What if we told you that taking a break from things that make you feel very happy or dependent could be a new way to heal the body? ”How so?” we seem to hear what you say. Come on, let’s explain.

Those who see the concept of dopamine fasting ( orucu), who try to think about what might happen, and who make sense of not getting the dopamine substance into the body… At first glance, we accept such a meaning, but the truth is very different. Come on together, let’s look at what it really is ‘dopamine fasting’.

What’s dopamine?

You are home on the weekend, you have opened your favorite series, you are watching the new season with great enthusiasm and excitement, and you have taken your favorite snacks. Ohh mis.. You feel so good at that moment, maybe even the thought felt good when you read this article, actually what you experience is nothing but dopamine released in your brain, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that transmits signals between the nerve cells of the brain, so it is referred to as the “chemical messenger. Dopamine is a substance that is formed at the end of a two-step process in the brain, first converting the amino acid tyrosine into a substance called a dopa, and then into dopamine. Dopamine also plays a role in various aspects of the neurological, cognitive, and behavioral functions of the body. These include blood flow, digestion, executive function, heart and kidney function, memory and focus, mood and emotions, motor control, pain processing, pancreatic function and insulin regulation, etc, pleasure and reward-seeking behavior, sleep andstress reaction takes place.

Dopamine is strongly associated with pleasure. Even just the thought of waiting for a reward or the prospect of engaging in an activity that gives you pleasure can increase the body’s dopamine levels. This is part of our reward center, we feel good when our brain produces dopamine in response to what we do, and we want to do more whatever makes us feel mentally healthy. This leads to more dopamine production.

What are dopamine levels?

An imbalance in dopamine levels,our physical and mental health it can have a direct impact on you. A deficiency in dopamine levels can lead to balance problems, weight changes, muscle cramps, low energy levels, anxiety, mood swings, constipation, tremors, sleep loss, hallucinations, and even low sex drive. Low dopamine levels can also lead to depression, as well as serious medical conditions like Parkinson’s disease and dopamine transporter deficiency syndrome (infantile parkinsonism-dystonia, also known as )in.

High dopamine levels can cause an increase in concentration and energy levels and a higher sex drive. However, in addition to competitive, aggressive behavior, it can also bring on anxiety, stress and sleep problems. A hyperactive dopamine system can lead to schizophrenia, ADHD, and drug addiction. Studies also show that lack of sleep can also lower dopamine levels in the body.

What is dopamine fasting?

Now to the concept of dopamine fasting. California-based psychiatrist Dr. The concept, coined by Cameron Sepah in 2019, aims to “reset your dopamine levels” by asking you to stay away from anything that gives you pleasure, such as smartphones, social media, series, sightseeing, food, and even sex.

You may be confused. ‘ How so, why would I want to reset a secreted substance to make me happy?’ you might be saying. Sepah explains this as well: ‘The more the human body is exposed to ‘the enthusiasm of dopamine’, the higher it needs to receive stimulation next time to reach this level of pleasure ’ So the body can start to release dopamine and ask for a little more each time to make you happy.

Dopamine fasting can also be seen as a form of purification. Dopamine fasting allows people to feel lonely, sometimes bored, and engage in simpler activities, so that people become aware of unhealthy stimuli that distract them, allowing their brains to take a break and “potentially addictive behavior” he is allowed to get rid of the behavior that is considered to be. This allows people to regain control and better handle and manage impulsive behavior.

Dopamine fasting is targeted with “generally problematic and addictive” believed to be impulsive behaviors. (emotional eating, excessive internet use and gaming, gambling, shopping, excitement, novelty searching, enjoyable items)

The dopamine fasting trend is often misunderstood as a complete break with everything people enjoy. Dopamine fasting is not a silent meditation retreat where you are not allowed to do anything or talk to anyone. Dopamine fasting is to apply a behavioral therapy technique to help people manage (over internet/game-playing, such as deliberate withdrawal and impulsive behaviors at certain intervals at the end of each day, week, or quarter.

Is dopamine fasting really possible?

Many psychiatrists believe that fasting from dopamine will be both impossible and deadly for the brain. They also note that avoiding pleasure-seeking activities does not necessarily reset the body’s dopamine levels. In addition, there are those who argue that a naturally produced chemical in the body cannot be prevented in this way.

While dopamine rises in response to rewards or pleasurable activities, it does not actually decrease when you avoid overstimulating activities, so dopamine fasting may not actually lower your dopamine levels. More research is needed on this.

What are the benefits of dopamine fasting?

“While the idea of a “full break” or “dopamine fast” is said to be impossible, the attempt to break away from compulsive behaviors, the original thought behind the practice, offers some health benefits, such as increased focus and greater mental clarity. Also, avoiding addictive behaviors, such as constantly navigating social media, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and promotes better sleep.

Dopamine fasting helps manage ‘instant gratification’ waves. One of the techniques that Sepah uses in this application is “exciter control”. This aims to eliminate the stimulus that encourages impulsive behavior so that the person does not have to rely entirely on will power. For example, instead of stopping the entry to Twitter, you can put your phone out of reach as part of your fast, making it difficult to access.

Another technique is exposure and response prevention. The idea behind this is that you can practice exposing yourself to a trigger. However, you do not have to carry out the expected behavior. So here, you can do a maddening need-feeling exercise to control Twitter, or instead choose to go and deal with something else.

When is dopamine fasting performed?

Medical professionals think that when treating fasting with suspicion, it is beneficial to take some time to avoid addictive or bad behaviors during the day, week, or year.

Sepah shows a simple way to start dopamine fasting: first choose a behavior you want to fast. Then avoid that behavior for an hour a day. This can turn into four hours a day over time. Once a week, stay away from (Saturday or Sunday) behavior; then practice one weekend per quarter and one week at the end of the year.

For those who want to reduce a selected behavior to the shortest possible time, they can follow a schedule where the time allotted to engage in the behavior is 1-3 times a day for 5-30 minutes.

To summarize; the mechanism underlying dopamine fasting is to break away from unhealthy stimuli to reconnect with the person himself and to manage compulsive behaviors. However, people can exaggerate the dopamine fast by completely avoiding everything that gives them pleasure, including human interaction and eye contact! Not only is this harmful in various ways, but it also does not actually reset dopamine levels in the body.

While many people start to follow this health fashion to break the cycle of bad habits, doctors and healthcare professionals, instead, focus on mindfulness andmeditate it suggests giving more space to tried and tested applications such as.