Fantastic piece. I’ve been noticing dopamine’s ubiquity in mainstream discourse lately, too. I hear undergrads on my campus say things like “how are your dopamine levels, bro? Have you been meditating and hitting the gym?” And I agree that this slippage has been spurred on by facile appropriations of addiction science. It doesn’t help that huge names in the field like Anna Lembke (author most recently of “Dopamine Nation”) use neuroscientific concepts to explain process addictions. We now live in an age of poly-addictions, it seems. Anyway, great piece!
amazing article. im always relieved after reading your analysis of these ridiculous trends, bc it means im not the only one who thinks theyre ridiculous.
Love this!!! Yet again the people who are being harmed by a system that is not serving us are the ones meant to keep going on self-improvement. Treating the symptoms, not the underlying needs. Thank you for sharing such a fascinating piece!
another funny thing is just how simplistic these theories are... for example: dopamine has many subtypes, and some agonist drugs actually result in sleepiness, some partial agonists modulate energy levels, and dopamine levels can be indirectly modulated by tens of other neurotransmitters eg prozac, an ssri, increases dopamine receptor numbers in the PFC, the area responsible for executive function.
I was tempted to say that what they are more likely looking for is norepinephrine or glutamate... but that would be me falling into same trap!
i'll also point out that in a study done on cold showers they were found to increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels into the three digit range, which, following the same logic, would be a terrible idea for "dopamine homeostasis"
i think the real reason cold showers are being touted this way is because they are ascetic and painful and puritanical, not bc of any neurophysiological difference
“American work ethic finds many of its roots in Puritanism, a sect of Christianity that hooked up with capitalism and gave birth to the horror of hustle culture.” Ding, ding, ding!!
First improvement is not care bc it doesn’t take your best interest at heart, but those of productivity culture. Second SI is a myth in great part bc puts on the lap of the individual the solution of problems which are social (structural, interpersonal) in nature. Third, bc the whole premise of dopamyne detox treats second order effects as causes.
Fantastic piece. I’ve been noticing dopamine’s ubiquity in mainstream discourse lately, too. I hear undergrads on my campus say things like “how are your dopamine levels, bro? Have you been meditating and hitting the gym?” And I agree that this slippage has been spurred on by facile appropriations of addiction science. It doesn’t help that huge names in the field like Anna Lembke (author most recently of “Dopamine Nation”) use neuroscientific concepts to explain process addictions. We now live in an age of poly-addictions, it seems. Anyway, great piece!
Thank you! I’ve been meaning to read Lembke’s book but putting it off bc I know it’s gonna make me scream lol
Thank you for this hilarious parable about a sick society that replaced the spiritual with capitalism. Awesome work👌
amazing article. im always relieved after reading your analysis of these ridiculous trends, bc it means im not the only one who thinks theyre ridiculous.
Love this!!! Yet again the people who are being harmed by a system that is not serving us are the ones meant to keep going on self-improvement. Treating the symptoms, not the underlying needs. Thank you for sharing such a fascinating piece!
another funny thing is just how simplistic these theories are... for example: dopamine has many subtypes, and some agonist drugs actually result in sleepiness, some partial agonists modulate energy levels, and dopamine levels can be indirectly modulated by tens of other neurotransmitters eg prozac, an ssri, increases dopamine receptor numbers in the PFC, the area responsible for executive function.
I was tempted to say that what they are more likely looking for is norepinephrine or glutamate... but that would be me falling into same trap!
i'll also point out that in a study done on cold showers they were found to increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels into the three digit range, which, following the same logic, would be a terrible idea for "dopamine homeostasis"
i think the real reason cold showers are being touted this way is because they are ascetic and painful and puritanical, not bc of any neurophysiological difference
“American work ethic finds many of its roots in Puritanism, a sect of Christianity that hooked up with capitalism and gave birth to the horror of hustle culture.” Ding, ding, ding!!
I’m going to tattoo this on my forehead so that everyone will see it.
This is really great. It made me think again about how I deny myself easy dopamine as if it was junk food, and whether that's really a good thing.
All this dopamine thing resembles a lot a neurotic behaviour. Today it is the “dopamine”-related habits, tomorrow it will be something else.
I didnt really get which part of self improvement is a myth???
First improvement is not care bc it doesn’t take your best interest at heart, but those of productivity culture. Second SI is a myth in great part bc puts on the lap of the individual the solution of problems which are social (structural, interpersonal) in nature. Third, bc the whole premise of dopamyne detox treats second order effects as causes.
So dopamine detox is bad then???