I see post after post condemning dopamine and warning about anything that could possibly trigger a dopamine response. Sugar is bad, video games are bad, social media is bad, dating apps are bad, and people have even said that exercise can be bad. Are these types of posts simply attempting to encourage people to improve their lives beyond NoFap or do I really need to live my life in some kind of black box without any stimulus whatsoever until I "get better"? Is this the price we pay for finding this addiction?
I do think it's framing it too simplistically. It's sort of like saying insulin is bad or something, and while there's such a thing as diabetes and insulin sensitivity it isn't "bad" - it's just off balance.
It is not, that is in reality more of an excuse. While one could see it as an enabler of sorts, it is not the source of why one partakes in those activities. Choice does drive what we do (to an extent). Regardless, every day is an opportunity to grow!
Becuase browsing P and seeing triggers releases a huge amount of dopamine in an addict, people take the extreme and say avoid all dopamine.
I think : Stimulus: Some image/video Response: Dopamine Release Which triggers erection and other things. Dopamine is the spark that gets the Vehicle Engine revving , but the stimulus(Turning the key) some video... But our brain functions as follows: On receiving a certain stimulus, it recalls all other stimuli related to a certain Experience which has had a STRONG impact on us. So, suppose on playing video games, Some dopamine is released, brain recalls, also releases serotonin and oxytocin among other hormones, which triggers Excitement down there. This is when Conditioning takes over. Okay, If you are excited down there, You must Release. That’s the natural instinct. You get erection only to release! Conclusion! Yes, dopamine rushes may be potential triggers, but what we CAN CONTROL is: Learning to NOT ASSOCIATE EXCITEMENT TO SEXUAL EXCITEMENT.
I actually don't understand how non-sexual stimuli can trigger sexual excitement because I've never experienced this. My understanding is dopamine is the neurochemical that plays a big role in strengthening the pathways in the brain related to a particular stimulus. If those pathways are stronger, the brain is more likely to use them or 'recall' the behaviors associated with them.
Perhaps yes. There hasn’t been much in-depth study in Modern Medicine regarding PM and how it affects our brain.
Well, look at dopamine as a potion of strength. If your addiction drinks dopamine, it will get stronger (and this happens fast). Dopamine is not the enemy. You're really just fighting against everything bad in your brain that tries to drink this potion instead of your positive behaviours.
Isn’t the enemy our memory and hippocampus? Dopamine is just a tool to trigger excitement. But to know that excitement is pleasurable, we need to constantly remember that.
Maybe if you have a dopamine rush and then you are exposed to a trigger it can be harmful, but I've never gotten an urge to PMO from enjoyable activities that have 0 to do with it.
Okay, If 2 people are saying they don’t get Urges on performing tasks which induce dopamine release, My Theory is WRONG. I think @Candun Has a Better Explanation.
Well, 2 people's experiences hardly make a statistic. I just think a lot of people talk about dopamine without actually understanding what its function is within the brain. This leads to people making the assumption that it's the bad guy, so to speak.
change your dopamine triggers from porn, video games, junk food, etc. to other things that benefit you: making money, self-improvement.
Well, I'll share mine. Y'know, my relapse today came after working out. I think I hit a low point in dopamine reception and my brain just reverted to watching porn for it. So, no. Generally exciting activities do not trigger relapses. If anything, they do the opposite.
It's not about dopamine being bad it's about how we attain dopamine through habits of instant gratification like porn, video games, social media,etc. Exercise is a healthy way of releasing dopamine as during exercise you are working towards feeling good. Also exercise doesn't release a huge amount of dopamine. It releases several endorphine (feel good chemicals) like serotonin, dopamine,etc in a controlled and healthy dose. peace