What does dopamine do?
First, it’s important to understand that dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward but studies show that it doesn’t directly cause pleasure. It plays a crucial role in motivation and behaviour reinforcement, which impacts what habits we build. But the pleasure systems in our brains are very complex and dopamine is only one of its components.
How does dopamine detox work?
Dopamine detox gained popularity as a technique based on cognitive behavioural therapy to help people reduce compulsive behaviours. The logic behind it is that you’re more likely to regularly engage in behaviours if they’re highly pleasurable and release a lot of dopamine. This process can over time lead to addictive and impulsive patterns, which can be unhealthy in the long run.
The technique of dopamine detox involves intentionally refraining from such activities. Psychologist Dr Cameron Sepah, the author of the book “The Definitive Guide to Dopamine Fasting 2.0” defines six types of activities that fit this description.
- Pleasure or emotional eating
- Internet or gaming
- Gambling or shopping
- Porn or masturbation
- Thrill or novelty seeking behaviours
- Recreational drug use
By reducing these activities for a set period of time, from hours to several days, people are supposed to reset their baseline and have an easier time developing healthier habits.
It’s not really a dopamine detox
While the term dopamine detox implies a reduction in dopamine levels, that’s actually not at all what happens. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is naturally produced in the brain and it’s essential for its normal function. It’s not possible to detox your body from dopamine. Even Dr Sepah says that the name shouldn’t be taken literally. Dopamine detox doesn’t help people by lowering dopamine levels but by improving self-regulation.
Is it effective?
Research shows that dopamine fasting works as an intervention for behavioural addiction. It encourages a healthy lifestyle while reducing impulsive behaviours. The study also warns that if dopamine detox is misinterpreted or misused as the sole treatment for severe disorders that require clinician input, it could pose physical and emotional harm.
Unfortunately, misinterpretations of dopamine fasting guidelines are not uncommon. It’s often taken to the extreme and people deny themselves any pleasurable experiences mistakenly thinking this will reset their brain or lower the threshold at which they experience pleasure. Experts caution against these extreme practices associated with dopamine detoxing. The best outcomes are typically observed when it’s used as a technique in behavioural therapy, ideally under professional supervision.
Next time, we will take a look at who should consider dopamine fasting and what are the benefits that you can expect to see.
