Dopamine fasting

Last updated
Proponents of dopamine fasting see a benefit from taking periodic breaks from technologies which are seen as addictive, such as smartphones. Senado Noticias no Twitter Moments (26721094992).jpg
Proponents of dopamine fasting see a benefit from taking periodic breaks from technologies which are seen as addictive, such as smartphones.

Dopamine fasting is a form of digital detox, involving temporarily abstaining from addictive technologies such as social media, listening to music on technological platforms, and Internet gaming, and can be extended to temporary deprivation of social interaction and eating. [1] [2] [3] The concept was proposed by Dr. Cameron Sepah. [4]

Contents

The practice has been referred to as a "maladaptive fad" by one Harvard researcher. [5] Other critics say that it is based on a misunderstanding of how the neurotransmitter dopamine, which operates within the brain to reward behavior, actually works and can be altered by conscious behavior.[ clarification needed ] [1] [6] However, other scientists[ who? ] believe it is likely that both the practicers and critics misunderstand the proposed technique, and rather the practice should be regarded as a self intervention for behavioral addiction. [7] The idea behind it is to take a break from the repetitive patterns of excitement and stimulation that can be triggered by interaction with digital technology, [8] and that the practice of avoiding pleasurable activities can work to undo bad habits, allow time for self-reflection, and bolster personal happiness. [8]

Definitions

The practice of dopamine fasting is not clearly defined in what it entails, on what technologies, with what frequency it should be done, or how it is supposed to work. [6] [9] Some proponents limit the process to avoiding online technology; others extend it to abstaining from all work, exercise, physical contact and unnecessary conversation. [10]

According to Cameron Sepah, a proponent of the practice, the purpose is not to literally reduce dopamine in the body [11] but rather to reduce impulsive behaviors that are rewarded by it. [8] One account suggests that the practice is about avoiding cues, such as hearing the ring of a smartphone, that can trigger impulsive behaviors, such as remaining on the smartphone after the call to play a game. [12] In one sense, dopamine fasting is a reaction to technology firms which have engineered their services to keep people hooked. [11]

Dopamine fasting has been said[ by whom? ] to resemble the fasting tradition[ which? ] of many religions. [1] An extreme form of dopamine fasting would be complete sensory deprivation, where all external stimuli are removed in order to promote a sense of calm and wellbeing. [10]

Effects

Proponents of dopamine fasting argue that it is a way to exert greater self-control and self-discipline over one's life, and New York Times technology journalist Nellie Bowles found that dopamine fasting made her subject's everyday life "more exciting and fun". [1]

It has been described as a fad and a craze associated with Silicon Valley. [12] [9] An account in Vice , saying "If the idea of abstaining from anything fun in order to increase your mental clarity is appealing, congratulations: You and the notorious biohackers in Silicon Valley are on the same wave." [13]

Scientific basis

Detractors say that the overall concept of dopamine fasting is unscientific since the chemical plays a vital role in everyday life; literally reducing it would not be good for a person, [12] and removing a particular stimulus like social media would not reduce the levels of dopamine in the body, only the stimulation of it. [12] Ciara McCabe, Associate Professor in Neuroscience at the University of Reading, considers the idea that the brain could be "reset" by avoiding dopamine triggers for a short time to be "nonsense". [11]

Cameron Sepah, who has promoted the practice of dopamine fasting, agrees that the name is misleading and says that its purpose is not to literally reduce dopamine in the body [11] but rather to reduce the impulsive behaviors that are rewarded by it. [8]

Besides the impulsive behavior control – regulated by the prefrontal cortex, [14] it has never been conclusively proven that technology use hardens the brain to dopamine’s effects. Technology use induces a dopamine response on par with any normal, enjoyable experience — roughly a 50% to 100% increase. By contrast, cocaine and methamphetamine — two highly addictive drugs — cause a dopamine spike of 350% and 1200% respectively[ citation needed ]. In addition, dopamine receptors themselves — the cells in the brain activated in different ways by dopamine’s release — respond differently to tech use than they do to substance abuse, with no evidence that they become less sensitive to dopamine with frequent tech use, in the way they do with substance abuse. In the final analysis, it is erroneous to assume that avoiding "dopamine spikes" may upregulate dopamine receptors, causing an "increase in motivation or pleasure". [15] Conversely, freeing oneself from bad habits may free up time for healthier habits, like physical activity, leading to actual increases in gray matter volume on multiple brain parts related to the reward system.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dopamine</span> Organic chemical that functions both as a hormone and a neurotransmitter

Dopamine is a neuromodulatory molecule that plays several important roles in cells. It is an organic chemical of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families. Dopamine constitutes about 80% of the catecholamine content in the brain. It is an amine synthesized by removing a carboxyl group from a molecule of its precursor chemical, L-DOPA, which is synthesized in the brain and kidneys. Dopamine is also synthesized in plants and most animals. In the brain, dopamine functions as a neurotransmitter—a chemical released by neurons to send signals to other nerve cells. Neurotransmitters are synthesized in specific regions of the brain, but affect many regions systemically. The brain includes several distinct dopamine pathways, one of which plays a major role in the motivational component of reward-motivated behavior. The anticipation of most types of rewards increases the level of dopamine in the brain, and many addictive drugs increase dopamine release or block its reuptake into neurons following release. Other brain dopamine pathways are involved in motor control and in controlling the release of various hormones. These pathways and cell groups form a dopamine system which is neuromodulatory.

The mesolimbic pathway, sometimes referred to as the reward pathway, is a dopaminergic pathway in the brain. The pathway connects the ventral tegmental area in the midbrain to the ventral striatum of the basal ganglia in the forebrain. The ventral striatum includes the nucleus accumbens and the olfactory tubercle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nucleus accumbens</span> Region of the basal forebrain

The nucleus accumbens is a region in the basal forebrain rostral to the preoptic area of the hypothalamus. The nucleus accumbens and the olfactory tubercle collectively form the ventral striatum. The ventral striatum and dorsal striatum collectively form the striatum, which is the main component of the basal ganglia. The dopaminergic neurons of the mesolimbic pathway project onto the GABAergic medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle. Each cerebral hemisphere has its own nucleus accumbens, which can be divided into two structures: the nucleus accumbens core and the nucleus accumbens shell. These substructures have different morphology and functions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocoholic</span> Person who craves chocolate

A chocoholic is a person who craves or compulsively consumes chocolate. The word "chocoholic" was first used in 1968, according to Merriam-Webster. It is a portmanteau of "chocolate" and "alcoholic". The term is used loosely or humorously to describe a person who is inordinately fond of chocolate; however, there is medical evidence to support the existence of actual addiction to chocolate. Psychoactive constituents of chocolate that trigger a ‘feel-good’ reaction for the consumer include tryptophan and phenylethylamine, which may contribute to cravings and addiction-like responses, particularly in people with specific genetic alleles. The quantity of sugars used in chocolate confections also impacts the psychoactive effects of chocolate.

Motivational salience is a cognitive process and a form of attention that motivates or propels an individual's behavior towards or away from a particular object, perceived event or outcome. Motivational salience regulates the intensity of behaviors that facilitate the attainment of a particular goal, the amount of time and energy that an individual is willing to expend to attain a particular goal, and the amount of risk that an individual is willing to accept while working to attain a particular goal.

In internal medicine, relapse or recidivism is a recurrence of a past condition. For example, multiple sclerosis and malaria often exhibit peaks of activity and sometimes very long periods of dormancy, followed by relapse or recrudescence.

Substance dependence, also known as drug dependence, is a biopsychological situation whereby an individual's functionality is dependent on the necessitated re-consumption of a psychoactive substance because of an adaptive state that has developed within the individual from psychoactive substance consumption that results in the experience of withdrawal and that necessitates the re-consumption of the drug. A drug addiction, a distinct concept from substance dependence, is defined as compulsive, out-of-control drug use, despite negative consequences. An addictive drug is a drug which is both rewarding and reinforcing. ΔFosB, a gene transcription factor, is now known to be a critical component and common factor in the development of virtually all forms of behavioral and drug addictions, but not dependence.

According to proponents of the concept, sexual addiction, also known as sex addiction, is a state characterized by compulsive participation or engagement in sexual activity, particularly sexual intercourse, despite negative consequences. The concept is contentious; neither of the two major mainstream medical categorization systems recognise sex addiction as a real medical condition, instead categorizing such behavior under labels such as compulsive sexual behavior.

Brain stimulation reward (BSR) is a pleasurable phenomenon elicited via direct stimulation of specific brain regions, originally discovered by James Olds and Peter Milner. BSR can serve as a robust operant reinforcer. Targeted stimulation activates the reward system circuitry and establishes response habits similar to those established by natural rewards, such as food and sex. Experiments on BSR soon demonstrated that stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus, along with other regions of the brain associated with natural reward, was both rewarding as well as motivation-inducing. Electrical brain stimulation and intracranial drug injections produce robust reward sensation due to a relatively direct activation of the reward circuitry. This activation is considered to be more direct than rewards produced by natural stimuli, as those signals generally travel through the more indirect peripheral nerves. BSR has been found in all vertebrates tested, including humans, and it has provided a useful tool for understanding how natural rewards are processed by specific brain regions and circuits, as well the neurotransmission associated with the reward system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reward system</span> Group of neural structures responsible for motivation and desire

The reward system is a group of neural structures responsible for incentive salience, associative learning, and positively-valenced emotions, particularly ones involving pleasure as a core component. Reward is the attractive and motivational property of a stimulus that induces appetitive behavior, also known as approach behavior, and consummatory behavior. A rewarding stimulus has been described as "any stimulus, object, event, activity, or situation that has the potential to make us approach and consume it is by definition a reward". In operant conditioning, rewarding stimuli function as positive reinforcers; however, the converse statement also holds true: positive reinforcers are rewarding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicotine withdrawal</span> Process of withdrawing from nicotine addiction

Nicotine withdrawal is a group of symptoms that occur in the first few weeks after stopping or decreasing use of nicotine. Symptoms include intense cravings for nicotine, anger or irritability, anxiety, depression, impatience, trouble sleeping, restlessness, hunger or weight gain, and difficulty concentrating. Withdrawal symptoms make it harder to quit nicotine products, and most methods for quitting smoking involve reducing nicotine withdrawal. Quit smoking programs can make it easier to quit. Nicotine withdrawal is recognized in both the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the WHO International Classification of Diseases.

Kenneth Blum is an American scientist who has studied neuropsychopharmacology and genetics. Until 1995 he was a professor of pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Behavioral addiction, process addiction, or non-substance-related disorder is a form of addiction that involves a compulsion to engage in a rewarding non-substance-related behavior – sometimes called a natural reward – despite any negative consequences to the person's physical, mental, social or financial well-being. In the brain's reward system, a gene transcription factor known as ΔFosB has been identified as a necessary common factor involved in both behavioral and drug addictions, which are associated with the same set of neural adaptations.

An addictive personality refers to a hypothesized set of personality traits that make an individual predisposed to developing addictions. This hypothesis states that there may be common personality traits observable in people suffering from addiction; however, the lack of a universally agreed upon definition has marked the research surrounding addictive personality. Addiction is a fairly broad term; it is most often associated with substance use disorders, but it can also be extended to cover a number of other compulsive behaviors, including sex, internet, television, gambling, food, and shopping. Within these categories of addiction a common diagnostic scale involves tolerance, withdrawal, and cravings. This is a fairly contentious topic, with many experts suggesting the term be retired due to a lack of cumulative evidence supporting the existence of addictive personality. It has been claimed that characteristics of personality attributed to addictive personality do not predict addiction, but rather can be the result of addiction. However, different personality traits have been linked to various types of addictive behaviors, suggesting that individual addictions may be associated with different personality profiles. The strongest consensus is that genetic factors play the largest role in determining a predisposition for addictive behaviors. Even then, however, genes play different roles in different types of addictions. Forty to seventy percent of the population variance in the expression of addictions can be explained by genetic factors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Addiction</span> Disorder resulting in compulsive behaviours

Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behaviour that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use often alters brain function in ways that perpetuate craving, and weakens self-control. This phenomenon – drugs reshaping brain function – has led to an understanding of addiction as a brain disorder with a complex variety of psychosocial as well as neurobiological factors that are implicated in addiction's development. Classic signs of addiction include compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, preoccupation with substances or behavior, and continued use despite negative consequences. Habits and patterns associated with addiction are typically characterized by immediate gratification, coupled with delayed deleterious effects.

Addiction is a state characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences. The process of developing an addiction occurs through instrumental learning, which is otherwise known as operant conditioning.

About 1 in 7 Americans suffer from active addiction to a particular substance. Addiction can cause physical, psychological, and emotional harm to those who are affected by it. The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as "a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual's life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences." In the world of psychology and medicine, there are two models that are commonly used in understanding the psychology behind addiction itself. One model is referred to as the disease model of addiction. The disease model suggests that addiction is a diagnosable disease similar to cancer or diabetes. This model attributes addiction to a chemical imbalance in an individual's brain that could be caused by genetics or environmental factors. The second model is the choice model of addiction, which holds that addiction is a result of voluntary actions rather than some dysfunction of the brain. Through this model, addiction is viewed as a choice and is studied through components of the brain such as reward, stress, and memory. Substance addictions relate to drugs, alcohol, and smoking. Process addictions relate to non-substance-related behaviors such as gambling, spending money, sexual activity, gaming, spending time on the internet, and eating.

Addiction vulnerability is an individual's risk of developing an addiction during their lifetime. There are a range of genetic and environmental risk factors for developing an addiction that vary across the population. Genetic and environmental risk factors each account for roughly half of an individual's risk for developing an addiction; the contribution from epigenetic risk factors to the total risk is unknown. Even in individuals with a relatively low genetic risk, exposure to sufficiently high doses of an addictive drug for a long period of time can result in an addiction. In other words, anyone can become an individual with a substance use disorder under particular circumstances. Research is working toward establishing a comprehensive picture of the neurobiology of addiction vulnerability, including all factors at work in propensity for addiction.

Personality theories of addiction are psychological models that associate personality traits or modes of thinking with an individual's proclivity for developing an addiction. Models of addiction risk that have been proposed in psychology literature include an affect dysregulation model of positive and negative psychological affects, the reinforcement sensitivity theory model of impulsiveness and behavioral inhibition, and an impulsivity model of reward sensitization and impulsiveness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compulsion loop</span> Habitual chain of human activities

A compulsion loop or core loop is a habitual chain of activities that will be repeated by the user to cause them to continue the activity. Typically, this loop is designed to create a neurochemical reward in the user such as the release of dopamine.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 A. Trevor Sutton of The Conversation (2020-01-24). "Is dopamine fasting the path to enlightenment, or just another celebrity thing?". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2020-01-24. ...Silicon Valley's newest fad is dopamine fasting, or temporarily abstaining from "addictive" activities such as social media, music, internet gaming – even food. ...Dubbed "dopamine fasting" by San Francisco psychologist Cameron Sepah, the trend is getting increasing international attention as a potential "cure" for technology addiction....
  2. ↑ Stokel-Walker, Chris (2019-11-16). "Is 'dopamine fasting' Silicon Valley's new productivity fad?". BBC Worklife. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  3. ↑ "Is dopamine fasting good for you?". BBC Reel. 2022-08-17. Archived from the original on 2022-08-22. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  4. ↑ Fei, Yi Yang; Johnson, Peter Anto; Omran, Noor A.L.; Mardon, Austin; Johnson, John Christy (January 2022). "Maladaptive or misunderstood? Dopamine fasting as a potential intervention for behavioral addiction". Lifestyle Medicine. 3 (1). doi:10.1002/lim2.54. ISSN   2688-3740.
  5. ↑ "Dopamine fasting: Misunderstanding science spawns a maladaptive fad". 2020-02-26.
  6. 1 2 Grohol, John (2019-11-13). "Dopamine Fasting Probably Doesn't Work, Try This Instead". www.psychcentral.com. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  7. ↑ "Maladaptive or misunderstood? Dopamine fasting as a potential intervention for behavioral addiction". 2021-12-11.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Julie Fraga (2019-12-30). "Dopamine fasting: Would a hiatus from pleasure make us better at life?". Mic magazine. Retrieved 2020-01-24. ... "dopamine fasting" works something like this: Avoid exciting stimulation, and by doing so, become a better version of yourself....the idea that forgoing pleasurable activities can help curb bad habits, bolster happiness, and enhance self-reflection....
  9. 1 2 Kim Krieger (January 20, 2020). "Q&A: John Salamone On The 'Dopamine Fasting' Trend". University of Connecticut. Retrieved January 24, 2020. ... people deprive themselves of pleasurable activities for a day or a week at a time. Supposedly, it helps reduce anxiety and quit bad habits. But the practice is nebulously defined ....
  10. 1 2 Bowles, Nellie (7 November 2019). "How to Feel Nothing Now, in Order to Feel More Later (Published 2019)". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Maria Coole (January 10, 2020). "Dopamine fasting is apparently now a thing – so we looked into it". Marie Claire magazine. Retrieved January 24, 2020. ...The idea of dopamine fasting originated in – where else – Silicon Valley. Yes, the place that has spent years carefully engineering and designing their products and apps to exploit the dopamine system and get us hooked ... Experts are widely skeptical too. ... dopamine plays an important role in lots of everyday functions and it's not a good idea to try and reduce it ... that we can somehow 'reset' our brains by avoiding dopamine triggers for a short while is 'nonsense'.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Ciara McCabe (3 January 2020). "The next big thing: Dopamine fasting: COMMENTARY -- An expert reviews the latest craze in Silicon Valley". Street Roots magazine. Retrieved January 24, 2020. ...the key ... is to reduce our exposure to the triggers associated with the rewards that initiate the wanting for the rewards in the first place. After all, it is these cues that initiate the craving and the desires....
  13. ↑ Way, Katie. "'Dopamine Fasting' Is the Newest 'Sounds Fake, but OK' Wellness Trend". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  14. ↑ Nestler, Eric J. (2009). Molecular neuropharmacology : a foundation for clinical neuroscience. Steven E. Hyman, Robert C. Malenka (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN   978-0-07-164119-7. OCLC   273018757.
  15. ↑ Ferguson, Christopher J. "Debunking the 6 biggest myths about 'technology addiction'". The Conversation. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.