The majority of individuals today have social media accounts. Smartphones and social media are our constant companions in today’s era. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp are some examples. Many people spend hours staring at their phones when they wake up! Announcements, new news, comments – all this immediately excites us. A hormone known as “dopamine” is produced in the brain. Engaging with social media can be likened to developing an addiction. We feel happy when someone comments well on our Facebook posts, we feel good when someone uploads new pictures, and so on. Have you noticed, this scrolling we are doing, it becomes like an addiction! How do you break away from this compulsive cycle? What direct effects does social media have on our lives? Why is there a dopamine hormone? Today I’m going to try to clear it all up.

What is dopamine?

Dopamine is both a neurotransmitter and a hormone. It occurs naturally in the human body. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter and hormone, is important for generating sensations of pleasure and motivation. Dopamine is known as the “feel-good hormone.” Our brains evolved a reward system throughout time. This mechanism motivates us to seek benefits to ensure our existence. The incentive motivates us to do the following duties. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter that influences our actions and behaviors throughout our life. As a result, putting in effort and achieving goals leads to rewards! But is dopamine beneficial? Let’s look at a little comparison.  

What are the effects of dopamine levels being too low or too high?  

1. When dopamine levels are optimal, we feel pleased, alert, focused, and motivated.
2. When dopamine is secreted below normal levels, you may feel fatigued and experience sadness. There is no work. In some cases, memory loss, mood swings, sleep problems, attention disturbances, and even sexual needs are reduced.
3. Experiencing elevated dopamine levels can result in increased energy levels and a heightened desire for sexual activity. However, this can lead to overly aggressive behavior. 

What is Dopamine Rash?

Then it will be easier for us to understand why dopamine needs to be detoxed. A dopamine rush occurs when the brain releases an excessive amount of dopamine quickly. Some activities can trigger a dopamine rush, so be mindful of them – 

• The joy of winning a banned game can lead to dopamine rushes.
• Junk food provides a dopamine rush due to its high sugar content. Sugar causes a rapid release of dopamine, and people frequently seek validation through likes, comments, and shares on social media.
• Even if you complete an exciting or dangerous endeavor successfully, you may have a dopamine rush. 

What are its side effects? 

When dopamine starts influencing us, we become addicted and seek the same experience repeatedly. For example, in the case of social media, if someone likes and comments on our post, we have a dopamine rush. It is common human nature to repeat activities that give us temporary pleasure. Then we continue seeking dopamine rushes, leading to a cycle that can become addictive. This addictive behavior can create unrest in both our workplace and family environment. This can result in decreased productivity. Difficulty in discovering new concepts. Furthermore, even after identifying their dopamine addiction, people frequently struggle to control it, making detoxification extremely important. Dopamine detox avoids addiction and improves mental health.

Dopamine detox to reduce social media addiction.

A dopamine detox is a temporary cessation of the things that give you pleasure. Dopamine detox is considered simple because it involves temporarily abstaining from activities that provide pleasure, such as social media and junk food.

 1) Identify what gives you a dopamine rush. For many people, junk food, long-time social media scrolling, and games are the cause of a dopamine rush. 

2) Dopamine detox can be done for a day, a week, or even a month, depending on your preference. During the detox period, you must completely avoid engaging in the activity you wish to distance yourself from. For example, if you wish to abstain from social media for a week, keep your phone or laptop out of reach to avoid the temptation to check notifications. If keeping your phone away is challenging, removing the Facebook and Instagram apps may help you stay committed to the detox period.  

What will you do at this time?

What would you do right now if you couldn’t use social media? For example, you could… You can cook, read books, do gardening, clean the house, go out, and spend time with your family. You’ll find the best option for you! Imagine how beautiful that would be. During this time you will be able to focus on creative work, your thinking power will increase, and you will also get mental relief. This is the primary goal of dopamine detox, which aims to reduce dependency on activities that overstimulate the brain’s reward system. Dopamine may be a benefit and a burden to us. The difference is the degree of control we have over our brains. If you want to break away from the cycle of social media addiction, consider doing a dopamine detox for a new start. Simple things like going for a stroll, making a meal, or trying out new hobbies may bring you delight. Make the most of life in ways that make you happy.