Why we need to (dopamine) detox
If you want to feel more peace and in control of your happiness this is a must. This can be a hard thing to take in but we can do it together. Plus, Epictetus quote and more!
Somebody pinch me.
It's June!
And with that, 87% of you who voted for the new theme chose Dopamine Detoxing.
There's a collective desire to reset our energy and retake charge of our lives.
Let's get to it.
The dope on dopamine
Dopamine is the brain's primary neurotransmitter that motivates us to take action.
Things like eating, exercising, and focusing on a project.
Anytime you take an action, it's because dopamine was released first.
It's so important that in a study in which dopamine was removed from rats, they lost the will to eat along with other vital actions for survival.
It’s so powerful that scientists study it when creating new drugs.
They gauge the addictiveness of a substance based on how much dopamine is released in the brain when it's used.
As a whole, it's an outstanding chemical to have in our bodies.
Where it gets tricky is when we use this natural motivator to distract and dull ourselves from pain.
Quick hits aren’t everything
The brain would do anything to expend less energy for a gratifying result.
Suppose it can kick a little dopamine your way and, in return, get the euphoric feelings that sugar, trans fats, smartphones, social media, online shopping, gambling, pornography, etc, give.
In that case, it becomes obsessed with directing you that way.
Why waste time on anything slower, like cooking, walking, reading, or real-life conversation?
We've become an indulgent society where quick gratification is within arms' reach, which makes this a big problem.
Every major business or product is likely dopamine-related: access to drugs, smartphones, streaming services, the Internet, and apps that can bring things to our door instantly.
Little effort leads to a big chemical payoff.
Why do so many tech inventors not allow their children to use the technology they sell to the rest of the world?
Because they understand this.
Our brain is having the time of its life getting the quick hits it wants, even if what we get isn't healthy or fulfilling.
The interesting thing is that often, in people with addictions, dopamine will cause them to enter the cycle of desiring and wanting and getting something.
Yet, as soon as they get the thing, the satisfaction immediately dies.
For the brain, it's not even about having the thing.
It’s about the drive to get it.
Why we need to detox
A detox is imperative to feel more peaceful and in control of our happiness.
The dopamine economy is a real epidemic, and I didn’t realize how pervasive it was until feeling utterly overwhelmed and on the brink of a panic attack a couple of weeks ago.
It's scary how easy it is to overconsume and how normalized it is.
Not only do our brains make it difficult to say no, but so does society.
Multiple times, I've had people ask when our daughter was going to have sugar or watch TV.
When we said we weren't sure and wanted to be intentional, they got forceful and insisted she needed to experience those things.
The most recent World Happiness Report shows that despite having more resources and pleasures than ever in history, our rates of happiness are dropping significantly.
Anna Lembke, MD, believes it's because we're running from pain and would do anything to distract ourselves from ourselves.
She says, “The reason we’re also miserable may be because we’re working so hard to avoid being miserable.”
Then, in her book, she goes in-depth about the dopamine economy and how the act of consumption itself has become a drug–buying products online, watching Netflix, etc. She says:
“The Internet promotes compulsive overconsumption not merely by providing increased access to drugs old and new, but also by suggesting behaviors that otherwise may never have occurred to us.”
When we couple avoiding our pain and ourselves through constant stimulation, no wonder our brain becomes addicted to the feeling of motivation without putting in the effort.
By getting caught in this cycle, we lose our freedom.
Think of how many people couldn't last a day without sugars or processed carbs.
Or without watching TV or using their phone.
If going tech- or screen- or sugar-free makes you nervous (it made me nervous), you might need a dopamine detox.
A calmer lifestyle
I'm not here to prey on fears or convince us that we must live off the grid without Wi-Fi or technology.
There's a way to coexist with the modern world and still have our free agency.
To live in a healthier and more balanced way.
I'm also not claiming to be an expert.
I'm a reader, thinker, and learner who will do her best to piece together the puzzle.
This process of learning and taking new action won’t be easy at times.
We’ll have to be intentional and firm with the boundaries we create because the world around us and the people we know will be stuck in dopamine cycles.
Yet, suppose we figure out how to find balance and remove ourselves from the cycle.
We'll feel more peace, energy, satisfaction, and joy.
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 would the peace and energy that follows feel like if I did a dopamine detox?
and see what flows from your pen. No judgment or editing.
Good Thinking
Good Action
If you feel inspired, commit to a dopamine detox this month. Imagine the feeling of freedom and peace you'll feel. Then, think about the habits or products that stimulate you the most. How can they become less important than they are now?
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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!