EP 25 Dopamine: Understanding How It Affects You

Dopamine acts as a chemical messenger in the brain, primarily responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward, and motivation,  signals to the brain when and encourages us to repeat that behavior. Companies use this against us and as a society we are addicted to it. 

Key points:

·        Function:

Dopamine acts as a neurotransmitter, sending signals between nerve cells, primarily within the "reward pathway" which is activated by fun experiences. 

·        Release mechanism:

When a rewarding activity occurs, dopamine is released from neurons in the midbrain and travels to through the brain. 

·        Impact on behavior:

This release of dopamine reinforces the behavior that led to the reward, making us more likely to repeat it. 

·        Role in movement:

Dopamine also plays a crucial role in motor control, and low levels are associated with conditions like Parkinson's disease which affects movement. 

·        Receptors:

Dopamine interacts with different types of dopamine receptors (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5) on target neurons, leading to various effects depending on which receptor is activated. 

Algorithms leverage the brain's dopamine system by mimicking the "reward" mechanism, essentially providing intermittent positive feedback to keep users engaged and coming back for more, similar to how a slot machine works, by delivering unexpected small rewards like notifications, likes, or interesting content, which triggers a dopamine surge, making users feel good and encouraging continued interaction with the platform. 

Key points about how algorithms use dopamine:

·        Reinforcement Learning

·        Variable Reward Schedule

·        "Likes" and Social Validation

·        Personalized Content

·        Infinite Scroll

Examples of how algorithms manipulate dopamine:

·       "Like" button on social media

·       "New notification" alert

·        Personalized recommendations

 Concerns related to dopamine manipulation:

·       Addiction-like behavior

·       Mental health impacts

 ·        Real addiction because your body needs dopamine from somewhere 

Things to do to reduce dopamine addiction:

1. Consume foods high in tyrosine.

2. Try a balanced diet that’s higher in protein-rich foods and lower in carbohydrates.

3. Make physical exercise a habit.

4. Say “om.”Meditiate

5. Get a massage.

6. Get adequate sleep.

7. Listen to calming music.

8. Go outside.

9. Take nutritional supplements.

 Set boundaries 

·        Set boundaries with technology

·        Create microenvironments

Limit access to problematic devices by keeping them out of certain rooms or times of day.

 Engage in authentic pleasure

• Seek out meaningful experiences
• Step outside of your comfort zone 
• Be honest with yourself

Give yourself grace

• Set realistic goals 
• Find social support

 Resources:

Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke: https://www.annalembke.com/dopamine-nation

Very Powerful Podcast Episode on Diary of a CEO with Dr. Lembke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6xbXOp7wDA