| What is a dopamine detox? |
| A dopamine detox is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) developed by Dr. Cameron Sepah, a California-based psychiatrist intent on helping people manage addictive behaviors. |
| Sepah thinks that consciously limiting addictive activities can promote more flexible thinking and increase awareness of impulsive behaviors in people. |
| Contrary to what the name suggests, Sepah’s dopamine fasting program aims to increase dopamine levels rather than deprive the brain of dopamine. In fact, Sepah is noted in the New York Times as saying that one should not take the name of his cognitive behavioral therapy method literally. |
| The misinterpretation of dopamine fasting has led to a popular fad of denying yourself any pleasurable experiences with the unsubstantiated belief that doing this will “reset” your brain or help lower the threshold at which you experience pleasure. |
| What dopamine fasting is NOT |
| Sedah specifically states in his protocol that dopamine fasting isn’t: |
| reducing dopamineavoiding all pleasuresocial isolationstopping exercisea form of meditation |
| Tips to help you detox from dopamine |
| 1. Creating barriers |
| Original dopamine fasting involves making an undesirable habit difficult to participate in. This can mean: |
| putting something out of reach or line of sightmaking it inconvenientlimiting time spent with others sharing the habitinstalling blocking apps and softwaregiving someone else control of necessary resources, like credit cards |
| 2. Selecting beneficial alternatives |
| Once you’ve made it challenging to engage in the undesired behavior, the next step is to pick an alternative experience that promotes your well-being. |
| Options may include things such as: |
| exerciseplaying with a petreadingdrawing or paintingcalling a loved onemeditatingvolunteering |
| 3. Understanding underlying causes |
| Part of dopamine detox is understanding why you want to engage in a specific activity. If your underlying feeling is boredom, for example, recognizing when you’re bored can help keep you from impulsively going to the undesired activity. |
| Journaling may be beneficial in emotional exploration, allowing you to recognize and put names to the feelings you experience throughout the day. |
Anna Godfrey 