Dopamine Fasting: what is it, what is it for and how does it affect us?

Let's see what the practice of Dopamine Fasting consists of and what is known about its benefits.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced in our brain that influences various functions such as behavior, motivation, motor activity, learning and, of course, reward, which is the pleasure we feel when we achieve something, playing a very important role in addictions.

Dopamine fasting is a practice that has become fashionable among workers of large companies in the technology sector in Silicon Valley and consists of giving up all kinds of electronic devices, such as cell phones and Internet browsing in order to reduce the dopamine surges in the brain that this generates.

In this article we will see what the controversial dopamine fasting consists of.as well as its possible benefits and drawbacks.

Influence of dopamine in any type of addiction.

People who practice dopamine fasting, usually seek to break the addiction that produce certain behaviors, such as excessive use of cell phones and social networks, because it has been found that dopamine plays an essential role in this addiction, as well as in the rest of addictions, since all addictions cause an increase in the activity of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system..

And the fact is that any type of substance that causes addiction activates mechanisms in the brain similar to a natural reward (for example, sex or food), increasing the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the regions of the limbic system.This is the reason why the dopaminergic system is called, in part, as the brain reward system.

It is also known that dopamine has a great influence on the processing of information that is linked to the reward in the brain, with dopamine fulfilling two main functions: helping in the learning process that is related to the reward and also helping to remember on each occasion that stimulus that is associated with that reward.

However, However, when the brain has learned the most efficient response to obtain a reward, it no longer needs dopamine and, for that reason, it stops and, for that reason, it stops secreting before that reward or similar, being this the reason why the stimuli and rewards that are already familiar to us are no longer so interesting to us and makes us look for new experiences that motivate and excite us.

This could be the reason why people seek to be continuously stimulated, which explains the increase in addiction to the Internet and social networks, where news and new publications appear continuously. For this reason, dopamine fasting could help to decrease the constant increase of dopamine, thus seeking to reset the brain and the reward system.

What is dopamine fasting?

There is quite a consensus that it was the psychologist Cameron Sepah, professor at the University of California (San Francisco), who coined the term "dopamine fasting", being this known as the decision taken by some people to renounce, at least for a period of time, the use of all kinds of networks, services and also digital devices. (e.g., checking web pages, emails and social networks, use of video game consoles, cell phones).

Dopamine fasting has achieved worldwide popularity because it has been widely practiced in Silicon Valley (California), the place where a large number of large companies in the technology sector are headquartered (e.g. Apple, Netflix, Facebook, Google, HP, LinkedIn, Intel, Yahoo, Adobe, Ebay, among others).

Because their workers, being in large technology companies, are continuously connected to different electronic devices to perform their work.They are also continually devising new ways to grow and innovate in this sector.

For that reason, when they have free time, such as days off or vacations, they have made dopamine fasting fashionable, dispensing with electronic devices and Internet connection from a day they have a break at work and may even practice this fasting for several days when they are on vacation.

What is the goal when doing a dopamine fast?

The fundamental objective of dopamine fasting would be to decrease the levels of dopamine secreted in the brain in order to get out of the vicious circle in which addiction to the use of electronic devices and Internet connection can becomeThe main objective of dopamine fasting would be to reduce the levels of dopamine secreted in the brain in order to get out of the vicious circle that addiction to the use of electronic devices and Internet connection can lead to.

There is a more radical way of practicing this dopamine fasting that consists of giving up all kinds of activities that could provoke a dopamine rush, no matter how small, such as practicing sports, eating appetizing food, sex, including kissing and caressing, being likely that this radical way of practicing dopamine fasting more harmful than beneficial, due to the fact that anything that is taken to any extreme, in the long term, can be very harmful to health..

Reasonable time to practice it

In the case of choosing to practice dopamine fasting, its practice time varies depending on the personal circumstances of each person; and by personal circumstances, we refer to the level of addiction to the use of electronic devices and the Internet, the need to use them for work purposes, the requirements to be fully focused on a task of any kind, the motivation to practice it or any personal reason that has led the person to make this decision.

Dopamine fasting could be practiced from a few hours to daysHowever, the risks of spending too much time practicing it will be explained later on.

Abstaining from the use of these devices for a few hours could be useful for those people who are continuously consulting the cell phone to answer WhatsApp, mail, see publications in social networks, read new news on twitter, etc. so this abuse of the cell phone can interfere with other more important tasks such as study, work or face-to-face social relationships, so it would be useful to try not to look at this device while practicing any activity of this type.

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Criticism of dopamine fasting

There are researchers who claim that dopamine fasting is not a panacea.There are no solid studies that demonstrate the benefits or changes in dopamine levels when dopamine surges are foregone for a specific period of time of one, two or even four weeks, as some people have come to practice.

Nor has dopamine fasting been shown to be more beneficial than trying to gradually decrease the use of electronic devices and Internet surfing to a moderate use that does not harm one's health and lifestyle.

In the case of those who during dopamine fasting take drastic measures, such as giving up more natural behaviors, like having a tasty snack or playing sports, are giving up many of life's pleasures and activities that have proven long-term benefits for health and longevity..

Therefore, a dopamine fast may only be useful if used on an ad hoc basis (e.g., on a day off from work, when traveling with the family for a short time, or on a day when you need to do some activity that requires a lot of concentration in order to avoid distractions).

However, this depends on each individual, since in many cases, taking such a drastic measure can generate a lot of anxiety in the person who practices it and cause him/her to be continuously distracted, thinking about using his/her cell phone in case he/she has received an important message or call. In these cases a rebound effect is likely to occur.The use of electronic devices may increase the number of hours of its handling, so it would be contraindicated to practice it.

Alternatives to dopamine fasting.

It is likely that a healthier alternative to practicing a prolonged dopamine fasting over time is to to learn to use these devices in a more organized way, without abusing themwithout abusing them so that they do not boycott the present moment and without giving them up, so that they can be used at certain times of the day when this does not interfere with other more essential things in life such as spending time with family, partners and friends.

The reasonable use of electronic devices and social networks must have a measure that does not ruin the opportunity to be connected with the present moment or with the context that surrounds us, being able to enjoy places like the ones we can find around us.

In the end, as in all areas, the healthy thing is to find the right measure to get the most out of everything, without interfering in other equally or even more important areas.