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Key points
- Achieving small, manageable goals increases dopamine and provides a sense of accomplishment.
- Quick social interactions reduce stress and anxiety by providing positive feedback and validation.
- Engaging in hobbies like painting or writing stimulates dopamine release and can induce a flow state.
One of the most critical neurotransmitters that ADHD impacts is dopamine, which is responsible for reward, motivation, and attention regulation. Understanding the role of dopamine in ADHD and incorporating effective strategies to boost dopamine levels throughout the day can be transformative. A “dopamenu” is a creative approach to doing this.
The Role of Dopamine in ADHD
Dopamine, often referred to as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, is linked to pleasure and reward. For those with ADHD, the dopamine system functions differently, usually resulting in lower dopamine levels. This can lead to difficulties with focus, motivation, and impulse control. While medications like stimulants work by increasing the availability of dopamine in the brain, non-pharmacological options can significantly boost dopamine levels as well.
Why Make a Dopamenu
The term “dopamenu” was popularized by Jessica McCabe of “How to ADHD” and Eric Tivers of “ADHD reWired.” It involves creating a list of activities that boost your dopamine levels and incorporating them regularly throughout the day.
Waiting until the end of the day to do things you enjoy can be tempting, but this can backfire. Just like restriction leads to binging, feeling deprived of dopamine can lead to overdoing it. For many, it leads to “reverse bedtime procrastination,” or staying up late to reclaim your time despite knowing it will negatively impact your sleep and overall health.
The goal with dopamine is to enter a “flow state,” a mental state in which you are fully immersed and focused on a task. This state is associated with increased dopamine release, rewarding concentrated activity, and providing the brain with a reprieve from stress and anxiety.
Creating Your Dopamenu
Think of the dopamenu as a tool for bringing more joy into your daily life. Here’s how you can categorize these activities:
Main Entrees: High-Impact Activities
Main entrees are activities that provide significant dopamine boosts and have a lasting impact. These should ideally become the foundation of your daily routine by being part of your work or personal life.
- Exercise. Physical activity can significantly boost dopamine levels, functioning similarly to stimulant medications.
- Goal Setting and Achievement. Achieving small, manageable goals can provide a sense of accomplishment and motivation, increasing dopamine levels.
Appetizers: Quick Boosts
Appetizers are smaller activities that provide a quick burst of dopamine when you need a little pick-me-up throughout the day. They can be thought of as “micro-moments” of joy that provide swift, easy-to-achieve dopamine boosts.
- Hobbies. Engaging in hobbies like drawing, painting, playing an instrument, or writing can stimulate the brain’s reward system by inducing a flow state.
- Social Interaction. Quick chats or meet-ups with friends or family can provide positive feedback and validation, reducing stress and anxiety.
- Going Outside. Exposure to natural light and spending time in nature have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety levels.
Desserts: Rewards
Desserts are activities you indulge in purely for pleasure, which can be powerful when used as rewards following less preferred activities. The brain releases dopamine in response to anticipating a rewarding activity, enhancing focus and reducing feelings of restlessness.
Sides: Complementary Activities
Sides are complementary activities that make less-desired activities or tasks more enjoyable.
- Music, Podcasts, Audiobooks. A structured auditory environment can enhance concentration and reduce distractions. Podcasts that require active listening and cognitive engagement can help improve focus and reduce inattention.
Creating a personalized dopamenu involves identifying which activities resonate most with you and incorporating them into your daily routine.
References
Ferreri, L. et al. (2019). Dopamine modulates the reward experiences elicited by music. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116(9), 3793-3798. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1811878116
Volkow, N. D. et al. (2009). Evaluating dopamine reward pathway in ADHD: Clinical implications. JAMA, 302(10), 1084-1091. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.1308
Kuo, F. E., & Taylor, A. F. (2004). A potential natural treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Evidence from a national study. American Journal of Public Health, 94(9), 1580-1586. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.94.9.1580
Blum, K., Chen, A. L., et al. (2008). Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder and reward deficiency syndrome. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 4(5), 893-918. https://doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s2627
Morsink, S., Van der Oord, S., Antrop, I., Danckaerts, M., & Scheres, A. (2022). Studying motivation in ADHD: The role of internal motives and the relevance of self-determination theory. Journal of Attention Disorders, 26(8), 1139-1158. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547211050948
