What is dopamine starvation, what does a lack of dopamine in the body lead to, symptoms

Why do you need dopamine? Why is it sometimes worth limiting it?

Let’s find out together with a nutritionist.

How great it is sometimes to eat your favorite dish, turn on a pleasant movie and just do nothing. But the key word here – sometimes, which most often grows into constancy, and then into addiction. Those who can pull themselves together and at least temporarily do without sources of pleasure – few. For the rest of us, psychologists suggest that from time to time we organize a dopamine fast – and we will talk about it.

Nutritionist, founder of the “School of Nutritionists”.

It is believed that after such “starvation” a person gets satisfaction from much less stimuli (less food or everyday socializing with friends, for example).

Xenia: We are not talking about a direct decrease in the level of dopamine in the body (this is simply impossible). “Starvation” in such a case limits only the impulsive behavior that supports it. According to the supporters of this method, this is how you can learn to control your addictions and neutralize their harmful effects, get rid of, for example, useless activities and avoid eating disorders.

What is the danger of dopamine addiction?

On the one hand, dopamine improves concentration, thinking and mood. On the other hand, when its effects wear off, it leads to feelings of anxiety and sadness. Dissatisfaction contributes to the fact that a person again and again tries to reproduce the situation that is associated with a positive experience. This kind of addiction can lead to obesity, burnout, decreased productivity. And this is by no means a complete list.

PhD in Psychology

At the heart of any addiction is the so-called “dopamine trap.” Dopamine, one of the brain’s main neurotransmitters, affects a large number of nervous processes and functions in the body. And the brain is organized in such a way that in response to constant bursts of any neurotransmitter, it gradually desensitizes the corresponding receptors. This happens with dopamine as well.

Therefore, to get new emotions, a person needs to spend more and more time with sources of pleasure (gadgets, food). This leads to the fact that he stops enjoying simple things: socializing, going out with friends, doing sports, healthy food.

nutrition expert, founder of GetVegetable, a nutrition delivery service.

Dopamine starvation involves intentionally making your body and brain uncomfortable through restricting yourself from receiving pleasurable rewards. That is, the more qualitatively we “starve” ourselves, the more we feel the real joy of the experience. But still it is better not to make abrupt transitions, for example, not to make a cardinal decision to stop using social networks forever. Periodic abstinence from gadgets will be more effective.

Balance is important in everything. So you will be able to stabilize your emotional state, raise your mood and become more productive. You will also have more time for sports and a healthy lifestyle.

As part of the methodology, it is advised for a while to completely abandon such “irritants”:

overeating;
surfing the Internet and computer games;
gambling and shopping;
watching pornography;
thrill-seeking;
use of so-called “recreational drugs,” such as alcohol and caffeine.

What to replace it with? During this practice, you can walk, drink water, exercise, meditate, write down your thoughts, and draw. The released time gives a kind of unloading for the brain. It is believed that after that a person gets satisfaction from much less stimuli (less food or just socializing with friends).

Avoid foods that increase dopamine. Among them:

coffee; alcohol;
sweets;
animal products (meat, fish, milk, eggs);
sesame seeds;
olive oil;
turmeric, black pepper;
bananas, apples;
green tea;
almonds, peanuts;
beets;
avocado;
watermelon;
soybeans, beans.
peanuts;
oatmeal;
wheat germ;
rosemary, oregano;
leafy green vegetables.

Xenia: Sweets, fast food, alcoholic beverages and coffee are the best known sources of dopamine, which quickly form an addiction. Sugar is another powerful stimulant that activates the same brain centers as cocaine, amphetamine and other drugs. Therefore, it is these foods that need to be brought under control first and foremost. Such abstinence increases the activity of taste buds, contributes to more vivid sensations from simple dishes, forms the correct eating behavior.

What to replace with? Useful sources of dopamine, which do not form pathological attachment. It is worth adding dried figs, yogurt, sour cream, parsley leaves to the diet. The amino acids they contain are converted into “useful” dopamine with the help of vitamin cofactors such as vitamin B6 and folic acid.