I often experience dopamine crashes and wanted to know if there are alternatives other than waiting 24-48 hours, which is commonly advised in dopamine detox, to regain the desire to do so-called boring tasks. For someone who is easily overwhelmed by dopamine, 24-48 hours is a long time to get back to work. So, I would like to know if there’s a way to regulate dopamine to a basic level or even to a state of mega motivation to the point of feeling a fire/butterflies in the stomach (so to speak) without having to do monk mode, lol.
Hello!
Now for dopamine detox yes there is the 24-48 hours thing and I in the past have tried different ways and found that just being away from electronics for a long period of time works the best. Also regarding doing “boring task” you really can’t find a way around it. If your mind set thinks it is boring it is hard to find motivation to do. Just like if you are going on a roller coaster and you keep on saying to yourself “I’m going to throw up” then chances are you probably will. So if you change your mindset and think no this is not a boring task it is something that will make my life easier in the future then it will help to “un-boring” the task. In the end your best bet would probably do the “monk mode” because yes it takes a long time but will give you good results and also a change of mindset may help.
Hope this helps!
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What helps me is saying aloud “I don’t like doing (task), it’s boring and uncomfortable and no fun, and I don’t want to do it, but I CHOOSE to do it anyway, because it’s a good decision”. And then begin with the smallest possible thing that will move me in this direction. Sometimes you have to begin so small it feels ridiculous, but the most important is to get the ball rolling (to get un-stuck).
Honestly, don’t wait to feel motivated (motivation is rather something that comes AFTER you begin the task). It’s much better to assume you’re never going to feel motivated and to find out how you can do things without it and still get the satisfaction boost afterwards.
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The problem is that even if you have a warrior mindset, it won’t change anything because laziness takes over. I’ve tried those methods, even the famous two-minute rule, and when you’re crashing, it’s impossible. Nothing appeals to you, not even the idea of picking up a book to read just one sentence. The laziness is immeasurable.
The issue may go much deeper than you think, and even if it doesn’t discussing this with a good psychiatrist, like a cognitive behavioral psychiatrist has a much better chance of helping you out.
Here is an idea: You could try training yourself to handle your cravings better by approaching one of your vices in steps. Sit down and stare at the launch icon for your videogame for 30 seconds. Sit and watch the loading screen / password screen for 30 seconds. Wait 30 seconds before picking the save / server from a menu. Etc, etc.
This is based on some study I read about teaching people to better handle their cigarette cravings.
I can’t recall, but I imagine the successful ones were performing some form of mindfulness meditation between each step, and not just getting used to it.
I get unreasonably upset with myself for making mistakes, especially if something seems like it should be simple. A few years ago I was working through drawabox. My ability to draw simple lines was incredibly bad, and nearly every single attempt frustrated me. I had to practice acknowledging the frustration, forgive myself, and keep reminding myself that just because something is simple in concept, doesn’t mean it isn’t a skill, and all skills need to be developed.
It can definitely take a lot of willpower to get to that first sentence. Having a strong why for picking up the book in the first place can help, but it’s not really going to make it appealing. But this is exactly why you only have to read a single sentence. After that, check with yourself “One more sentence?” If you have it in you, do another. If you don’t, check if you have it in you to do one more word. If not, that’s fine. You read your sentence, today was a success!
You won’t find yourself getting into it every single time, and that really isn’t the point. Each session you have the opportunity to discover today you can settle into this task.
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I thank you for your comment but as I said I’m very often ne crash after yes it can be bad choices I make during the day or eating sugary food but that on the other hand I’m obliged and as I said I do not want to wait 24 hours or more to reset when I’m going to have 6- 8h available in the day to do something is ridiculous the activity that really helps to break addictions and to this day I haven’t seen anything more powerful than that is endurance any sporting activity for endurance purposes totally breaks the craving especially running
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There’s a cool cat I talk to, he’s my therapist.
My best friend for 15 years just started talking with a therapist this year.
Yesterday (all this is fresh on my mind) he said to me on a phone call:
I really enjoy therapy. It’s a lot different than I thought it would be. I thought it would be some person saying, ‘and how does that make you feel?’—and that happens sometimes, but mostly I just share things and occasionally he’ll point out something like, Hey you’re using the same sort of words to describe interactions with this person that you do with that person; did you notice that? And I’m like oh, no I hadn’t noticed but that’s true. Huh.
We all struggle with being stuck.
My friend pointed out that he has someone merely pointing out patterns that he just hadn’t picked up on, even as a contemplative, no-b.s., self-aware man im his late 30s.
For any tricky problem or dilemma, a clear formula used by the greatest minds is to start with the obvious (I can name names but gosh there are so many examples it just feels silly and unnecessary for this topic).
Start with the obvious.
What’s obvious is your behavior (or mine or my friend’s) is not random. Imagine if it really were. We’d all be dead.
If we’re behaviorally stuck, and behavior isn’t totally random, then there are patterns.
Even in deduction challenges (which is essentially the sort of challenge being “stuck” is), deducing the reason for it and the way to get out of the rut requires pattern recognition.
Whether you find a cool a therapist or not is up to you. But the process of getting unstuck (ie, getting out of the set of repeated behavioral loops you keep finding yourself in and would like to change) always involves identifying patterns.
@Bylkuss, your behavior isnt random. There are patterns. What are your patterns?
You better get to know them if you actually want to change them.
And don’t say “I know them.”
If you did, you wouldn’t be asking the same sorts of questions multiple times. There would be no need for questions if you already had the knowledge.