Adhd dopamine reddit The avalanche of dopamine can actually be incredibly uncomfortable. This is a technique I saw recommended for people experiencing burnout, especially those who have ADHD. I think alcohol is often a drug of choice for people with anxiety, people with ADHD have high rates of alcoholism. Pine Bark Extract 100-150mg 2x daily can help modulate the catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine) which has been clinically proven to help ADHD. Yeah, this behavior is awful. I will consume my adderall only 15mins before walking into the gym. 2. nih. I set aside time at work to work on problems which may yield "interesting" results. I understand for at least the most part that adhd is caused by a dopamine imbalance/dysfunction. Watching a TV show and it's boring dialogue? Better pull out the phone and get on reddit/tiktok to try to get a dopamine hit. This helps produce natural dopamine. I always thought I was an introvert because I hate crowds and navigating new social situations, then I thought I was an extrovert but autistic, because I hate crowds but love having rowdy infodump conversations with other ADHD/autistic folks, and now I'm thinking maybe I AM an introvert, I just also rely on dopamine from (safe, comfortable This is also why stimulant medications are so effective in the treatment of ADHD; stimulants act as dopamine reuptake inhibitors, causing a more regular rate of consumption of dopamine and lowering how much we have to do to remain at a balanced level. It's a NDRI, a noreponephrine-dopamine-reuptske-inhibitor. Adhd is essentially a chemical imbalance in the brain. Cashing a lack of focus. Or set parental control timers so you can only spend a certain amount of time per day on your phone. Cocaine prevents reuptake of dopamine, thereby flooding the brain with dopamine. ADHD gets throwing around easily and misdiagnosed even by doctors. Both norepinephrine and dopamine help with inattentiveness, impulse control, sitting still, paying attention, and makes tasks that would otherwise be agonizing relatively tolerable. 5-3 GPA isn’t terrible, but I know I Satisfaction. Share your stories, struggles, and non-medication strategies. It fills a gap. I’m fairly recently diagnosed and everything makes sense now. Meds broke the binge eating cycle, I still have my hunger when on them and when I'm not on them I can do another activity that gives me a dopamine boost that doesn't involve food lol Which I believe because when using these I feel relaxed and happy. Hi u/tbgmdhc278 and thanks for posting on r/ADHD! Please take a second to read our rules if you haven't already. However too much dopamine for ADHD people also causes negative effects. I’ve done this and it’s worked great but… I was wondering what are some other ways you can increase your dopamine naturally ? I’m really struggling to focus these days even though I’m on Somehow in all the ADHD research I've been reading and articles about ADHD and women, I just learned today: ADHD symptoms and fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone may be connected. It's very important you aim to address this independently of addressing treatment for ADHD, the medication is essentially tables that produce dopamine and if you're hard wired to seek dopamine and don't have any plans to reduce it then you might also be at risk of abusing the medication. It sounds counter intuitive to do a detox but also take dopamine producing drugs, but there is a method to the madness. Link is here. Thank you! It's weird to me that people would prescribed an SSRI for ADHD. TLDR; Both dopamine and norepinephrine are directly increased by ADHD drugs, and the transformation of norepinephrine to dopamine doesn’t have much of an effect. I personally find it very hard to not only learn from my failures, but even my successes. I’m struggling to decide who to listen to. As we all know, dopamine is like a unicorn. I don’t think it’s possible to ruin or burn out your dopamine receptors, at least not simply from taking your prescribed adhd meds. Try to limit the amount of “cheap” dopamine you get in the first half of the day. It's a part of the process of managing adhd to integrate dopamine-giving activities into work and life chores to make them more doable as well as to cute down on unnecessary dopamine activities such as video games and social media. Finally, dopamine seeking can lead to addictive behavior. Like ADHD, Parkinson's is also caused by your body not being able to utilize dopamine correctly. Never knew it was because of my adhd till I started learning more about it. Not trying to be a dick, but if caffeine makes a person with ADHD focus most likely that person does not have ADHD or they are on the spectrum of it. I realised that because I was dopamine deficient, I tried to self medicate, and chased substances and fun experiences to get that good feeling. You described me before I got on meds (which brings its challenges, too, unfortunately). While on it, I noticed less addictive behavior and found a healthy balance with video games. This can give them undesirable side effects. " My brain loves listening to music, watching movies and series ; reading and writing fanfiction, role playing games on forums, browsing Reddit and Facebook; reading (when my ADHD brain lets me), getting good grades, attending some stimulating classes in college, my job as a vet assistant and pet attendant, shopping, high carbohydrates sugary and salty foods, singing, pets especially cats I really have an urge for some retail therapy rn. Replace it with something even more dopamine generating, e. Lithium Orotate 5mg 2x daily inhibits norepinephrine which helps many people with agitation, particularly in those who find it exacerbated by tyrosine. g. I have played a lot of videogames in my life, currently must have like over 4000 games on Digital shops. Besides, I don’t know about you guys, but if I don’t get a hit of dopamine first thing in the morning, I’ll fall asleep again. Dopamine [reward] will have you always going for it. Force yourself to do 30 minutes of whatever you consider to be your hardest task for the day. Zoloft is a stronger drug theoretically and sure some of you had negative experiences with it, as much as i would have had if i wasnt already on a generous dose of wellbutrin and didnt need something to tone down the anxiety it gave me. I love solving "problems/puzzles"; it's a key part of my ADHD, gives me a huge dopamine rush. As you accomplish this you will experience natural dopamine. While Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a norepinephrine (and dopamine) reuptake inhibitor. The way it works is you divide a piece of paper into 5 sections: Starters - quick dopamine boosters you can do in a few minutes (making a coffee, making the bed, deep breathing exercises) The meds people are given for ADHD do release norepinephrine, there are 2 main ADHD drugs/drug classes amphetamines and methylphenidate. In the arm metaphor, the cell that wants to move it and the cell that wants to stop it can't communicate properly, so they'll fire independently of one another in this horrible back and forth of stop and go, leading to that tell tale shaking that An addict will get hit with a tactical nuke of dopamine upon the slightest whiff of their substance/experience of abuse, yet even when they consume that substance/experience, they may not experience pleasure. I need dopamine to stay motivated in all areas so I’m always on the hunt. I actually got diagnosed with ADHD when I talked to my Dr about binge eating, I ate massive amounts of food for the dopamine rush. I was determined to change my life- I figured out an organisation system that works for me, started applying for jobs, managed to retake and pass my failed class, started focusing on myself and taking For the ADHD you need actual treatment from a professional - they have medicine that does target the dopaminergic system If you’re going to class and attempting the assignments but are unable to focus then your issue is the focus part of ADHD Meditation has shown to reduce symptoms of ADHD and strengthen the focus networks of the brain. It is very complicated as to why people have adhd, but to act like dopamine deficiency isn’t a huge factor is ignorant in and of itself. I actually learned how to control dopamine for my benefit. It usually shows up in bedtime procrastination but it can also be difficulty eating meals at the same time or having difficulty remembering time-based daily activities (like taking meds). I'm looking for ideas on how to get dopamine speedily but without too much expense/health impact. I’m starting to recognize it as a dopamine seeking behaviour. Umm I’m old (30s) so my dopamine is buying furniture, organizing (although it only stays that way for a few hours 😅 I still love rearranging and organizing things for the sake of doing it) , walking my dog for at least an hour in inclement weather , the worse the weather is, the more dopamine 😅 while listening to true crime podcasts or stuff about cults, anything of mysterious with Different circadiam rhythms, increased distractions, dopamine farming, higher anxiety and racing thoughts can all contribute. Amphetamine-based ADHD meds (Adderall, Vyvanse, dexedrine) work by increasing the activity of dopamine and norepinephrine. Dopamine detox doesn't detox dopamine. You might have better luck with another drug. However there are some medications such as strattera (aka atomoxetine) that alleviate adhd in some by increasing norepinephrine levels. The mobile apps used for Reddit are broken or are missing features that this subreddit depends on. I snack CONSTANTLY for dopamine (chocolate, crisps, string cheese, sweets) and beyond the obvious negative health effects, it's really costing me an inordinate amount of money at this point. Well, actually. Methylephebidate-based ADHD meds, like Ritalin and Concerta work by blocking dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake. If you're an adrenaline junkie like I was, then there is a right way and a very wrong way to do this. I have binge eating disorder and I am almost positive it stems from my ADHD. One thing I’ve been paying attention to is dopamine seeking behaviours. I love the dopamine rush of eating good food, and I'm very impulsive and have trouble stopping. I want to find a replacement source of dopamine/happy hormones that isn't so destructive. Some older (~2006-2012) studies claimed it was a factor but newer studies seem to agree that there isnt enough consistency in that theory to attribute it as a cause. I did a month away from stimulating internet things over winter and it was actually insane how ridiculously easy it was to do things. New clothes. I'm diagnosed with adhd, take adderall and dexedrine. I am notorious for impulsive online shopping, going to the store to buy something new, as well as binge eating junk. ADHD is believed to be caused by an inbalace of two neurotransmitters: dopamine and norepinephrine. If dopamine was a pleasure chemical, this would not happen. honestly its worrying me a lot more than ADHD itself. Adhd have very high phasic firing and low tonic firing. I even started finding it in scientific papers, not actual misinformation as such, but their findings worded in ways that fit in with the people that funded the research, subtly manipulative, but still in an objective sounding way so scientific journals publish their findings as they present it- it's doing my head I never liked the feeling past buzzed or the hangover that followed if i kept going. • Turn to dopamine high of whatever nature (weed, video games, spend money, waste time on Reddit) • do the above until there’s no time left for the work to be done and my persistent fear of complete failure makes me do the work in a mostly mediocre fashion and my grades reflect that, in my opinion. There were childhood clues as well. “ The aromatic amino acids (tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine) are the biosynthetic precursors for the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. First saw the concept of a dopamine menu on How To ADHD and thought it was genius! The menu is a list of activities that you do that gives you a flood of the dopamine that your brain needs. It should be called "reducing dopamine overload by reducing easy empty quick dopamine hits so you can gain natural dopamine from things that are fulfilling". This can lead to not only tiredness, but also ADHD-like symptoms, and even loss of sex drive - as dopamine signaling is involved in sexual desire. I was watching Andrew Huberman who also brought up L-tyrosine. It is bad for people with adhd Low dopamine levels in parts of the brain are typical of ADHD. Basically, ADHD medications help by giving you more dopamine. Dopamine upregulation is hardly relevant if your brain is only going to release it in response to chemical stimuli. nlm. Also, there are studies that show people with ADHD have longer REM cycles, which means their deep sleep (the most restful kind of sleep) is impacted. The front page on reddit doesn't change and the upvotes you get don't change. It might be a reaction to the stimulant effect. Sunlight, exercise and meditation would probably be the best of the bunch though. Push through all the sciency stuff if you don't understand it. Yes!! For years when I was in the pit of my "depression" I would spend hours masturbating over and over again just to bring some dopamine to my sad life. My therapist has adhd and suggested I prolong dopamine-inducing activity on purpose and speed up low-reward tasks. Lack of dopamine is not accepted as the cause of adhd. Most recently, I was banned from ADHD Dopamine, not for harassing others or being a problem in the server, but for posting a review on Disboard where I gave a positive review, but said the mods have "unwritten rules" that aren't (and weren't added until after) that may get new users in trouble. The more you chase it constantly, the harder it will be later. he did mention supplementing L-tyrosine should probably be more an occasional ‘when you need it’ thing than regularly tho They're both linked with dopamine disregulaton moreso than a lack of dopamine. If your drug is not an ssri, it probably isn't. I can imagine ADHD contributes to the excessive video game playing though. Hypothesis: relationships are an addiction to people with ADHD who experience love in the relationship weather it be platonic or romantic. A new plush. Psychostimulants such as amphetamine work by blocking the reuptake of both of these neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine). If you're always chasing and getting it, you never get "reset". Sabroxy doesn't make more of anything, it just increases the amount of time dopamine hangs around outside of neurons. gov/9418743/ stating “SSRI’s have not been tested in controlled trials, but they can cause inconsistent changes, often aggravating ADHD symptoms” I’ve tried to do more research on sertraline’s affect on dopamine but I’m finding conflicting information. Edit: it might not be serotonin syndrome. Trouble is, once I consume the bagel or chat with a friend or buy the Amazon thingie, I’m back to square one. Also have this, I think I recall reading there's something related to non 24 hour disorder which is common in ADHD-ers. ncbi. Posted by u/[Deleted Account] - 21 votes and 7 comments We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. Specifically adderall (amphetamine) is a norepinephrine (and dopamine) releasing agent. By increasing dopamine secretion during tonic firing, there is less dopamine for phasic firing, and the person becomes less impulsive/hyperactive. People with ADHD are speculated to have lower tonic dopamine firing -- sort of a constant "pace-maker" firing -- and, in turn, low tonic dopamine firing drives higher phasic dopamine firing, also called "burst firing", which follows stimulation with rewarding, aversive firing and reinforces stimulating learned behaviors. I tried googling “adhd low dopamine morning routine” but all I could find was the opposite, articles about how important it is for people with adhd to find good ways of boosting dopamine, since we’re lacking it. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that regulates wakefulness [5][6], attention [7], motivation [8], among other functions. It's used to help quit smoking, against narcolepsy, around seventh in line for what doctors prescribe against depression, and may be used as an "if all else fails" ADHD medication, but it targets the dopamine reuptake which we all know is a great part of what messes us up. one of the apps that has you grow virtual plants bc you don’t move your phone. Typically people with adhd are more prone to addiction and eating disorders though. You can leverage your ADHD and do the opposite of what you do for building healthy habits: raise the barrier of entry, remove it from your sight. ADHD meds. So, the stimulation ADHD is the idea that we want to do 100x at once because we feel one of those things will give us the dopamine hit we need. It did affect dopamine so who knows. I just want to buy all the spooky things. I'm pretty sure addiction is documented with ADHD. you are correct that one of the genetic conditions of adhd is lack of dopamine. Aug 24, 2023 · Dopamine fasting is trending, but can a digital detox help ADHD brains better manage addictive behaviors like video gaming and social media use? Nov 7, 2024 · Research has found a link between low dopamine levels and ADHD. gov/7903674/ Basically it seems like there aren’t many studies on amino acids and adult ADHD, and the ones out there (for kids and adults) are mixed. I highly recommend listening to/watching the Dr Andrew Huberman podcast episode on ADHD and then the one on dopamine. You could have a billion dopamine receptors and soo much dopamine but you need to train your brain to release it at whatever time you may feel it is the most important. i feel like if i stand up my legs dont have the strenght to support my weight. The problem with ADHD is a lack of dopamine. Low Dopamine is shit, but hanging around high-Dopamine a lot, makes it the new zero. A person that has ADHD would not be focus with coffee/caffeine. To a low dopamine / low dopamine sensitive brain (like ADHD), this is the fucking jackpot! To a normal brain, this is also the fucking jackpot! We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. Adhd makes you produce less dopamine and dopamine detox can lead to depression-like symptoms and make executive function even worse! So be super careful. im drinking heavly 3-4 times a week. When we find something or someone that gives us dopamine we invest ourselves in it or them to an unhealthy degree (hyperfocus) the brain doesn't want to lose the thing thats stimulating such a big release of dopamine, which when mixed with a good old fashioned dose of the anxiety and rejection sensitive dysphoria that usually comes hand in hand with having ADHD, that leads to the overthinking This is even more important for people with ADHD. Thank you! We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. But did you know that we ADHD'ers have an even greater affinity to carbs and sugar simply for the dopamine hits?? I used to blame my genetic predisposition to addiction or my lack of self discipline and willpower, a binge eating disorder, the list goes on and on. on ADHDtok I came across a video quoting this: https://pubmed. For any of you that have experimented with recreational drugs in your lifetime, have you ever noticed (like, extra noticed) your dopamine deficiency? I was in college during the rave era (late 90s early 2000s), and as it goes there’s a lot of MDMA (Molly, ecstasy, sass) being offered around. That way when it kicks in my mind is associative the feel good/dopamine reward with exercise. When you have ADHD, your brain doesn't keep enough dopamine floating in that particular pathway, which means you don't feel satisfaction when doing things that would normally be rewarding. This resulted into things like videogames. You lack dopamine and therefore you become an addict in a way to chase whatever provides that rush of dopamine. It is true though that antipsychotics used to treat bipolar disorder inhibit dopamine to reduce the risk of mania and psychosis. That said, I don't feel like my diagnosis is complete. I'll look into that, thanks! I get exactly the same feeling - I feel like a hopeful teenager with his life ahead of him again, as opposed to a lad in his late twenties whose ambitions have been "on hold" for years because his brain tells him to spend hours looking at silly cat videos and reading the news instead of actually sitting down and working on writing things 😂 We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. It's my understanding that ADHD is a dopamine problem. ” https://pubmed. I went to a behavioral health services place but they would not diagnose me because I was "too smart for ADHD and had a master's degree. Thats why people with adhd can get easily hooked to social media, video games ect. And completely ignores the types of medications that are used to treat ADHD, which play directly on dopamine receptors. Most ADHD meds, or coffee in your case, cause the synthesis of dopamine, along with serotonin and norepinephrine. So from my (admittedly limited) understanding of dopamine - dopamine is what causes people to be happy and feel positive. My symptoms mostly appear concurrent with someone who was assigned female at birth and has ADHD as an adult. The more you know, everything you have described is textbook ADHD. Engage with friends. Totally agree with the self-medication stuff but the scientist in me doesnt like the "it's because ADHD is lack of dopamine". Now anytime I masturbate during the day for a dopamine hit it like triggers this really horrible time in my life. Or new bedding. However I was wondering to what extent serotonin plays in the condition, given its varied complex role and wide distribution I would of guessed it had some role Hello reddit. Stimulant medications work to correct this deficiency. There is almost no empirical evidence that a behavioural intervention like the 'dopamine detox' that you described would have an effect on your dopamine receptor upregulation. They will need a strict routine, diet, workout, and medicine. after the alcohol crash and dopamine depression my hangovers are a nightmare. Since we (people with ADHD) have low dopamine anyways, I've been trying to get as much dopamine wherever I can for my whole life. We recommend browsing /r/adhd on desktop for the best experience. I cut out video games during school semester for example because i get addicted, but i try not to be too strict otherwise with for example switching tasks etc. I go through phases where I can't get off my phone and have to delete tiktok and reddit so I can't get dopamine from my phone. Contrasts are important. you more ADHD if anything. My goal was to change the sources of dopamine in my brain to be more productive and produce a slow long term trickle instead of a dopamine dump. If done correctly, "dopamine detox" actually increases real dopamine and can rewire your brain to use that as the primary motivator. I feel like I was normal in that aspect at that point. Hello everyone, In the episode about dopamine,Huberman says that you can raise your base line “wavepool” of dopamine by taking a cold shower. Pavlovian When looking at most information about ADHD, its treatments and causes the main neurotransmitters discussed and involved are dopamine and norepinephrine and I understand why of course. It used to be believed that the low dopamine was caused by an excess of dopamine transporters which would move the dopamine out of the synapse before concentrations could build up to "typical" levels. It detoxes adrenaline and cortisol. I tried it and it seems to work! It's a dopamine reuptake inhibitor. Mine is as follows: Yoga Weightlifting Swimming Sex Blasting my favorite music and belting it out Getting tattooed You pose a great question. So if ADHD brains have lower levels of dopamine than is typical, can this be rephrased to say: ADHD people are generally less happy (due to having lower dopamine)? Telling people with ADHD that a dopamine detox could help them may prevent them from seeking traditional ADHD treatments. [1] While low dopamine alone may not directly cause ADHD, it contributes significantly to its symptoms, making it harder to stay on track, especially with routine or uninteresting tasks. I've read before about issues with dopamine are a defining factor for people with ADHD, hence the issues with impulse control, trouble focusing on boring/unpleasant tasks, and attraction to immediate gratification (speaking for myself, at least). . Lexapro lowers dopamine noradrenaline and makes. Look into Wellbutrin (bupropion). You have to be careful though as these meds can cause induce Parkinsonism and possibly trigger Parkinson's Disease itself. I assume people wanting to increase dopamine are looking for something like a sustainable adhd drug without side effects, these things are unlikely to get people there. Sounds like you may be suffering from depression. But something that stuck out to me: if you have ADHD, and her daughter has ADHD, there a much-higher-than-average chance SHE has ADHD, which could explain some of the lack of patience, the healthfreak obsession/perfectionism, the refusal to believe certain things are related to ADHD (it might seem normal to her). Ritalin only affects tonic firing. As in, higher levels of estrogen trigger a release of dopamine, and so when estrogen drops in the cycle, ADHD symptoms get worse. How do you stop yourself when you feel like you want to go shopping for dopamine?? Part of me is like f it, go for it… while the other part of me wants to be sensible. That lack of satisfaction is stored, marking the memory as unimportant. Doing a "fast", for which there is no scientific support, serves no purpose if your adhd isnt treated properly. Learn more here. Nearly a million and a half users say they 'feel at home' and 'finally found a place where people understand them'. Dopamine fasting, or dopamine detox, is a technique that consists of completely abstaining from any experience that brings you pleasure, especially addictive technologies; like social media, doom scrolling, internet, youtube, reddit, listening to music, videogames, texting, etc. Jan 15, 2025 · People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to have low levels of dopamine, which affects their sense of reward and motivation. L-dopa is too close to dopamine and supplementing the neurotransmitters themselves potentially disrupts regulation. The more Dopamine you get, the more resistance you build up to it, and the more you will need. We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. I also have adhd and have been taking stimulant meds consistently for 15+ years and they still work well (occasional breaks are always a good idea too). Hi u/tillymint259 and thanks for posting on r/ADHD! Please take a second to read our rules if you haven't already. (😐just being hilarious) Health misinformation is mine, too. Dude, the worst is when you have that dopamine addiction, but instead of wasting time by playing games or watching shows, you go to reddit or social media and you keep checking back every 5 minutes. qozn hzrdppa owqinny ruvwn catxg benl jcrvc hphdmb oqwkqm otuhypd qidq ncchmkj wtzxh dmjeuq rezrpv