When you’re learning something new, dopamine both gets you started and keeps you going. This means that if you have low dopamine levels, you’re more likely to decide to quit when things get difficult. [3] X Trustworthy Source National Institutes of Health U. S. government agency for biomedical and public health research Go to source Dopamine’s regulation of motor control can be seen in diseases such as Parkinson’s, which are characterized by involuntary movement and tremors associated with low dopamine levels. [4] X Research source
You get a small burst of dopamine just to get the action going—that’s the motor control aspect of dopamine. Then, if the action turned out to be enjoyable or beneficial, you get another burst of dopamine to reinforce it. There’s a dark side to this reward system. If you start craving more dopamine, you might start engaging in pleasurable activities excessively. Ignoring everything else to pursue that pleasure exclusively is a compulsion or an addiction. Alcohol and illegal drugs can cause a surge of dopamine, which encourages people to continue consuming them, leading to addiction. Addictions to certain activities, such as gambling or sex, are also tied to a craving for the dopamine that those activities trigger.
You might associate dopamine with a feeling more like a craving for something. When you finally get the thing you’ve been craving, your brain triggers another burst of dopamine that reinforces your actions. Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, are so addictive in part because they trigger a massive dump of dopamine. Getting so much dopamine at once feels euphoric and users chase after that feeling. Unfortunately, the drugs also make it more difficult for the body to produce dopamine, often trapping the individual in the cycle of addiction.
For example, when you exercise, your brain keeps kicking out little bursts of dopamine. These little bursts both motivate the voluntary movement to keep you going and make you feel good about exercising. You’ll remember that good feeling and want to do it again. But how does your brain decide when a behavior is beneficial or pleasurable? From what scientists can gather so far, it seems the brain cells that produce and release dopamine just figure that out on their own. In a healthy brain, scientists believe, dopamine release is self-regulating. Research is ongoing. [8] X Research source You can’t control how or when your brain releases dopamine. It’s a self-regulating, automatic process.
High dopamine levels can also make you hyper-competitive, so you take anything anyone says as a challenge. Couple this with aggressive behavior (also caused by too much dopamine) and you have a recipe for trouble. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Dopamine levels can fluctuate throughout your life. If you find that something that once excited you isn’t making you feel the same way anymore, that might be because your dopamine levels have dropped.
Abstaining from electronic devices for short periods isn’t a bad thing and does have benefits—but those benefits aren’t related to dopamine. For example, turning off screens for an hour or two before you go to bed helps you get more restful sleep. If you deprive yourself of something for a while, it might indeed seem more pleasurable when you experience it again, but it’s not because you’ve replenished your depleted dopamine stores. The amount of dopamine you have available doesn’t diminish that way. Talk to your doctor or to a therapist if you think you have excess dopamine. They can help you figure out if medication would be appropriate.
Dopamine’s motivational effects also influence how your brain evaluates a task and decides whether it’s worth doing or not. Research shows that people with low levels of dopamine tend to look first at the difficulty of the task rather than the reward they’ll receive for completing it.
In people with bipolar disorder, low dopamine may be responsible for their depressive symptoms, while an excess of dopamine might be responsible for feelings of mania.
Low dopamine is a factor in many of the cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia, including poor working memory, lack of pleasure, trouble with speech and speech processing, and social withdrawal. These are referred to as “negative” symptoms of schizophrenia because they refer to a loss of typical brain functions. High dopamine causes the delusions and hallucinations that many people consider the hallmark of schizophrenia. These are “positive” symptoms because something happens that doesn’t happen in a typical brain.
Because drugs disrupt dopamine production, people who misuse drugs don’t have enough of it to go around unless they’re under the effects of the drug. They start to feel as though they’re not capable of enjoying anything anymore unless they’re also on the drug.
Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) are also sometimes prescribed “off-label” for ADHD. This just means that they’re used to treat ADHD even though they aren’t officially approved for that. [18] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Doctors also prescribe these types of antidepressants on a short-term basis for smoking cessation. The drugs work to break the nicotine addiction cycle by blocking the reabsorption of dopamine.
These drugs are also prescribed for tardive dyskinesia, a side effect of antipsychotic medications that is characterized by involuntary and abnormal movement of the face, neck, arms, and legs. The condition can start years after someone starts taking antipsychotic medication and can be permanent. [21] X Trustworthy Source National Alliance on Mental Illness Grassroots mental health-focused organization providing resources, support, and education for those affected by mental illness Go to source
Technically, all eating gives you a little burst of dopamine. However, regularly eating sugary and high-fat fried foods can damage your dopamine pathways. This could lead to over-eating in pursuit of that dopamine burst you’re used to from eating. [23] X Research source Eating a high-protein breakfast including eggs, lean meats, and dairy work best to keep you full while also increasing your dopamine. [24] X Research source
More dopamine, in turn, can lead to more impulsive actions, aggression, and hostility. If you’ve ever been highly irritated after spending an all-nighter, you know what this feels like. The best way to make sure you’re getting enough sleep is to check in on your energy levels throughout the day. If you find that you’re lagging mid-morning or mid-afternoon, it could be that you’re not getting enough sleep. Sleep tracker apps, available for free on your smartphone, can help you monitor your sleep and keep track of the number of hours you get each night.
Focus on your breath for a quick and simple meditative practice that you can do throughout the day whenever you start to feel anxious or nervous. Breathe deeply in through your nose, pause, then exhale slowly through your mouth. You only need to do this for a minute at a time to start feeling the results.
Sticking to an exercise regime also makes you feel good because it gives you a sense of accomplishment—which comes with its own little hit of dopamine.
These moments are easy to find if you keep your eyes open to them. For example, you’re coming home after a busy day and see your neighbor struggling with their groceries. Stopping to help them carry the bags in is a kind thing to do and your brain will reward you. Random acts of kindness also give you a boost of oxytocin, the so-called “love hormone” that plays a role in trusting people and forming social bonds.
Studies have shown that dopamine increases about 31% on average after massage therapy sessions. You might even be able to get a referral from your doctor or therapist so your insurance will cover part or even all of the cost of your sessions.
