The term 'dopamine detox' has been on everyone's lips for quite a while already. You can see it a lot in the media in the recent years as the trend for overproductivity starts to give up its positions. More and more people reject maladaptive behaviors that trigger too much dopamine response and ruin the balance between the reward system and self-control. The aim is to calm their minds and find inner peace.

What Is a Dopamine Detox?

California psychiatrist Dr. Cameron Sepah names six types of compulsive behaviors that respond to dopamine fasting:

• gaming and excessive internet usage;
• shopping and gambling;
• emotional eating;
• porn and masturbation;
• recreational drugs;
• thrill and novelty seeking.

Only these exact bad habits can be influenced by regulating dopamine. Yet, any compulsive behavior has to be treated comprehensively, not only by self-regulation, but with methods like psychotherapy and medications, if prescribed. Other stimulating activities can and should be managed differently, and if you feel that you experience trouble correcting your behavioral addiction, it is a good idea to turn to mental health professionals.

But why has it become a wellness trend, and how can we benefit from dopamine fasting? The main goal of those who want to try dopamine detox is mental clarity and lower stimulation. It does sound simple, but there are some details you better know if you want to start your own dopamine fast.

The Science Behind Dopamine Detox

Dopamine, as a neurotransmitter, helps to pass the signals from one cell to another. It is a chemical that our brain produces when we wait for something really passionately, or when we receive any sort of reward.

Whenever we need some motivation to achieve anything, our brain releases a little dopamine, and that's what makes us anticipate the upcoming pleasure.

Sometimes, dopamine gets mistaken for serotonin or endorphin, which are known as 'happy hormones', but they all have a slightly different effects on us, although none is less important than the others.

A lot of people would agree that waiting for something wonderful is even more exciting than the moment you receive it—and that is exactly why they think so: dopamine hits right when you prepare for pleasure. Dopamine makes us want and like things, but it is not directly linked to making us feel anything: it only plays a vicarious role in the reward system.

An important note to make is that dopamine detox is not an appropriate practice for those who have neurotransmitter imbalance, depression, or anxiety disorders. For them, the effect of dopamine detox can turn out to be directly the opposite, so make sure you don't have those medical conditions before you give dopamine detoxing a try.

Can a dopamine detox truly reset your brain?

A vital thing to consider is that dopamine does not rise when you limit overstimulating activities. The level of dopamine does not change (or drop) when you give up bad habits like scrolling social media until late at night, but, of course, there is a benefit for you in filling your leisure time with harmless pleasurable activities.

After dopamine detox is over, you may feel that the activities you limited feel more enjoyable than before, but this would be the only effect you experience.

So, the answer to the question, 'Can a dopamine detox reset your brain?' is no.

Benefits of a Dopamine Detox

When we start paying attention to the things that make us feel worse and eliminate them from our day-to-day lives, the effects might arise immediately. Mental health is what gets better first. To be more precise, here are the things that improve if you regulate your habits and follow the rules of dopamine detoxing:

1. Sleep. A healthy sleeping routine is usually established when a person stops getting too much blue light from the screens before bed. That is exactly what happens when mindless scrolling is no longer a bedtime ritual.
2. Mental clarity. The racing thoughts fade away and leave space for straight, logical thinking as we give up on the habits that negatively affect our cognitive abilities.
3. Ability to focus. The distractions are not as tempting as long as they are so much less present in your life during the detox.
4. Better memory. As dopamine influences our memory work, it surely gets better when you stop wasting your attention on minor activities and don't get interrupted by racing thoughts or maladaptive fads.
5. Productivity levels. As the distractions are away, and the thinking patterns work better again, it gets much easier and more pleasant to finish the tasks and do them well.
6. Emotional regulation. When you have a clear mind, it is no problem for you to differentiate your feelings, thoughts, and actions. So, you can better analyze your emotions and not let them overflow.
7. Lower impulsivity. As the anticipation is not as triggered and intense during and after the detox, it gets easier to think through every action better and choose the behavior pattern accordingly. The research proves that, thanks to reducing dopaminergetic activity, a dopamine detox influences the impulsivity level directly, taking it lower.

However, some people claim they have experienced headaches, anxiety, irritability, and depression after a dopamine detox; that's why it is vital to carefully observe how you fell on every stage of your limiting experiment.

Challenges and Misconceptions

The biggest myth about dopamine detox is, in fact, what it helps with. The general effect, like mental clarity, is surely achievable, yet not every activity can be—and needs to be—reduced. As we have already discovered, there is an possible list of impulsive behaviors we need to eliminate to feel better. So, suppose you cut on human contact or stop consuming all kinds of information, including reading books. In that case, it won't actually do you any good.

Then it is also important to mention that dopamine is a chemical that:

1. naturally occurs in our brain;
2. can't be equated to unconditionally harmful substances like cocaine or heroine;
3. can't really be decreased in the body (unless there are special physical and pathological conditions).

So, lowering dopamine levels is wrong and doesn't have anything in common with how things really are. Dopamine can only rise in response to pleasurable activities or some kind of rewards, which has already been mentioned before.

Sepah, the creator of dopamine fast, has never mentioned that human interactions in any form are harmful and have to be cancelled. So, if you forbid yourself to communicate, it would only spoil your social connections.

Practical Steps to Try a Dopamine Detox

To feel fine and let dopamine release in normal amounts and patterns, there are a few things we can do. Generally, these activities can be divided into two groups: restricting and fulfilling.

Limiting practices

The first and most obvious thing we do when we want mental rejuvenation is, of course, cutting on the most harmful and time-consuming occupations. It would be personal for everyone, so deciding what triggers you most is vital. Surely, you can try to cut on a few things at once, but just remember that it can be quite hard at first and even lead to failure. Go steady! Scrolling social media, eating fast food when you feel down, and impulsively buying stuff online are some of the habits that should be limited in the first place.

According to Dr. Cameron S., it is good to start detoxing for one hour at the end of the day. Soon, this time can turn into a few hours (up to 4, to be precise). Avoid forcing yourself to do it; there is no place for compulsion in this process. Everything has to go naturally and consciously so you feel better, not worse. It's important to stay persistent, so don't hurry to engage in the longer periods of detox, raising this time from 1 to 4 hours too soon; move at your own pace.

Here is a list of limiting things you might want to do that could work as an action plan:

1. Turn off notifications on your devices, except for the most important ones. Think of how you can separate corporative communication and personal one, if necessary. Make sure you don't get bothered in your spare time.
2. Plan your meals. Don't starve yourself, and make sure you are always fed with tasty, nutritious food, otherwise it may result in eating disorder. There is no need to prohibit the things you enjoy, just pay attention to not buy any junk treats. By the way, it is much easier to eat healthy when you don't have to think about what to cook next: meal plans decrease stress levels and help you stay full—this way, there is less to no temptation to suddenly order something for delivery.
3. Plan your leisure time. Get yourself busy with some interesting activities so that you don't get bored and lean towards old bad habits like doomscrolling again. Try a schedule that forbids unhealthy activities, at least for a couple of days, to begin with.

Activities to engage in during a detox

As dopamine fasting aims at relaxation and better cognitive function, there are some healthy activities to consider during this period. It is not necessary to do it all; just try some and see what works well for you. These activities have to raise your spirits, give you mental clarity, and feel fulfilling:

• Spending time outdoors. This is the best and most popular way to engage in real life and put off the triggering activities. Breathing fresh air, letting your thoughts flow, discovering new routes (which, by the way, helps to form new neural pathways)—it all has great positive effect on the overall wellbeing and mental health.
• Meditation. Although this might not work for everyone, it is worth trying. Check out the kinds of meditations online, try guided and non-guided ones—whatever seems easier. Here, the main goal is to stop the racing thoughts and clear your mind.
• Exercise. Physical activity brings our consciousness back, focusing on the body and how it feels. Moving and letting the stress out of the muscles works great for releasing endorphins and feeling good. Besides, active physical exercise directly impacts good mood on the chemical level.
• Reading. No matter if you choose fiction or non-fiction—take your book of choice. Just remember to read a paper copy or choose a mode on your device where there are no notifications to disturb and distract you.
• Creative hobbies. You can try the things you have been putting off for a long time and create something real with your own hands—it is a great mental exercise and positive stimuli for our brains. Give preference to something crafty: sketching, crocheting, photography, embroidery, scrapbooking. They are all fascinating processes that are hard to give up on even after you have finished your detox!

Setting boundaries with technology, entertainment, and stimulants.

Activities to engage in during a detox (e.g., mindfulness, nature walks).

Conclusion: Is Dopamine Detox Right for You?

So, as you can see, dopamine detox is not quite what it seems to many people. It does include limiting some of the harmful behaviors, but it doesn't have to do anything with strict dieting or social isolation.

If you are planning a dopamine detox, make sure to analyze if you have problems with any of the 6 'addictions' listed by Dr. Cameron Sepah. If you have any concerns about your hormone levels, it can always be checked medically by professionals.

And, if you finally decide to practice what is called dopamine detoxing, remember to choose a balanced approach to achieve the best results and feel fine!