blog/flowers-for-algernon-claude-code-addiction