Take back control of your life: Dopamine Detox

Pranav Nair
4 min readApr 14, 2023

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I used to be a person who was constantly seeking stimulation. Whether it was scrolling through social media, binge-watching TV shows, or indulging in unhealthy food, I always needed something to keep me entertained and satisfied.

I discovered the concept of dopamine fasting, also known as Dopamine “Detox” in more popular words, which involves taking a break from all forms of pleasure-seeking activities in order to reset your brain’s dopamine production. At first, I was skeptical. How could giving up the things that made me happy possibly be a good thing?

But, I realised the truth. These activities, didn’t truly make me happy. They didn’t make my future-self happy. My future self, was very dissapointed with what I was doing in the past.

The activities such as scrolling on Instagram, Tiktok, youtube shorts, didn’t make me happy. Eating Junk food didn’t make me happy. My dopamine receptors had been completely fried, from all the Instant Gratification activities I was taking part in every single day. I felt like seeking more and more pleasure inducing activities.

Photo by Nik Shuliahin 💛💙 on Unsplash

What is dopamine?

“Attention is the way social primates measure status. It is highly rewarding because it causes the release of brain chemicals such as dopamine and endorphins” — Keith Henson

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the brain’s reward system. It’s released when we do something pleasurable, such as eating, exercising, or receiving a compliment. Dopamine is responsible for feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, and it motivates us to repeat behaviors that lead to those feelings.

It is an important hormone secreted by the brain when we attain some goal. It can be as small as drinking water, or as important as getting accepted to a desired university. Of course, there is difference between different situations. It is secreted in different quantities for different events.

However, when we become too reliant on activities that release dopamine, we can experience a decrease in our ability to focus and be productive. This is because our brains become accustomed to the constant stimulation of dopamine, and we need more and more of it to feel the same level of pleasure and satisfaction.

When we study, the hormone dopamine is secreted at first, but decreases over time. Meanwhile, social media algorithms constantly create new content, making us feel good all the time. We run this system down by spending too much time on social media. When we don’t get pleasure right away, we don’t feel like keep on going. Instead, we return to social platforms and the cycle of dopamine rewards.

To understand about this hormone further, a study was conducted on mice who were provided a button that released dopamine into their brains. The mice lost their desire of food, water, sex, and repeatedly pressed the button.

Photo by Ranjith Jaya on Unsplash

This is extremely similar to a person that spends every hour of the day gaming, or swiping through Short-Video content like Instagram or Tiktok.

When we are exposed to too many instant pleasures, it is no longer enough. We will want to induce in more pleasures of different kinds. It is the same with the drugs and alcohol. Initially, a beer will get you drunk, after a while that number may be 3–4.

There is always something new on social media. These platforms are constantly being updated to renew our interest. When we are conditioned by social media, we are no longer able to read a single page of a book.

Let’s get to the point now; How do you start a Dopamine Detox?

There are different levels of dopamine detox, ranging from a full 24-hour detox to a more gradual reduction of dopamine-releasing activities.

The goal is to reduce the amount of dopamine your brain receives from these activities, allowing you to reset your receptors and find pleasure in more meaningful activities.

Identify the activities that give you instant gratification. For example, Activities like scrolling on social media, playing video games, eating junk food, are one of the more popular Instant Gratification activities.

Decide how long you want to do the detox for. It can be a day, a weekend, or even a week. Start with a shorter period of time and gradually increase it as you get used to the detox. Also, plan your day with more Meaningful activities; This could be spending time in nature, reading a book, practicing meditation, or doing a hobby.

Try to avoid situations or people that may trigger the desire to engage in instant gratification activities. For example, if social media is a trigger for you, try to limit your exposure to it.

This tip may be a bit Difficult for the newcomers to Dopamine Detox, but practice mindfulness: Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions during the detox. When you feel the urge to engage in an instant gratification activity, acknowledge the feeling and redirect your attention to a meaningful activity.

Final Words; A dopamine detox is not about depriving yourself of pleasure, but rather about finding pleasure in more meaningful activities. It may be challenging at first, but the benefits can be significant, such as increased focus, productivity, and overall well-being.

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Pranav Nair

Hey, I'm Pranav. I am a freelance coder and write blog articles on Self-Improvement, and how to be better than most people in your life