Demystifying the Dopamine Detox

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, commonly referred to as one of the feel-good hormones. It’s the reward chemical your brain releases every time you do something pleasurable like checking your phone or eating a chocolate bar. Dopamine plays a crucial role in day-to-day feelings of motivation and happiness—but too much of it can be bad for your health.

What are the symptoms of too much dopamine?

Excessively high levels of dopamine in the brain have been linked with several physical and mental health conditions:

• impulse control issues
• trouble sleeping
• addiction
• aggression
• mania
• obesity

Also known as dopamine fasting, this practice involves taking a temporary break from activities that trigger those quick dopamine releases. It means avoiding constant stimulation and giving yourself space for more mindful activities like meditation or journaling. The idea is to recalibrate your brain’s reward system and bring your dopamine levels back to a healthy baseline.

This wellness trend was developed by California psychiatrist Cameron Sepah, PhD, as a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). His intention was to create a new method to help people identify and manage addictive behaviors that were negatively impacting their mental health, such as gaming, shopping, or emotional eating.

Although the effects of dopamine detoxing are largely anecdotal, many people have reported a range of positive results after adopting the practice:

• heightened focus
• increased productivity
• lower levels of anxiety
• elevated mood
• better quality of sleep

Dopamine detoxing is a very recent trend and there is currently little scientific research that supports the claim it can help reset your brain’s reward system. However, the CBT and mindfulness practices on which dopamine detoxing is based have been clinically proven to be effective treatments for addiction.

The popularity of this trend online has led to misunderstandings about how dopamine works in the brain. As a result, some people are taking this trend to unhealthy extremes by avoiding any stimulating activities, including exercising, listening to music, socializing, eating, or even talking. In reality, dopamine detox is just a catchy name. You can’t detoxify from a naturally occurring chemical by avoiding everything that gives you pleasure.

Absolutely. If you stick to the original intentions of Sepah’s model, dopamine detoxing can be a great way to break bad habits and give your brain a break from overstimulation. Here are a few ideas that will help you take control and stick to your goals:

•  Take a break from social media by turning off your notifications.
• Practice sound sleep hygiene by leaving your phone in another room when you go to bed.
• Give your senses a rest by booking a session in a sensory deprivation tank.
• Curb your junk food cravings with healthy snacks, like these delicious oat and seed bars.
• Let your Netflix subscription lapse and try a month without TV.

Unlike what you may hear on social media, you don’t have to set aside months at a time for a dopamine detox. It’s much more effective to take short, frequent breaks from the activities you’re trying to cut back on. It can be as little as a few hours each day or a full week if you’re feeling ambitious. What’s most important is that you set an intention and stick to it.