DOPAMINE detox

You probably don't have a problem playing video games or browsing social media on your phone. In fact I have no doubt you could sit in front of a screen and do both of those activities for 2 hours, or even longer without breaking your concentration. But what about half an hour of studying? That might be too hard. How about working on your side business for another hour? Doesn't sound too appealing. You intellectually know that studying, working out, starting a business, or doing anything else useful will benefit you more in the long term, yet you still choose to watch TV, play video games, and browse social media. It may be argued that the reason is evident. While the other task is challenging and demands work, the first task is simple and doesn't take much time. However, other people appear to have no trouble routinely studying, working out, or working on side projects. Which raises the question: Why do some people have greater motivation to take on challenging tasks? Is it possible to simplify challenging tasks?

Dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter that we must examine in order to provide an answer. Many people think of dopamine as a pleasure chemical. That's not exactly what it does, though. It's dopamine that drives our cravings. And we are motivated to get up and do things by that desire. Let me tell you about some rat experiments that neuroscientists conducted to demonstrate the potency of dopamine. The rats' brains were implanted with electrodes by the researchers. The researchers activated the rat's brain reward system each time it pulled a lever. As a result, the rats experienced intense cravings that caused them to repeatedly press the lever for hours on end. The rats would not even go to sleep or eat. They would simply keep pulling on the lever until they passed out from fatigue.

However, things were then turned around. The reward center of the brain's dopamine release was inhibited by the researchers. Rats consequently developed such a languid state that getting up to get a drink of water was not worthwhile making the effort. They refused to eat. They had no desire to mate. They had no cravings at all. One could argue that the rats had given up on life altogether. The rats would still eat and enjoy the food, though, if it was placed right in front of them. Simply put, they lacked the willpower to get up and handle it themselves. One might assume that our need for food and water is driven by hunger or thirst. However, dopamine also has a significant impact in this situation.

Perhaps those were extreme cases of rat experiments. However, dopamine has comparable effects on humans and our daily existence. Actually, the amount of dopamine in your brain plays a major role in how priorities are formed. You will not be as motivated to engage in an activity if it releases an excessive amount of dopamine. However, if you engage in a high-dopamine activity, you'll be driven to keep doing it. Which actions then release dopamine? Release your anticipation of any potential reward when you engage in an activity. Your brain won't release the behavior, though, if you are aware that there are no instant benefits to it.

An archetypal illustration would be a drug addict. He is aware of the negative effects of his actions on himself. But more of that drug is all he wants. Cocaine and heroin release excessive amounts of dopamine in addition to making you high, which increases your desire for them. It should go without saying that almost everything causes some dopamine to be released. It even occurs when you drink water when you're thirsty. On the other hand, receiving a reward at random causes the greatest dopamine release. Playing slots in a casino is one instance of this. You anticipate receiving more money at some point, even if all you've been doing is losing money up until then.