Can you really “hack” your dopamine?
Episode description
Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she investigates the rise of women recently diagnosed with ADHD. Listen to Climbing the Walls now.
It often seems that the more complex a subject is, the more people tend to oversimplify it.
If your social media feeds are anything like mine, that’s definitely the case. Especially when it comes to science.
One of those often-oversimplified things is dopamine. This neurotransmitter, or brain chemical, has become a target for catchy headlines promising new ways to “hack your dopamine.” Seriously. If you don’t believe me, type in “dopamine hacks” on YouTube and enjoy the endless scroll.
This week on Hyperfocus, we take a deep dopamine dive with psychologist Dr. Ari Tuckman and sort out fact from fiction.
Related resources
- How I beat my social media habit (and how you can too)
- Tips from an ADHD Coach: Is it love or is it dopamine?
- Attention: How it’s different from working memory
Timestamps
(3:01) What is dopamine?
(8:48) How do dopamine and ADHD relate?
(16:59) The truth behind dopamine “hacks”
(25:25) What a clinician wishes we knew
For a transcript and more resources, visit the Hyperfocus page on Understood.
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