If you are like many people, you can feel energyless and needing motivation to move on, the dopamine menu comes into play, or what we call “dopameu.” This personalized activities menu is designed to release a dose of dopamine to your system.
Dopamine is a crucial neurotransmitter involved in the reward system of our brain. It plays a central role in motivation as well as executive function (which includes attention, decision making, multitasking and planning), movement and emotional regulation.
The dopameu is “a kind of creative design combined with a list of strategies to use,” said Eric Teric, a licensed clinical social worker, recently to the corresponding chief doctor of CNN Sanjay Gupta, in his podcast “Chasing Life”. “In a way, it’s like a part of a self -care plan.”
Haful, who co-cried dopameu, is a coach specializing in attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity (ADHD) and podcast host “Adhd Rewired”. ADHD is a neurodevelopment disorder associated with an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters – including dopamine – leading to problems such as inattention, impulsivity and low executive function. ADHD can have comprehensive impacts on all aspects of life, including academic life, personal relationships, professional success and even daily functioning.
Haful, who advises people with ADHD and autistic spectrum disorder, know what he says – he also has ADHD diagnosis.
Speaking about people with ADHD, Tés explained: “Part of what happens is that our brain does not inhibit stimuli very well, and many of these stimuli can be internal. Random thoughts seem to emerge in the most inopportune moments. And since we have difficulty prioritizing, our brain does not diminish its focus on other stimuli, whether internal or external. ”
These differences in brain processing between people with and without ADHD also extend to motivation, he said. “Often, when people think of motivation, they think of it as a trait of character,” he said. “And motivation is dopamine, right? It is neurological ”.
“People with ADHD have a nervous system based on interest, while most people have an importance -based nervous system – it is important, so prioritize it and do that. For people with ADHD and other neurodivergent people, because we have this nervous system based on interest, it’s super hard to do the boring thing. ”
To help break boredom and start an action, have developed the idea of a dopamine menu, a personalized menu of small satisfactory activities designed to increase focus, motivation and well-being, which people can turn to, in the moment, to find relief.
A dopameu is useful not only for people with ADHD, added to have, but also for a number of other conditions, such as depression or seasonal affective disorder (TAS), where low dopamine is a factor. It is useful even if you are a normie, or neurotypic.
“We people with ADHD need to use these strategies, but these are often great strategies for everyone,” said Tés.
What do you need to know about creating and using your own dopameu? Have these five tips.
Create your dopameu before you need it
It’s the same principle of making a list before going to the supermarket and not going when you’re hungry, said TerS.
“When we are bored, when we are underestimated, when we are feeling a little down, this is not the moment we want to think, ‘What can I do to raise my spirit or my mood?’” He said.
People can prepare in advance to have ideas “we can turn to, so we don’t have to create these ideas at the moment we really need them.”
Without preparation, many of us resort to mobile phones when we are not encouraged, said Tés, which is like taking a chocolate bar instead of a substantial meal when we are hungry. “You will probably feel worse than before,” he added.
Professional Tip: Put the list where you can see it easily, as in the refrigerator or in the bathroom mirror.
Choose activities that make sense for you
Your “dopameu” is unique to your interests and your lifestyle. Consider items such as conscious movement (such as a walk in the block, a music dance party, a bicycle ride), creative activities, social connections, new experiences and rest and recovery (a short nap or a relaxing bath, for example) .
If you have few ideas, have it recommends a quick google search for “dopameu” to arouse your creativity. “I think what surprised me most is how many people over the internet created their menus and posted them online,” he said.
Although you can organize your dopameu any way you want, the idea is to organize it as a restaurant menu. Think in terms of:
- Main dishes – “Things that can take more time, demand scheduling or something you can get involved in a longer period”
- Specials – “Something that is not always accessible” (like going to a show or taking a trip)
- And in small quantities, desserts – “anything that is recreated intoxicating, whether alcohol, screen scroll … or watching two episodes of a series on Netflix.” But he warns that, just as you can order a slice of cake as dessert after dinner, you should not eat the entire cake.
Some people even add a cost to each item, noted to have, based on real costs or opportunity costs; Some also classify the items (five -star system or five peppers) based on how much dopamine will provide. Costs and classifications are completely customizable, based on what is important to you. Additional refinements include making different dopamenus based on location (work vs. home) or seasonality (winter activities vs. summer).
And remember: a dopameu is a living document that can and may be constantly updated as you and your life change.
Try it with time
When you choose to resort to your dopameu it will depend on… you!
“I would say that (when you turn to it) is very much based on the individual,” said Tés, who noticed that he likes to access his dopameu early in the morning with a workout, because he prepares him well for the day.
“But you need to try it,” he said, noting that some people want a large dose of dopamine in the morning, others prefer a night dose before bed to relax. “Or you can distribute it throughout the day because, maybe after an hour or two of work, your brain is kind of trying to do anything other than what you really need to be doing, right? So maybe you need more… regular stimuli, ”he said.
Look for standards
You can resort to your dopamenu whenever necessary, but be aware of behavioral standards.
“I know that, for me, my seasonal affective disorder… around February, March, it definitely affects me. So I have in my calendar, starting at the end of the fall, to start increasing the intensity of exercise to help counterbalance the cycles of simply living in the Chicago region, where you don’t get too much sunlight in winter, ”he said.
Can you overdo it?
“What is that expression? All in moderation, including moderation, ”said Tés. “Because if you are sitting all day trying to regulate yourself, and this is consuming you every day, I would say it’s probably a good time to start talking to a therapist or psychiatrist if you really need so much support for regulation. ”
Have fun: a dopameu is a low risk bet
The first dopameu you do may not be perfect (or may not be for you), but that’s okay because creating one is a learning experience.
“I think anything we do with the goal of improving life is an experiment,” said Tés. “It’s simply embracing the idea of living life in beta mode – just try and see what happens.”
He said the worst that could happen is that you waste some time doing “a super amazing and beautiful dopameu” that you will never look again.
“But I think any problem you are trying to solve if not – in quotes – working in the first attempt doesn’t mean it doesn’t work,” he said. “Adjust, try different things, try, address different angles.”
Ultimately, dopameu is a tool to serve you.,
Was this content originally published in without energy? See five tips for creating a dopamine routine on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil

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