You need to know the causes and dangers of dopamine excess. Dopamine is a chemical that makes a person feel happy, often referred to as “happy hormone.”
When you do something that feels good, eat delicious food, listen to music you like, or get praise, that's when your brain releases a flood of dopamine.
You will naturally seek more of that pleasant feeling by repeating the behavior that makes you feel pleasant. However, Too much dopamine can cause various health problems.
List of contents
What is Dopamine?
Dopamine is a hormone and a kindneurotransmitter, or chemical messengers, which is produced in the brain. The nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells. These messages also travel between the brain and the rest of the human body.
This unique neurotransmitter affects the body, brain, and human behavior. Dopamine plays a role in how a person feels pleasure and reward. Dopamine is an important part of humans' unique ability to think and plan. Dopamine helps us focus, work to achieve goals, and find interesting things.
Imagine if you just won a prize or achieved something great, your brain is flooded with dopamine, gives a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. It makes you motivated to repeat the same thing because it makes you happy.
When Does Excess Dopamine Occur??
Some symptoms if you have high dopamine levels, You may feel euphoria or intense joy and happiness. High energy levels and increased sexual desire. Some situations that can cause a surge of dopamine in the brain include:
- Drug use: Drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines can cause large and rapid increases in dopamine in the brain.
- Dependence on gadgets or social media: Feeling happy when using gadgets as well as feelings of euphoria and relief when receiving likes on the latest posts.
- Foods high in sugar or fat: These foods can trigger excessive dopamine release, because the brain perceives it as a reward.
- Addictive behavior: For example gambling, excessive spending, watching pornography and gaming. All of this triggers a powerful surge of dopamine.
The Dangers of Dopamine Excess
If the brain is flooded with dopamine too often, will have quite serious negative impacts. Here are some of the bad effects of excess dopamine:
- Addiction and Addiction
When the brain is constantly flooded with dopamine, a person becomes accustomed to feelings of euphoria or excessive happiness which can lead todependence. Users experience less pleasure when not using something, so you need a stronger stimulus to feel happy, and this can create a cycle of addiction. A clear example is drug addiction or excessive social media. - Reduces Dopamine Sensitivity
According to research fromHarvard Medical School, when the brain receives too much dopamine, he could bedesensitized. It means, the brain will need more dopamine to feel the same effects. This causes us to feel less satisfied or happy with normal activities, we even tend to lose motivation for things that used to make us happy. (Good, Emily. “Dopamine: What It Is and What It Does.” Harvard Health Blog, 2020.) - Mental Disorders Such as Schizophrenia or Bipolar
Some research shows a link between excess dopamine and mental illnesses such asschizophrenia andbipolar disorder. According to research, Patients with schizophrenia often have excessive levels of dopamine in some parts of the brain. This can cause delusions to appear, hallucinations, and uncontrolled behavior. (Howes, O. D., & Kapur, S. “The Dopamine Hypothesis of Schizophrenia: Version III—The Final Common Pathway.” Schizophrenia Bulletin, 2009.) - Bad Decision Making
Dopamine is related to the reward system. When the system is redundant, we can lose the ability to think clearly. Because the brain is always looking for rewards, we may be more inclined to take higher risks or make irrational decisions in order to gain a sense of satisfaction’ from dopamine. This is what we often see in people with gambling addiction or impulsive behavior.
How to Overcome Dopamine Excess?
After knowing the dangers of excess dopamine, it becomes important to know how to overcome or prevent excess dopamine. Beberapa cara yang bisa dilakukan adalah:
- Reduce excessive dopamine triggers: Limit consumption of foods high in sugar, and regulate the time you use gadgets or social media. Avoid illegal drugs that can increase dopamine.
- Regular exercise: Physical activity helps balance dopamine levels in the brain and can improve mood without causing addiction.
- Healthy living: Try to get enough sleep, consume healthy food, and stay away from bad habits that trigger unnatural dopamine surges.
- Meditation: Meditation helps calm the brain system, so that the brain is not too focused on the reward system and dopamine release.
- Pray and Remembrance: Prayer and dhikr can calm the brain system and stabilize dopamine. Dopamine affects the body, brain, and human behavior, while prayer affects the body, human brain and heart when carrying it out. With remembrance, The brain no longer thinks about seeking rewards. People who pray regularly feel calmer and more focused in life.
Conclusion
Dopamine is a complex hormone and neurotransmitter that influences emotions, behavior, and movement. Dopamine plays a large role in how we experience pleasure, looking for appreciation, and stay motivated. However, too much dopamine can cause serious problems, starting from dependency, mental disorders, to bad decisions. It is important to maintain balance, either by living a healthy lifestyle or avoiding activities that trigger excessive dopamine spikes.
And pray, prayer prevents abominable and evil acts so that people who pray devoutly can avoid the danger of excess dopamine. You can disagree with this but you can prove it.
Remember, Everything in excess is not good, including dopamine. Take care of your health with Healthy Tips
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