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It is possible to rid yourself of mental clutter and reset your mind with a dopamine detox and dopamine fasting.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which impacts many aspects of behavior, which are learning, motivation, and mood. The brain is addicted to dopamine, and it tires to stimulate the repetition of the behavior that produced the dopamine hit in the first place.

However, once you get what it is that you desire, dopamine turns off. and you end up not feeling as satisfied as you thought you would. this, in turn, makes you feel empty. and you end up craving for more and more. This leads to a cyclical pattern whereby one constantly finds himself chasing happiness. Therefore dopamine is  “the molecule of more” because it fuels desire.

It is possible to rid yourself of mental clutter and reset your mind with a dopamine detox and dopamine fasting.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which impacts many aspects of behavior, which are learning, motivation, and mood. The brain is addicted to dopamine, and it tires to stimulate the repetition of the behavior that produced the dopamine hit in the first place.

However, once you get what it is that you desire, dopamine turns off. and you end up not feeling as satisfied as you thought you would. this, in turn, makes you feel empty. and you end up craving for more and more. This leads to a cyclical pattern whereby one constantly finds himself chasing happiness. Therefore dopamine is  “the molecule of more” because it fuels desire.

A powerful example of the dopamine cycle is sugar addiction. Dopamine creates a craving for sugar. When you crave something sweet, you may envision what the sugar will taste like when it hits your mouth. Once you taste the first bite, you may notice that the second bite isn’t as satisfying as you thought it would be.

What is Dopamine fasting?

During dopamine fast, one abstains from any experience that brings pleasure, including but not limited to sex, food, exercise, social media, video games and talking. Some people go so far as to avoid making eye contact, chatting with friends or even performing moderately-fast movements, all in an effort to avoid stimulation, the New York Times reported.

Resetting your mind:

The best way to reset your mind is to cultivate “in the present moment” neuro-transmitters. These are

• Serotonin
• Endorphins
• Oxytocin
• GABA.

These neurotransmitters help one enjoy the present moment, experience connection and be at peace with yourself. They give you lasting fulfillment and joy.

to cultivate these “present moment” neurotransmitters, you must start to remove behaviors that are addictive. Pick one thing that you are addicted to, whether that’s video games, pornography, social media, coffee, or sugar. Give your mind a rest and allow your baseline to return to a normal level.

The aim here is not to reduce an important neurotransmitter like Dopamine, rather the aim is to stop its frequent firing. Therefore I would like to stress here, that despite the name, the Idea is not to literally lower dopamine levels.

Low levels of Dopamine can cause depression anxiety and restlessness.

In my opinion, the greatest benefit expected is improved focus, attention, reduced depression, anxiety and also improve the ability to live in the moment.

Dr. Kalpana Shekhawat M.D.

Functional Medicine Specialist 

Director, Freedom Age

Chairperson FMMA