Adhd and dopamine reddit Thank you! So they use stimulant drugs which cause increases in dopamine levels. It acts mostly on the sleep-wake centers of the brain, rather than the mostly dopamine-based brain systems that play a role in ADHD. I was determined to change my life- I figured out an organisation system that works for me, started applying for jobs, managed to retake and pass my failed class, started focusing on myself and taking It's very important you aim to address this independently of addressing treatment for ADHD, the medication is essentially tables that produce dopamine and if you're hard wired to seek dopamine and don't have any plans to reduce it then you might also be at risk of abusing the medication. I'm looking for ideas on how to get dopamine speedily but without too much expense/health impact. Also have this, I think I recall reading there's something related to non 24 hour disorder which is common in ADHD-ers. there are two types of dopamine secretion: during rest (tonic) and during signal (phasic). 2. How to ADHD on YouTube has a video on creating a Dopamine Menu of healthy brain choices for when you're starving for it. The meds people are given for ADHD do release norepinephrine, there are 2 main ADHD drugs/drug classes amphetamines and methylphenidate. I go through phases where I can't get off my phone and have to delete tiktok and reddit so I can't get dopamine from my phone. Cashing a lack of focus. Most recently, I was banned from ADHD Dopamine, not for harassing others or being a problem in the server, but for posting a review on Disboard where I gave a positive review, but said the mods have "unwritten rules" that aren't (and weren't added until after) that may get new users in trouble. It usually shows up in bedtime procrastination but it can also be difficulty eating meals at the same time or having difficulty remembering time-based daily activities (like taking meds). I will consume my adderall only 15mins before walking into the gym. It should be called "reducing dopamine overload by reducing easy empty quick dopamine hits so you can gain natural dopamine from things that are fulfilling". Dopamine [reward] will have you always going for it. The mobile apps used for Reddit are broken or are missing features that this subreddit depends on. Different circadiam rhythms, increased distractions, dopamine farming, higher anxiety and racing thoughts can all contribute. ADHD meds. Methylephebidate-based ADHD meds, like Ritalin and Concerta work by blocking dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake. My goal was to change the sources of dopamine in my brain to be more productive and produce a slow long term trickle instead of a dopamine dump. Meds broke the binge eating cycle, I still have my hunger when on them and when I'm not on them I can do another activity that gives me a dopamine boost that doesn't involve food lol When looking at most information about ADHD, its treatments and causes the main neurotransmitters discussed and involved are dopamine and norepinephrine and I understand why of course. But did you know that we ADHD'ers have an even greater affinity to carbs and sugar simply for the dopamine hits?? I used to blame my genetic predisposition to addiction or my lack of self discipline and willpower, a binge eating disorder, the list goes on and on. I suspect my natural dopamine levels are severely low/receptors are distributing inefficiently and even meds are not really helping. TLDR; Both dopamine and norepinephrine are directly increased by ADHD drugs, and the transformation of norepinephrine to dopamine doesn’t have much of an effect. For the ADHD you need actual treatment from a professional - they have medicine that does target the dopaminergic system If you’re going to class and attempting the assignments but are unable to focus then your issue is the focus part of ADHD Meditation has shown to reduce symptoms of ADHD and strengthen the focus networks of the brain. A new plush. Starters - quick dopamine boosters you can do in a few minutes (making a coffee, making the bed, deep breathing exercises) Mains - longer tasks that will really satisfy you and are the bulk of what you enjoy (reading a book, making a fancy meal, craft projects, watching a film, going for a walk) Which I believe because when using these I feel relaxed and happy. When we find something or someone that gives us dopamine we invest ourselves in it or them to an unhealthy degree (hyperfocus) the brain doesn't want to lose the thing thats stimulating such a big release of dopamine, which when mixed with a good old fashioned dose of the anxiety and rejection sensitive dysphoria that usually comes hand in hand with having ADHD, that leads to the overthinking Hi u/tillymint259 and thanks for posting on r/ADHD! Please take a second to read our rules if you haven't already. I'm pretty sure addiction is documented with ADHD. Besides, I don’t know about you guys, but if I don’t get a hit of dopamine first thing in the morning, I’ll fall asleep again. These dopamine systems are also what ADHD medications typically target. Thank you! Sounds like you may be suffering from depression. [1] While low dopamine alone may not directly cause ADHD, it contributes significantly to its symptoms, making it harder to stay on track, especially with routine or uninteresting tasks. Hello everyone, In the episode about dopamine,Huberman says that you can raise your base line “wavepool” of dopamine by taking a cold shower. If you're always chasing and getting it, you never get "reset". i'm pretty sure I found my optimal dose, but majority of the time on my current dose i am consistently less exhausted, calm, my brain isnt running around in circles with thoughts constantly, and tasks don't overwhelm me to a point of paralysis. I'll look into that, thanks! I get exactly the same feeling - I feel like a hopeful teenager with his life ahead of him again, as opposed to a lad in his late twenties whose ambitions have been "on hold" for years because his brain tells him to spend hours looking at silly cat videos and reading the news instead of actually sitting down and working on writing things 😂 Hi u/tbgmdhc278 and thanks for posting on r/ADHD! Please take a second to read our rules if you haven't already. It's hard to break away from the junk food dopamine from apps and games, and we can't go without completely, but if we make active choices and maybe We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. It’s as if the brain becomes blocked or stops processing dopamine in specific areas responsible for certain moods and behaviors. Jan 15, 2025 · People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to have low levels of dopamine, which affects their sense of reward and motivation. When you have ADHD, your brain doesn't keep enough dopamine floating in that particular pathway, which means you don't feel satisfaction when doing things that would normally be rewarding. Finally, dopamine seeking can lead to addictive behavior. As in, higher levels of estrogen trigger a release of dopamine, and so when estrogen drops in the cycle, ADHD symptoms get worse. Some older (~2006-2012) studies claimed it was a factor but newer studies seem to agree that there isnt enough consistency in that theory to attribute it as a cause. I’ve done this and it’s worked great but… I was wondering what are some other ways you can increase your dopamine naturally ? I’m really struggling to focus these days even though I’m on Somehow in all the ADHD research I've been reading and articles about ADHD and women, I just learned today: ADHD symptoms and fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone may be connected. Both norepinephrine and dopamine help with inattentiveness, impulse control, sitting still, paying attention, and makes tasks that would otherwise be agonizing relatively tolerable. In 4th week on very low dose Ozempic for diabetes. Mine is as follows: Yoga Weightlifting Swimming Sex Blasting my favorite music and belting it out Getting tattooed We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. Zoloft is a stronger drug theoretically and sure some of you had negative experiences with it, as much as i would have had if i wasnt already on a generous dose of wellbutrin and didnt need something to tone down the anxiety it gave me. Share your stories, struggles, and non-medication strategies. Low dopamine leads to executive disfunction which makes me want to do nothing. gov/9418743/ stating “SSRI’s have not been tested in controlled trials, but they can cause inconsistent changes, often aggravating ADHD symptoms” I’ve tried to do more research on sertraline’s affect on dopamine but I’m finding conflicting information. Sabroxy doesn't make more of anything, it just increases the amount of time dopamine hangs around outside of neurons. The more Dopamine you get, the more resistance you build up to it, and the more you will need. Dopamine detox doesn't detox dopamine. Low Dopamine is shit, but hanging around high-Dopamine a lot, makes it the new zero. New clothes. I love solving "problems/puzzles"; it's a key part of my ADHD, gives me a huge dopamine rush. I tried googling “adhd low dopamine morning routine” but all I could find was the opposite, articles about how important it is for people with adhd to find good ways of boosting dopamine, since we’re lacking it. If you're an adrenaline junkie like I was, then there is a right way and a very wrong way to do this. Dopamine fasting, or dopamine detox, is a technique that consists of completely abstaining from any experience that brings you pleasure, especially addictive technologies; like social media, doom scrolling, internet, youtube, reddit, listening to music, videogames, texting, etc. Our symptoms get worse and the baseline medication dose we were on before becomes useless. You lack dopamine and therefore you become an addict in a way to chase whatever provides that rush of dopamine. You can leverage your ADHD and do the opposite of what you do for building healthy habits: raise the barrier of entry, remove it from your sight. Or new bedding. Watching a TV show and it's boring dialogue? Better pull out the phone and get on reddit/tiktok to try to get a dopamine hit. To a low dopamine / low dopamine sensitive brain (like ADHD), this is the fucking jackpot! To a normal brain, this is also the fucking jackpot! In plain English, ADHD meds don't linger long enough to do damage, and they don't have chemicals that can cause damage to dopamine receptors. I’m dozing twice a week and by the day after my 2nd shot, I felt substantial changes. I tried it and it seems to work! Like ADHD, Parkinson's is also caused by your body not being able to utilize dopamine correctly. A person that has ADHD would not be focus with coffee/caffeine. It's used to help quit smoking, against narcolepsy, around seventh in line for what doctors prescribe against depression, and may be used as an "if all else fails" ADHD medication, but it targets the dopamine reuptake which we all know is a great part of what messes us up. People with ADHD commonly have low levels of dopamine and/or have a higher amount of dopamine transporters, which processes what dopamine they have faster and results in a lower overall baseline. I realised that because I was dopamine deficient, I tried to self medicate, and chased substances and fun experiences to get that good feeling. Adhd is essentially a chemical imbalance in the brain. I’ve been unmedicated for years for ADHD. We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. Decrease in dopamine means worse symptoms. on ADHDtok I came across a video quoting this: https://pubmed. I have realized this pattern and it totally makes sense when I think of ADHD as a dopamine deficiency. Umm I’m old (30s) so my dopamine is buying furniture, organizing (although it only stays that way for a few hours 😅 I still love rearranging and organizing things for the sake of doing it) , walking my dog for at least an hour in inclement weather , the worse the weather is, the more dopamine 😅 while listening to true crime podcasts or stuff about cults, anything of mysterious with Well, actually. after the alcohol crash and dopamine depression my hangovers are a nightmare. I’m starting to recognize it as a dopamine seeking behaviour. It's weird to me that people would prescribed an SSRI for ADHD. You described me before I got on meds (which brings its challenges, too, unfortunately). There were childhood clues as well. However there are some medications such as strattera (aka atomoxetine) that alleviate adhd in some by increasing norepinephrine levels. one of the apps that has you grow virtual plants bc you don’t move your phone. . It is true though that antipsychotics used to treat bipolar disorder inhibit dopamine to reduce the risk of mania and psychosis. Look into Wellbutrin (bupropion). If done correctly, "dopamine detox" actually increases real dopamine and can rewire your brain to use that as the primary motivator. So from my (admittedly limited) understanding of dopamine - dopamine is what causes people to be happy and feel positive. However too much dopamine for ADHD people also causes negative effects. I have played a lot of videogames in my life, currently must have like over 4000 games on Digital shops. I actually learned how to control dopamine for my benefit. And then I get depressed because I am so low on happy chemicals and stimulation. As someone with adhd whose been medicated I can say that caffeine does not work like traditional rx’ed stimulants and I actually believe amphetamines and other adhd meds that attenuate norepinephrine/ dopamine are better for focus but just comes with just as many if not more side effects. You pose a great question. You have to be careful though as these meds can cause induce Parkinsonism and possibly trigger Parkinson's Disease itself. Lack of dopamine is not accepted as the cause of adhd. I love the dopamine rush of eating good food, and I'm very impulsive and have trouble stopping. I never understood why but got my ADHD diagnosis a few months ago, now it's all starting to make sense. Estrogen is lowest before your period. • Turn to dopamine high of whatever nature (weed, video games, spend money, waste time on Reddit) • do the above until there’s no time left for the work to be done and my persistent fear of complete failure makes me do the work in a mostly mediocre fashion and my grades reflect that, in my opinion. While Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a norepinephrine (and dopamine) reuptake inhibitor. Or set parental control timers so you can only spend a certain amount of time per day on your phone. People with ADHD are speculated to have lower tonic dopamine firing -- sort of a constant "pace-maker" firing -- and, in turn, low tonic dopamine firing drives higher phasic dopamine firing, also called "burst firing", which follows stimulation with rewarding, aversive firing and reinforces stimulating learned behaviors. Basically, ADHD medications help by giving you more dopamine. It might be a reaction to the stimulant effect. So if ADHD brains have lower levels of dopamine than is typical, can this be rephrased to say: ADHD people are generally less happy (due to having lower dopamine)? Telling people with ADHD that a dopamine detox could help them may prevent them from seeking traditional ADHD treatments. Ritalin only affects tonic firing. This resulted into things like videogames. I’m fairly recently diagnosed and everything makes sense now. Dopamine upregulation is hardly relevant if your brain is only going to release it in response to chemical stimuli. Adhd makes you produce less dopamine and dopamine detox can lead to depression-like symptoms and make executive function even worse! So be super careful. I just want to buy all the spooky things. Aside from meds, it helps me to create “healthy” dopamine-generating moments intentionally and schedule them ahead of time. One thing I’ve been paying attention to is dopamine seeking behaviours. Caffeine primarily acts as an Adenosine antagonist, preventing the feeling of sleepiness. Doing nothing is boring, and leads to less dopamine. Link is here. nlm. My therapist has adhd and suggested I prolong dopamine-inducing activity on purpose and speed up low-reward tasks. They will need a strict routine, diet, workout, and medicine. I'd recommend her channel in general, but specifically that video for you. Hypothesis: relationships are an addiction to people with ADHD who experience love in the relationship weather it be platonic or romantic. Cocaine prevents reuptake of dopamine, thereby flooding the brain with dopamine. I highly recommend listening to/watching the Dr Andrew Huberman podcast episode on ADHD and then the one on dopamine. It hasn’t been worth the issues. Not trying to be a dick, but if caffeine makes a person with ADHD focus most likely that person does not have ADHD or they are on the spectrum of it. Decrease in estrogen means decrease in dopamine. I personally find it very hard to not only learn from my failures, but even my successes. You might have better luck with another drug. " While on it, I noticed less addictive behavior and found a healthy balance with video games. Lexapro lowers dopamine noradrenaline and makes. Pine Bark Extract 100-150mg 2x daily can help modulate the catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine) which has been clinically proven to help ADHD. It's a dopamine reuptake inhibitor. Now anytime I masturbate during the day for a dopamine hit it like triggers this really horrible time in my life. when i was taking smaller doses starting out, all of I’m like this too. It detoxes adrenaline and cortisol. I even started finding it in scientific papers, not actual misinformation as such, but their findings worded in ways that fit in with the people that funded the research, subtly manipulative, but still in an objective sounding way so scientific journals publish their findings as they present it- it's doing my head It's a part of the process of managing adhd to integrate dopamine-giving activities into work and life chores to make them more doable as well as to cute down on unnecessary dopamine activities such as video games and social media. Also though around 46% of women with ADHD also have PMDD. I understand for at least the most part that adhd is caused by a dopamine imbalance/dysfunction. Dude, the worst is when you have that dopamine addiction, but instead of wasting time by playing games or watching shows, you go to reddit or social media and you keep checking back every 5 minutes. Push through all the sciency stuff if you don't understand it. That said, I don't feel like my diagnosis is complete. Replace it with something even more dopamine generating, e. It turned out to be bipolar 2 on top of the ADHD — I’m not saying that you have it, but if this issue becomes destructive to your life it might be worth checking if you fit the criteria at all. Normal, estrogen effects dopamine production. i feel like if i stand up my legs dont have the strenght to support my weight. There is almost no empirical evidence that a behavioural intervention like the 'dopamine detox' that you described would have an effect on your dopamine receptor upregulation. Edit: For a lot of people, it isn’t that there is too little dopamine, but that there’s too little of it in specific areas of the brain. It is very complicated as to why people have adhd, but to act like dopamine deficiency isn’t a huge factor is ignorant in and of itself. nih. The problem with ADHD is a lack of dopamine. I set aside time at work to work on problems which may yield "interesting" results. The avalanche of dopamine can actually be incredibly uncomfortable. Never knew it was because of my adhd till I started learning more about it. Amphetamine-based ADHD meds (Adderall, Vyvanse, dexedrine) work by increasing the activity of dopamine and norepinephrine. Since we (people with ADHD) have low dopamine anyways, I've been trying to get as much dopamine wherever I can for my whole life. I really have an urge for some retail therapy rn. As we all know, dopamine is like a unicorn. I want to find a replacement source of dopamine/happy hormones that isn't so destructive. Engage with friends. An addict will get hit with a tactical nuke of dopamine upon the slightest whiff of their substance/experience of abuse, yet even when they consume that substance/experience, they may not experience pleasure. The more you chase it constantly, the harder it will be later. Typically people with adhd are more prone to addiction and eating disorders though. I’m struggling to decide who to listen to. However I was wondering to what extent serotonin plays in the condition, given its varied complex role and wide distribution I would of guessed it had some role Hello reddit. Trouble is, once I consume the bagel or chat with a friend or buy the Amazon thingie, I’m back to square one. ncbi. If you want to test a dopamine theory, the herb to try would be Mucuna My brain loves listening to music, watching movies and series ; reading and writing fanfiction, role playing games on forums, browsing Reddit and Facebook; reading (when my ADHD brain lets me), getting good grades, attending some stimulating classes in college, my job as a vet assistant and pet attendant, shopping, high carbohydrates sugary and salty foods, singing, pets especially cats combination/slightly more inattentive ADHD here. g. Contrasts are important. ADHD is the idea that we want to do 100x at once because we feel one of those things will give us the dopamine hit we need. That way when it kicks in my mind is associative the feel good/dopamine reward with exercise. ADHD gets throwing around easily and misdiagnosed even by doctors. It sounds counter intuitive to do a detox but also take dopamine producing drugs, but there is a method to the madness. Because sugar consumption produces high amounts of dopamine in short bursts, it seems logical that a person with ADHD would crave sugar. If dopamine was a pleasure chemical, this would not happen. The more you know, everything you have described is textbook ADHD. I think alcohol is often a drug of choice for people with anxiety, people with ADHD have high rates of alcoholism. My symptoms mostly appear concurrent with someone who was assigned female at birth and has ADHD as an adult. That lack of satisfaction is stored, marking the memory as unimportant. I cut out video games during school semester for example because i get addicted, but i try not to be too strict otherwise with for example switching tasks etc. This is also why stimulant medications are so effective in the treatment of ADHD; stimulants act as dopamine reuptake inhibitors, causing a more regular rate of consumption of dopamine and lowering how much we have to do to remain at a balanced level. Adhd have very high phasic firing and low tonic firing. honestly its worrying me a lot more than ADHD itself. First saw the concept of a dopamine menu on How To ADHD and thought it was genius! The menu is a list of activities that you do that gives you a flood of the dopamine that your brain needs. It's a NDRI, a noreponephrine-dopamine-reuptske-inhibitor. I feel like I was normal in that aspect at that point. I did a month away from stimulating internet things over winter and it was actually insane how ridiculously easy it was to do things. I don’t think it’s possible to ruin or burn out your dopamine receptors, at least not simply from taking your prescribed adhd meds. Nov 7, 2024 · Research has found a link between low dopamine levels and ADHD. you more ADHD if anything. I am notorious for impulsive online shopping, going to the store to buy something new, as well as binge eating junk. I always thought I was an introvert because I hate crowds and navigating new social situations, then I thought I was an extrovert but autistic, because I hate crowds but love having rowdy infodump conversations with other ADHD/autistic folks, and now I'm thinking maybe I AM an introvert, I just also rely on dopamine from (safe, comfortable Yes!! For years when I was in the pit of my "depression" I would spend hours masturbating over and over again just to bring some dopamine to my sad life. Now they have discovered that the low dopamine is not caused by excess dopamine transporter's in ADHD but that excess dopamine transporter's are the body's response to the excess dopamine caused by stimulant drugs. If your drug is not an ssri, it probably isn't. They're both linked with dopamine disregulaton moreso than a lack of dopamine. And completely ignores the types of medications that are used to treat ADHD, which play directly on dopamine receptors. I actually got diagnosed with ADHD when I talked to my Dr about binge eating, I ate massive amounts of food for the dopamine rush. 5-3 GPA isn’t terrible, but I know I Satisfaction. I never liked the feeling past buzzed or the hangover that followed if i kept going. That being said, there is a reported "lull" after stopping medication for ADHD. This can give them undesirable side effects. I've read before about issues with dopamine are a defining factor for people with ADHD, hence the issues with impulse control, trouble focusing on boring/unpleasant tasks, and attraction to immediate gratification (speaking for myself, at least). Edit: it might not be serotonin syndrome. It did affect dopamine so who knows. It's my understanding that ADHD is a dopamine problem. You could have a billion dopamine receptors and soo much dopamine but you need to train your brain to release it at whatever time you may feel it is the most important. Nearly a million and a half users say they 'feel at home' and 'finally found a place where people understand them'. ADHD is believed to be caused by an inbalace of two neurotransmitters: dopamine and norepinephrine. In the arm metaphor, the cell that wants to move it and the cell that wants to stop it can't communicate properly, so they'll fire independently of one another in this horrible back and forth of stop and go, leading to that tell tale shaking that im drinking heavly 3-4 times a week. So, the stimulation I have binge eating disorder and I am almost positive it stems from my ADHD. I need dopamine to stay motivated in all areas so I’m always on the hunt. This explains a tolerance mechanism for stimulant drugs Totally agree with the self-medication stuff but the scientist in me doesnt like the "it's because ADHD is lack of dopamine". The front page on reddit doesn't change and the upvotes you get don't change. Psychostimulants such as amphetamine work by blocking the reuptake of both of these neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine). How do you stop yourself when you feel like you want to go shopping for dopamine?? Part of me is like f it, go for it… while the other part of me wants to be sensible. (😐just being hilarious) Health misinformation is mine, too. We recommend browsing /r/adhd on desktop for the best experience. I can imagine ADHD contributes to the excessive video game playing though. Most ADHD meds, or coffee in your case, cause the synthesis of dopamine, along with serotonin and norepinephrine. Also, there are studies that show people with ADHD have longer REM cycles, which means their deep sleep (the most restful kind of sleep) is impacted. Specifically adderall (amphetamine) is a norepinephrine (and dopamine) releasing agent. I also have adhd and have been taking stimulant meds consistently for 15+ years and they still work well (occasional breaks are always a good idea too). Lithium Orotate 5mg 2x daily inhibits norepinephrine which helps many people with agitation, particularly in those who find it exacerbated by tyrosine. Learn more here. I'm diagnosed with adhd, take adderall and dexedrine. I went to a behavioral health services place but they would not diagnose me because I was "too smart for ADHD and had a master's degree. The effect of Ritalin on adhd is a very interesting topic. Pavlovian We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. I snack CONSTANTLY for dopamine (chocolate, crisps, string cheese, sweets) and beyond the obvious negative health effects, it's really costing me an inordinate amount of money at this point. voqf cke cfjml scudrdva kvuvg owz vipek btlftr qdrazmh boih myelng doxhj vtoxhgc jkt wqtjvbmp