Dopamine Detoxing
All about Dopamine Detoxes, why you should be interested, and a FREE Notion template to get you started on your first Dopamine Detox.
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone” —Blaise Pascal
What is a Dopamine Detox?
Dopamine Detoxing or Dopamine Fasting refers to staying away from activities that produce dopamine spikes in our brain. Dopamine is a neurochemical that is produced in our brain that creates habits.
It is important to note that dopamine per se is not bad, it is only harmful when it is associated with bad habits since it reinforces them to the point that they become an integral part of your life.
So Dopamine Detoxing is fasting from any activities that produce short-term spikes in dopamine in our brain. These are activities that are associated with instant gratification, such as social media and binge eating. What we want to do through a Dopamine Detox is foster our ability for delayed gratification.
Here are three steps to get started on your first Dopamine Detox:
1️⃣ Hard Reset
The first step you will take is a hard reset. This is a 24 hour period of staying away from activities that cause dopamine spikes in your brain. This kind of fasting resets dopamine levels and gives us a chance to create better habits over time. These Hard Resets must be practiced regularly to train the brain to get comfortable with the deprivation of short-term gratification. My tips for you: Schedule your Dopamine Detoxes for every Saturday or Sunday since it includes staying away from screens and it is easier to do it on weekends. Find an accountability partner to do it with. Enter each Dopamine Detox with a positive mindset, truly believing that you can do it.
2️⃣ Rewiring
This is the second but long-term step associated with Dopamine Detoxing. When you reset your dopamine levels and get comfortable with long-term gratification, it gives you a chance to rewire your brain and create new habits. This means you can consciously design good habits, and slowly replace bad ones. Rewiring happens over time when you regularly practice Dopamine Detoxing. As a result of rewiring, you will not pursue short-term gratification activities, and you will develop the patience for and find great pleasure in receiving delayed gratification.
3️⃣ Introspection
This is the last step in the Dopamine Detoxing process where you facilitate the rewiring process. This includes guiding yourself on the path to good habits and consciously stepping away from harmful habits. The easiest way to do this is through journaling: during your detox, journal about answers to questions about your identity, what you believe in, what you wish to achieve, and what steps you can take towards becoming a person who achieves the ambitions you have.
I created a FREE Dopamine Detoxing template for you to get started:
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