Absolutely! In fact, this was one of the key components of my own addiction recovery: I replaced the externally-triggered dopamine with self-triggered dopamine.
I commend you in your goal to achieve sobriety as well. The brain (and its dopamine system) is powerful beyond belief, and rewiring an addiction is probably the hardest thing anyone could ever do.
Quite apart from the faux science phrasing in dopamine fasting, what is the point of a "cleanse" that we will only later reverse? Much better to learn to aim your dopamine, as you brilliantly say. We need to create a lifestyle that works for us all the time. I'm sceptical personally that periodic holidays can help - beyond revealing the scale of the problem.
Great point about most people just going right back to their old habits after said "cleanses." The only thing I found that worked for me is going right to the source and rewiring the urges to check/scroll themselves. I haven't scrolled social media in over a year now, and never feel compelled to pull out my phone and check it (if you can believe it). Dopamine is so powerful, particularly when you're the one controlling how and when it's released.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment so thoughtfully, as always.
I have written about it a little, but the actual process I use to engage with social media without scrolling is one that I’ve still yet to write about. Thank you for the reminder :).
Your work has been so very helpful to me recently in a peculiar kind of addiction. I have an extremely visual mind, and the same "grid of life" has been drilled into my brain since I first saw a grid of one hundred in kindergarten. Each box is a year, I'm in Box 18 right now, and Box 18 will be the last box! Not because I'm going to die or something haha, I just can't happily conceptualize my entire life into a series of little precise boxes. Your tools have been incredibly helpful in the long long process of deconstructing and redirecting that framework towards something much more flexible and dynamic, thanks!
I'm so glad you've found some value in this knowledge. I confess, your description of your addiction is utterly fascinating. It sounds like you have developed an immense degree of self-awareness around it. Here's to Box 18 being the last box you'll ever force yourself to fit into, or measure your life against :).
This is such an interesting concept.
So theoretically in my conquest for sobriety I can take aim and train my brain to get my ‘dopamine fix’ from other sources?
Absolutely! In fact, this was one of the key components of my own addiction recovery: I replaced the externally-triggered dopamine with self-triggered dopamine.
I commend you in your goal to achieve sobriety as well. The brain (and its dopamine system) is powerful beyond belief, and rewiring an addiction is probably the hardest thing anyone could ever do.
Yes 🙌
But nothing is impossible with Him who gave me that brain and the strength to read, write and learn until I go home.
I’d like to walk my dog, knit another jumper, write more letters to my estranged childhood self and children I can’t look after for their own good.
I’m enjoying your teachings!
Really enjoyed this one.
Quite apart from the faux science phrasing in dopamine fasting, what is the point of a "cleanse" that we will only later reverse? Much better to learn to aim your dopamine, as you brilliantly say. We need to create a lifestyle that works for us all the time. I'm sceptical personally that periodic holidays can help - beyond revealing the scale of the problem.
Thanks Will!
Great point about most people just going right back to their old habits after said "cleanses." The only thing I found that worked for me is going right to the source and rewiring the urges to check/scroll themselves. I haven't scrolled social media in over a year now, and never feel compelled to pull out my phone and check it (if you can believe it). Dopamine is so powerful, particularly when you're the one controlling how and when it's released.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment so thoughtfully, as always.
I would love to hear more about how you stopped scrolling and checking your phone👍🏻
I’m pretty sure you’ve already written about it, but I’d love to learn more!
I have written about it a little, but the actual process I use to engage with social media without scrolling is one that I’ve still yet to write about. Thank you for the reminder :).
Wow….excellent article! Will definitely be revisiting and sharing this one.
Thank you Julie! I really appreciate you sharing this knowledge.
Really enjoyed this!
Your work has been so very helpful to me recently in a peculiar kind of addiction. I have an extremely visual mind, and the same "grid of life" has been drilled into my brain since I first saw a grid of one hundred in kindergarten. Each box is a year, I'm in Box 18 right now, and Box 18 will be the last box! Not because I'm going to die or something haha, I just can't happily conceptualize my entire life into a series of little precise boxes. Your tools have been incredibly helpful in the long long process of deconstructing and redirecting that framework towards something much more flexible and dynamic, thanks!
I'm so glad you've found some value in this knowledge. I confess, your description of your addiction is utterly fascinating. It sounds like you have developed an immense degree of self-awareness around it. Here's to Box 18 being the last box you'll ever force yourself to fit into, or measure your life against :).