the dopamine effect: the awareness
Understanding your personal dopamine rhythms can help you design a day that supports calm, focus, and wellbeing. So now that we’ve explored the why, let’s talk about how to shift the cycle.
Step 1: Understanding
Understanding always comes first. Knowing what’s happening in your brain, that the craving or restlessness is just a short-term chemical dip, can change everything. It’s not a flaw. It’s normal. You’re not broken, and there’s nothing to fix.
Once I understood why I felt impulsive after eating, or why I craved something else after being on my phone, I started to see my internal world more clearly.
Step 2: Awareness
Now build on that awareness by tracking your personal loop.
Most of us have a couple of go-to patterns. A common one is: boredom → phone → scroll → empty → repeat.
Instead of trying to change it all overnight, just observe it. You can even draw it out or jot it down. Track it for a few days or weeks. I bet even now, as you read this, a few of your own loops are coming to mind.
if you can, next time you become aware of this loop, begin my Asking yourself:
When do I notice that restless seeking energy?
can I identify my main pleasure cycle?
can i identify what may trigger this? (Scrolling, sugar, constant screen time?)
No judgment. Just awareness. For me, it became a bit of a game, spotting the impulse and gently naming it. Some days I still act on it, some days I don’t. But over time, I began to create a pause, a moment of presence, between the urge and my response.
step 3: Interrupting
Once you’re aware of your patterns, the next step is to gently interrupt them - not by forcing change or denying yourself, but by getting curious. When you notice the urge arise, pause for a moment and ask:
What am I really needing right now?
Is this pleasure, or just a distraction?
Can I ride this out, or choose something else - even for 60 seconds?
This isn’t about being perfect or never reaching for your phone or the snack - it’s about creating just enough space between the urge and the action to give yourself a choice. You might still scroll or snack, but you’ll do it with more awareness. And sometimes, you might surprise yourself and choose something else: a breath, a stretch, a quick walk, a sip of water, or even just observing the feeling without reacting.
This moment of pause is where new neural pathways begin to form. Not through discipline alone, but through presence and choice.
From here, we’ll move into small, steady shifts - not to eliminate dopamine, but to regulate and relate to it differently.
We’re not trying to shut down your impulses, but to understand and respond to them with more wisdom and flexibility. One step at a time.
Step 4: Building
we will go into this deeper in the effect of dopamine: the building but for Now that you're beginning to see and gently interrupt the old loops, it’s time to introduce new ones - ones that actually nourish rather than drain you.
The key here isn’t to cut off pleasure but to replace short-term spikes with sustainable sources. These are habits and experiences that still stimulate dopamine, but in a way that supports your long-term well-being. Think of it like switching from junk food to slow-release nourishment.
Start by experimenting with activities that give you a slow, steady sense of satisfaction, this could be moving your body (walks, dancing, stretching), connecting with someone in a meaningful way or getting outside for a walk.
You don’t need to overhaul your whole life. just Start by adding one or two small, steady dopamine practices into your day - ideally before you hit a crash or impulse. This builds a buffer and makes the loop less intense when it does arise.
Over time, you’ll start to notice that your cravings lose a bit of their grip - not because you’re forcing them away, but because you’re giving your brain something better to work with.
Step 5: Integrating
Now that you’ve started building new, nourishing habits, the final step is integration - making these shifts part of your everyday rhythm, without falling into the trap of perfectionism or self-judgment.
This is where a lot of us trip up. We expect change to be linear, fast, and flawless. But in reality, it’s messy, non-linear, and filled with setbacks. That’s normal. The goal isn’t to never fall into the loop again - it’s to recognize it sooner, recover more gently, and return to your grounded habits more quickly.
Some ways to support integration:
Track patterns gently - not to control, but to notice. Journaling or even a quick end-of-day check-in can help.
Celebrate tiny wins - they rewire your brain too. Did you pause before reacting? Did you choose a nourishing alternative once this week? That counts.
Have compassion for the crash - dips will happen. Urges will return. Instead of spiraling into shame, remind yourself: This is part of the process.
Stay curious - let every moment of craving or impulse teach you something, rather than defeat you.
This work is not about being rigid. It’s about developing a more regulated, kind, and curious relationship with your own brain and body - one that doesn’t rely on constant stimulation to feel okay.
And the best part? The more you practice, the less effort it takes. You begin to embody a quieter, more grounded sense of satisfaction that lasts far longer than any quick hit ever could.
Let me know how you get on. I’ll keep you updated on my own journey.
