Don’t you feel lazy and unmotivated all the time?
Like… you want to do things, but there’s no energy or spark in your body?
Well, that’s mostly because of one sweet and crazy hormone in your body. I think you’ve guessed it by now, yup, dopamine.
I know you’ve already heard this name a thousand times “dopamine addiction” this, “dopamine detox” that but today, we’re going a different route. We're going to see how dopamine actually works, why it’s not hitting the same anymore, how you can fix it, and how you can feel the same excitement you had as a child. That pure, no-reason happiness.
So let’s start the show from Level 1. Basics first. Then we’ll climb up the levels like a real game. And remember: dopamine is not just a “happiness hormone.” It’s more like a motivator hormone — the one that pushes you out of bed and makes you do things.
What is dopamine?
Dopamine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter (basically a chemical messenger) made in your brain. It helps your nervous system send messages between nerve cells. It also controls Motor control and Executive function in your body.
Now for my non-science friends, don’t worry. I got you.
Motor control = how your body moves (like walking, blinking, picking up your phone to scroll Instagram again ;)
Executive function = your brain’s planning, focusing, decision-making, and memory abilities.
Dopamine plays a big role in how we feel pleasure, rewards, motivation and a lot more.
Too much? Too little?
Both are a problem.
Let’s talk about one serious case:
In Parkinson’s, the brain cells that make dopamine start dying. That means weaker signals to your muscles. That’s why movement becomes shaky, slow, or stiff.
Dopamine doesn’t make you happy, it makes you want
Here’s a truth bomb: dopamine isn’t about happiness. It’s not about “liking” it’s about “wanting.”
It doesn’t directly make you feel good. It just makes you want to do it again.
You do something, your brain gives a little dopamine burst like “hey, that was fun.” That’s how cravings are born. That’s why you keep going back to that one song, that one person, that one app, that one food.
Dopamine affects:
Learning & motivation
Mood & stress
Sleep
Focus & memory
Digestion, heart rate, pain, and even kidney function
So why don’t I feel good anymore?
Because your brain’s reward system is getting hijacked. Every time you get a small rush from a notification, a reel, a sugary snack your brain dumps dopamine.
Over time, your dopamine receptors become numb. You need more of the same stuff to feel anything. So, you scroll longer. Eat more junk. Watch more Netflix. Open Insta again even when you just closed it 2 minutes ago.
Been there?
Me too.
Let's talk about that Insta scroll moment
There’s this moment we all know:
You’re not even searching for anything. You just think: “one more reel, one more swipe.” But you don’t even know what you’re hoping to find. You just want that one perfect reel that gives you a dopamine hit and then you’ll close the app.
Except… you never find it.
Half an hour gone.
Eyes dry.
Brain fried.
No reel was good enough.
(Been there so many times that I just deleted Instagram. Helped a lot.)
Here you can read this piece of mine - how media is killing you.
Let’s not forget the other dopamine traps:
Drugs
Alcohol
Porn
Overeating
Binge shopping
Endless gaming
Even good-looking motivational YouTube videos that you never act on
Illegal drugs like cocaine give such a massive dopamine dump that the brain stops making its own. That’s why addiction happens, you’re chasing a high that gets harder to reach every time.
Wait… so am I addicted to dopamine?
Not exactly. You can’t be “addicted” to dopamine itself. It’s a natural chemical. But your brain can get hooked on the huge surges triggered by certain activities or substances.
That’s why people get stuck in loops, chasing more, feeling less.
Okay, now the real question:
How to feel happy like a child again?
Let me say it loud: NOT with “dopamine detox.” That term is overused and misunderstood.
This is not about cutting all joy and becoming a monk overnight. It’s about resetting your brain. Like fasting clears your gut, this clears your mind.
Try this:
Delete distractions
Uninstall Instagram. Stop checking 10 different apps.
Even take a break from Substack, YouTube, whatever you binge.Do hard things on purpose
Write. Work out. Learn something that frustrates you.
The harder it is at the start, the better the reward later.Stop seeking the easy dopamine
Don’t take the lift.Walk the stairs.
Don’t take the metro just to scroll.If you do, at least watch people around you, not reels.
Sounds silly, but this stuff trains your brain.Live like a kid again
Run, play, read, paint with zero expectations.No filters. No likes. Just you doing your thing.
Try this for a week. Just one week. Trust me.
The world is designed to keep you overstimulated and distracted. But you can
Take control. Reset. Start fresh.
And remember what it feels like to enjoy simple things again.
If you felt even a little bit of connection with this, leave a comment, like, share, send me your thoughts you know, I want to keep making content that hits deeper, not just surface-level dopamine stuff.
References:
Thank you. I really needed to hear this.
Living and having fun without any expectations... That's what most of us need rn.
This was a great post, Vidhan bhaiya, keep it up!