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The book Dopamine Detox by Thibaut Meurisse is a simple guide that teaches us how to remove distractions, gain clarity and take control of our lives.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and hormone that determines how we experience pleasure and motivation by controlling our brain’s reward system.
It is associated with ‘feel-good’ emotions as the brain releases dopamine as a reward for tasks or experiences. The intense need for ‘reward’ leads to dopamine addiction.
While dopamine is necessary for a functioning brain, our lives are full of high-dopamine activities which leads to dopamine overload.
Due to constant stimulation, our brains become dependent on dopamine, and we stop feeling pleasure from the simple things in life and keep craving for more.
A dopamine detox involves intentional abstinence from high-dopamine activities like social media to allow our brain to reset and regain control.
To regain mental clarity, avoid instant gratification that comes from distractions like mindless scrolling and binge-watching. Build willpower to master impulsive behaviour.
Get rid of all clutter as it fuels distraction. Simplify your environment by minimising sensory overload, which will help you engage in meaningful tasks.
Embrace boredom—allow yourself to get bored and let your brain explore unstimulating experiences to help it reset. This will help you improve your attention span.
Understand what triggers your addictive habits and take actionable steps to change them. Reflect on your behaviour and acknowledge it to break addictive cycles.
Teach yourself to delay gratification by building mental resilience. You can do this by scheduling rewards, like planning when to take breaks and practising mindfulness.
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