Exploring the `Feel Good Neurotransmitter’
I recently had the chance of reading the book `Dopamine Nation’ by the renowned American psychiatrist and writer Dr Anna Lembke.
This engrossing book subtitled `Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence’ serves as a compelling guide about finding balance and good mental health in today’s world. Isn’t it true that in today’s accessible world where everything is easily available, it is difficult to maintain equilibrium?
Diving through the book has been an eye-opener and I am sharing the knowledge I’ve gained with my audience.
The author gives an explanation that `dopamine’, a chemical in the brain, amongst other things makes us feel good. Dopamine is associated with the brain’s reward system and is known to be involved in motivation and reinforcement of behaviors (encourages us to repeat those actions).
In other words, it is a `feel good neurotransmitter’
Now, many things make us feel good — drugs, alcohol, shopping, desserts, flirting, and social media all give us a dopamine high, we crave for them and become dependent on them.
Moreover, modern society trains us to run after these highs.
How?
We can order anything we want online at the click of a button and have the convenience of it delivered to our doorstep. Making it easy to give in to our impulses.
Living in a fast-paced society, we are constantly bombarded with new and exciting things Don’t we we start to crave the next thrill or purchase? (from the latest electronic gadgets to a new restaurant)
But the flip side of a high is a low. The book explains this pattern like a see-saw — going up and down, between pleasure-pain, and addiction-craving.
Anatomically pleasure and pain are located in the same part of the brain, just different layers overlapping each other. When we constantly switch between pleasure and pain, high and low, the brain tires itself out and breaks its balance.
Though the brain naturally regulates dopamine levels to maintain balance. However, certain factors can disrupt this balance, such as excessive consumption of highly rewarding stimuli, e.g., junk food, drugs, or excessive screen time, and chronic stress.
Her advice for good mental health and preventing burnout is :
1. Don’t constantly seek pleasure or avoid pain.
2. Make conscious choices that prioritize your long-term well-being, over short-term.
3. Accept pleasure-pain and disappointments as a part of life. Be realistic.
4. Practice abstinence from the high dopamine kicks, because they throw you off balance. For example, be mindful of your consumption habits, pay attention to why you are buying things and whether you really need them. Put a curb on impulsive purchases and overspending.
Alcohol is a temporary solution to escape from our problems and feel good, but is toxic for health.
5. Seek small joys and balance as part of life. Set limits on your spending, create a budget, and stick to it.
6. There’s a thin line between science and spirituality. Pleasure-pain, and victory-defeat are polar opposites, don’t get caught up in polarity as it will throw your brain out of balance. Extremity traps you, hence be free of it.
