Vlad_

Dopamine Detox

11 posts in this topic

Last week I did 5 days of Dopamine Detox:

- no internet

- no electronic devices 

- no porn, sex or masturbation 

- no music, movies, games or tv 

- no fast food, no sugar 

- no weed, drugs or psychedelics 

 

What I experienced? 

- severe withdraw and cravings during the first few days 

- increased happiness and joy 

- reduced anxiety

- improved social skills and boost in confidence 

- improved thinking  

 

Also I've noticed how fucked up most of the people are. We've become like rats chasing one pleasure after another. 90% of the people while on public transport are using their phones, listening to music or playing games. Same shit at shopping malls, cafes, restaurants and night clubs. 

When 5 days were gone I went trough a few days of ego-backlash that included using my phone for 5 hours, watching porn, smoking weed and eating unhealthy food. 

I guess if we continue chasing pleasure without a proper balance as we are doing right now, we are going to have more problems with psychological health, reward system, depression etc. 

Most of us have no clue how addicted we are, it has become normal. Especially here, in the West.  

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I experience the same thing. From spring to autumn I avoid video games/TV and just hike a lot more and go outside. 

I feel more sensitive to life.

I still enjoy music though and audiobooks.

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Yeah. Life is much more beautiful without addictions. Addictions give us the illusion that we escape our suffering but in the long run it creates more suffering. Most people don't take their addictions seriously or even not aware to them, live their lives in the addictive mode.

I'm addicted to the internet and when I don't use the internet for a while I feel so good and I wonder to myself why I don't do it more often. But what I realized is that complete avoidance isn't a realistic solution. It's more realistic to reframe the relationship with the object of addiction and make it healthier and more conscious.

What helps in the process of reframing is to work on the root cause of addictions, the trauma.

I find practicing mindfulness, holotropic breathing and yoga as effective tools.


Let Love In

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@Lila9 I find when I allow “once a week” once a whenever, it just gets out of hand way too often. Do you experience the same? How do you deal with that?

Heard Leo say that the best solution is to just abstain completely, at least until the new habit is hardwired. Struggled with that so far aswell “/

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@B222 Yes it happened a lot to me.

What I find working for me is to abstain the addiction completely for a while (day, week or a month) and then use it consciously, in a limited, a healthy and useful way (30 min to hour and half in a day- there are apps that help to monitor the usage), and once I find myself being caught up in addiction again, I do the detox again.

Practicing mindfulness helps to be more aware to the cravings and accept them without acting on them. 

I have a bold list of activities to do after I reach my daily limitation. I also completely abstain internet use for an entire day in every week (no matter if I used the internet in a healthy way or got caught up in overuse), it's like a reboot to my mind. I plan prior to that what to do in this day so I will have less chances to use it automatically.

Many times my use of the internet is more emotional than practical or it's done to distract myself from unpleasant thoughts or feelings, then I try to look into my thoughts or feelings or seek healthier distractions when looking at my feeling is too painful.

I also try to remember that phones and the internet are designed to make us caught up and spend a lot of time on them. It's not a coincidence that many people who work in the tech industry tend to limit their kids use of technology or prohibit it completely until they are 14, because they know well how addictive it's to the brain. I find that educating myself about how phones and the internet are designed to make us hooked and addictions in general help me with managing it better. 

I think that in other forms of addictions the solution would be to abstain it completely forever because they aren't useful or beneficial in any way like addiction to cigarettes or gambling, and at the same time to work on the root cause (many times trauma) behind it.

But when it's an addiction to the internet, phone, gym, food, it's another thing because they are useful and there is a healthy way to use them. Also in this case it's importent to work on the root cause of the addiction.

It all depends on the individuals and their needs/goals.

 

 

 

Edited by Lila9

Let Love In

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@Vlad_I love this post. Wish i could save this. thanks for sharing. I keep making the intention to do this but keep failing. Even if i plan to do it on the weekend,cos of my weak mind - i keep getting sucked in back to the screens/ instant gratification. Other than meditation what other things did you do on your detox?

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@Vlad_ Sounds like your ready to try Monk Mode. Its exactly as you have done here, but now you extend it for a longer period of time. 20-30 days. You incorporate more reading and meditation as your new free time.


Focus on the solution, not the problem

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Now to find a way to integrate that into the week to week, month to month lifestyle. In a balanced, sustainable way.


Music is Love in disguise.

Imagine a future where Self Integration, Exploration and Creation is  normalized and encouraged.

https://wakingcall.com/

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@Lila9 thanks for the detailed response. I’ll keep trying. What benefits have you experienced from no internet use for a day? 

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10 hours ago, B222 said:

@Lila9 thanks for the detailed response. I’ll keep trying. What benefits have you experienced from no internet use for a day? 

You're very welcome!

I mainly experience peace of mind and sense of control over my life/consciousness. But it depends, sometimes I have moments when I want the day to end so I can use the internet again but it doesn't last much.


Let Love In

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