Over a year ago, I first heard the term 'dopamine fasting.'
And this is nothing new, considering that we live in an era of immediacy.
We're hyperconnected with everyone, and this, of course, has its advantages.
It allows us to complete tasks in less time,
stay in touch with our loved ones
despite the distance,
and access information immediately.
However, this bombardment of information
leads to constant overstimulation.
Everything is fast, ephemeral,
and that translates into an endless series of dopamine spikes.
You've probably heard of dopamine by now
It's known as the happiness hormone although it's not actually a hormone.
It's a neurotransmitter that activates our reward system in the brain
It's released in response to pleasures
like when we eat a piece of chocolate or buy something we like,
creating feelings of satisfaction and happiness.
But what happens if we're constantly releasing dopamine, as happens
with frequent use of social media and other forms of instant gratification
well, our brain can become dependent on these stimuli and therefore gets
used to them and is always looking for more and more and more.
It's paradoxical because we think we have everything
we ever wanted, but the more things we have
the more dissatisfied we feel.
So how can we stop this constant overstimulation in a world
that moves too fast?
Well, it turns out that this same question was raised
many years ago in silicon valley, where it is said that the term
"dopamine fasting" originated in response to a routine that
faced a frenetic lifestyle full of stimuli.
Seeking to reduce the hours spent in front of a screen, reduce impulsive
behaviors, excessive use of social networks,
consumption of ultra-processed foods, etcetera.
But what does dopamine fasting consist of and
what is its purpose?
There really is no strict rule on how to do dopamine fasting,
but rather the intention is to achieve a temporary disconnection. That is,
to take a break from everything that generates a lot of dopamine.