The Dopamine Fast Alternative: A Lifestyle Approach to Reset Your Nervous System

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Video by Dr. Dawn Elise Snipes on integrative behavioral health approaches including counseling techniques and skills for improving mental health and reducing mental illness.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:55 Does the dopamine fast actually reduce dopamine
01:30 Overview of the Dopamine Fast
02:00 Functions of Dopamine
05:15 Dopamine in the body
11:21 Dopamine overload
14:00 Dangers of a dopamine fast
16:55 Dopamine Fast Alternative (Small lifestyle changes to reduce HPA-Axis overstimulation)

[VerilyVeritasValio]

To a nerd with a curiosity for psychology out of both necessity and geekiness, this is very concise and eye-opening.Thank you :)

[welcometototalitarianism]

I struggle with being quiet with myself. When there is quiet, and I can hear birds outside and the sounds of life happening, it feels good, and I crave it. My challenge is seeking constant stimulation from either watching something or listening to something. I am trying to redirect that to finding comfort in reading actual books. Technology has hurt us in so many ways.

[pratcus]

That's really mind-blowing.We need people like you to be as our mentors in this crazy race for competitive tech- savvy period in history where loads of confusing theories about our mind and behavior surround us. We can't see the forest for the trees.Our human threshold of efficiency and productivity moved towards an upward spiral.The society expects more and more everyday from us in all areas.We are like a kid in the candy store.The professionals and healthy minds can set boundaries, but the average person who compares himself with others constantly struggles to stay excited either for survival or for not left behind the race. Somebody sitting idle is now considered abnormal or a sin.Thanks to the video Doc.The stoic philosopher Seneca tells not go after madly for reading books.
What about those unfortunately who are depressed and stuck by inertia even to get out of bed lest watching TVs or gaming or exercises??
Btw moderation as you explained and what Buddha calls " the Golden mean" perhaps is the answer.Thanks.

[Moccsnosocks]

If you are pregnant, it may go without saying but do not hold your breath for diaphragmatic breathing as you do not want to interrupt oxygen flow to your baby .
This is the most informative discussion of the "dopamine fast" I have come across thus far. It is absolutely a buzz topic at present, and while I've heard many people talking about it in podcasts, I have rarely heard the limitations or alternatives in how it can be implemented with a variety of clinical populations experiencing impulsive/addictive behavior. As a psychologist I greatly appreciate the lifestyle approach you discuss as our daily actions are where we have the most control over our health. I am writing this at a coffee shop enjoying a large cuppa knowing very well the consequences. I once heard that caffeine allowed people to break away from the cycles of the sun because they were able to stay awake and work throughout the night. Caffeine was pivotal in fueling the industrial revolution through human productivity, which may sound like a good thing on the surface however our mind-body-spirits pay for the overstimulation in ways we cannot even begin to imagine. Thank you for a reminder of our personal power to make these changes for health and true wealth in life!

[Doug_MacArthur]

This is just to make a future note to myself to reference back to but I found the information you discussed within the timestamps 15:00 - 15:53 particularly interesting. As always, thanks for all the hard work and dedication you put into creating these videos.

[mLify]

7:45 I'm a Neuroscientist and I didn't cringe. I personally think the ability to explain these processes in the simplest way possible so that it's understood by as broad an audience as possible is actually a strength, and it's how I conducted my department talks back in the day because I knew that everyone from the department was going to be there, including secretaries and animal techs, and I should make it as interesting and accessible as possible because who the hell wants to sit through an hour-long lecture full of big words in a dark room at 8am on a Friday morning? Total snooze-fest! It's not about being the smartest in the room, it's about effectively communicating ideas. It's all about knowing your audience, which you clearly do. I think it's commendable! Any Neuroscientist who criticizes you for not being technical enough or using big enough words gives very boring lectures. Trust me. No one stays awake during their talks lol.

[toxicwrap]

Thank you Doc, as always very helpful and informative. I will be watching this again, to check myself and see if i remembered your solutions to achieving balance and calmness.

[Thaimushroomdaddy]

I’ve found that I’ve intuitively gravitated toward activities that help promote a sense of calm and peace in my life - lighter clothing, shying away from heavy resistance training, preferring instead activities like yoga, meditative practice, which all to help further reduce overwhelming bombardment of hyper stimulating inputs from what seems every subconscious stream of information filtered to us daily through news and “social” media these days. Recognizing the true power of higher mind in helping us raise our own conscious mindful awareness. Decoupling the stimulus control from triggering automated behavior patterns - I translate this personally through engagement in so-called physiologically stimulating redirections - such as taking a cold shower, splashing water on my face, listening to loud music. Activities that somehow help redirect the limbic systems knee-jerk, compulsive dopaminergic seeking behaviors.

[tsconn]

I believe I found this at the right time. I am an ardent “intensity addict” and have been since I was a kid. Like the Grateful Dead song says, “Too much of everything is just enough!” But now entering my 50s, I’m feeling worn the hell out. I’ve been considering ways to address my lifestyle in order to calm down and be re-sensitized to the moderate pleasures of life, so this video was helpful.

[stormiewutzke]

I was in a accident and I think the problem is a rare issue that cuts blood to the brain. It has nearly been fatal a few times.

I have ADHD and just found out as an adult. However it has never been a problem for me until the last couple of years and each slow down I have started having very bad ADHD simptoms along with many other low dopamine symptoms. I am in a city with a bad drug problem and doctors around here are very worried about any controlled substances. I respond well to the stimulants but I can't get back to a fully functional state. With a med change and going off of stimulants I started loosing brain function. Once I can no longer concentrate I basically fall asleep or loose consciousness. This can be on my feet at a rock concert.

Currently I am trying to do things that produce dopamine like playing video games and it is helping with my fatigue. As someone with ADHD I think there is a danger for many of us for low dopamine levels. All these game companies are using this for dopamine traps where you have to keep paying. I think as many people there are with ADHD out there that the theory that we are just genetically built different may be at least partly true. If that is the case we need to understand it and live a lifestyle that works and keeps us healthy.

[nirvananona]

i really appreciate your content as a teacher with Ocd. Thank you

[shiroemiya]

I've watched several videos on dopamine fasting. This is by far the best.

[lauram]

I have been in a constant state of fight or flight. I've never had a lot of tolerance for action movies, etc. so this makes sense to me. I feel like I'm too far past a simple cure though.

[leicalove]

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this knowledge with us

[michellebittencourt]

I Loved Your video. So well and simply explained. I'm going to have my teenager watch as it is almost impossible to not comprehend. Thanks for sharing! 😊

[wonder]

Your video on codependency and addiction looks interesting. I am learning how childhood trauma creates codependency, anxiety and insecurities which can cause over a long period of time auto immune. Doctors do not dive in to root out what the cause was instead the suppress the symptoms with prescription drugs that never heal.

[miss.conduct]

Thanks, Doc. I want to tell you how helpful & effective you've been in my life.⚘️

[HeartfeltAwakening]

Can hormone disruptors in our food and environment stimulate/shut down dopamine? Are there studies done on hormone disruptors and the effects on our hormones and neurotransmitters?

[the_womb_raider]

32:03 “when they’re losing…”

I did NOT need to be outed like this.

[adrian]

Hello, can you go over the effects of nutritional therapies for mood regulation and serotonin neurotransmission?
I am saying this because I ate a lot of oatmeal last night along with eggs and felt super sleepy. Had a great nights rest and woke up with a good stable mood.