Is it worth dopamine detoxing?
What surprised me, what didn't, and the biggest takeaways after removing all of my distractions. Plus, a quote on the passing of time and more!
If you did a 48-hour dopamine detox with me last weekend, how did it go?
Two things I can tell you about doing a detox:
It's not as scary as the brain builds it up to be
This is a great place to start if you want to make real progress and evolution in your spiritual journey.
On Friday and Saturday, I kept a log of the distractions I was tempted by, what I felt right before the temptation, the internal and external triggers, and ideas for sidestepping them next time.
Yes, I slipped a couple of times, but it just shows how sneaky these habits can be.
What a powerful, eye-opening experience.
Is it worth detoxing?
YES.
Removing dopamine-spiking distractions lets us hear our intuition.
Otherwise, it's hard to.
You'd be amazed at how much of our time is wasted distracting ourselves.
But we do it because it's easier than facing the underlying pain or fear.
Or allowing an emotion to run its course and be felt.
What I learned after a dopamine detox
Anytime I wanted to distract myself, it was usually preceded by anxiety, stress, and worry. Whenever I felt these emotions, my instinct was to distract my attention to activities that dulled the feeling but didn't address it. That was both scary and educational.
Why couldn't I let myself feel the emotion? Why did I feel I needed sugar or my phone at that moment? It's incredible how effective dopamine-spiking behaviors are at helping us avoid pain or feel real-time emotions.
We don't realize we're doing it either because the stimulation level of most of these activities is just high enough to satiate us, but it's not a massive hit like alcohol or drugs.The space created in my life. I read a lot, connected with friends, and even had a couple of music opportunities manifest themselves. It felt like the Universe had been waiting to bless me and make things move quicker, but I was too distracted. Once I freed up that energy, it could swiftly and powerfully bring blessings.
I don't want to distract my life away. When I feel pain or difficult emotions, if I continue to turn to my smartphone, TV, or other distractions, then I'll distract my life away and not truly live.
Our internal GPS communicates through emotion. If we ignore them, we ignore that internal guide and allow devices and cheap thrills to make decisions.
Life moves on, and time passes. Going from dopamine to dopamine spike dulls and distracts us from the truth. But it doesn’t change whatever pain we’re trying to avoid, and one day, we’ll have no choice but to face it. I’d rather face it now and be able to do something about it. Then, regret it when it’s too late.Regular activities captivated me again. These two days made me feel more present, relaxed, and connected to my life again. Things like a beautiful flower or a sweet look from my daughter felt more vibrant and satisfying. My dopamine-releasing threshold started normalizing, and I didn’t need distractions as much to feel good.
How much social media plays a big part in our relationships. Any videos I watched on the accident were shared by family or friends via text. Like a reflex, I’d open them, watch them, and laugh. It's a way we connect and communicate.
Doing this detox reminded me that no amount of overthinking or distraction will ease our anxieties about the future.
It's about giving ourselves the space and respect to feel.
Listening to what our intuition is trying to say.
Then, we can take small actions to learn what we enjoy or don't.
Or to see what we're good at or not.
Creating momentum or building a skill takes patience and a willingness to practice.
The discomfort is worth the result.
So, let's stop distracting ourselves from the good stuff and start living a life we love.
Francesca
Did this spark any thoughts, questions, or insights? Tell us in the comments. I love hearing from you, and you never know who else needs what you have to say!
Good Quote
Good Question
Move up the ladder to higher vibrations by writing at the top of a blank page:
What is my biggest distraction?
and see what flows from your pen. No judgment or editing.
Good Thinking
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Did this inspire any thoughts, questions, or revelations? Tell us in the comments. I love hearing from you, and you never know who else needs what you have to say!