Hi you all,
I just finished the book “Dopamine Nation” and I can really recommend it. Maybe not the central lecture I would build my sobriety around , but really interesting. It inspired me to start a 30d dopamine detox, living without any impulse that can trigger rapid dopamine like social media, streaming, fast food, pornography and suger, while of course keeping my sobriety of all the drugs and alcohol. I am almost 10 month into my sobriety and feel stable enough for an experiment like this. Hoping for a clearer head and more mental freedom.
I am happy to hear your experiences and opinios as the the content around the word “dopamine detox” feels a little less professional than many other sobriety related topics. Feel free to join in and I am looking forward to use this as my accountability block for the next 30 days 
I think it can only be beneficial. Sometimes I thought to myself ‘I dont use drugs now, so I should be allowed to eat as much chocolate as possible and be on instagram for hours’ but I believe this slowed down my recovery.
Many non-drug dopamine triggers can be fun of course and I think its okay to be compassionate with myself if I do indulge especially since the priority is still getting clean from drugs. I dont want to avoid these things completely except porn which like alcohol is not harmless to the brain in any amount. But fast food and social media I like to treat myself like small snacks sometimes.
I do want to do a 30 day detox too some day for sure . Keep us updated I find the topic very interesting and more people should at least be aware of the consequences of these fast dopamine fixes you mentioned
I’d like to do this too if I know what the rules are. Sounds like a good idea. I already don’t eat sugar because of all the books I’ve read by Dr. Robert Lusting. Genius, pure genius he is. Anyway, I’m in.
Sounds good, feel free to check in with me I haven’t read anything by Robert Lusting yet. And he wrote quite a few books. Are there 1 or 2 you can recommend as your favourites?
Oh absolutely!
Fat Chance, The Hacking of the American Mind, and Metabolical. (Pure, White, and Deadly also. He didn’t write it but it was very influential in his research.)
Life changing books. In the health realm if you’re interested I also strongly recommend the book Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bikman. Brilliant researcher and university professor. All these are essential reads I think when it comes to metabolic health which, many are now starting to believe, is the foundation of health and its dysfunction leads to many of the modern illnesses.
Tomorrow will be day 1 then?
No social media (except ST), no YouTube or Visual entertainment of any kind and no junk food- great!
Nice I will have a look at those, thank you! yes tomorrow is day one completed and exactly that is the plan
I have done this before and it is very beneficial.
It helps clear your head and your body.
You become more level headed and even and shall I say even smarter.
I started to comprehend things a lot better and your brain just improves overall.
That’s my experience.
Too much dopamine from anything isn’t good.
Interesting. Very curious what you all will experience throughout! 
I am easily bored, let alone when streaming is not allowed… I often don’t know what to do and I live alone… How do you deal with this? Social media is no issue for me, don’t have it anymore and don’t miss it either…
Oh boy, do I have things to tell you! I will at my check in. I gotta go do the rest of detox now 
Day 1- check
Ok, so day one is over. I got my main check in and this check in mixed up so everything about this day one is there, unfortunately, but that’s just for today. I’ll do it properly tomorrow, the check in here I mean. The focus will be to keep it short.
Just one thing is that I don’t think us newbies should attempt this before we have a firm hold over our sobriety because the number of things that one can run to when the cravings hit becomes very very small and I think that’s ill-advised. I had a bit of a struggle with that today but nothing I couldn’t manage with work, a good book, long posts here, and a drive. I will keep doing it because I felt good today but if at any point I feel like it’s jeopardizing my sobriety I will stop.
Good job Soli, also on prioritizing your sobriety 
As long that’s number one it’s safe to try this! I am curious how it will be for you tomorrow! Good luck and take care 
Sobriety is always the priority! But I am looking forward to ur next check ins Day 1 was alright for me. The things I realized was, that I unlocked my phone like 8-9 times that day just to put it back in my pocket, becouse there was nothing to do. The day felt longer. And ordering water instead of readbull when I went out with friends costed some focus.
Excellent results. My phone comes with screen time management built in and look at the terrible daily unlocking habits I have! I just checked after reading your post. It’s quite embarrassing:
Butfor Instagram since the detox it’s pretty good, I’m very pleased with it:
And I guess that’s my day 2 check in as well because the day’s almost over and I didn’t do any of the things. I’ve just been reading and will continue to do so for the remainder of the day.
This detox is great for the mind and I find it takes away from the rush and stress of social media and life in general. Makes time go slower and more peacefully, so yes, slow for me too, like you said.
Thank you! 
Day 3
An amazing thing is happening!
So, I normally spend quite a few hours a day on Instagram. I have a tendency to self isolate sometimes. Over the years many of my once robust relationships have been reduced to a series of reels on Instagram.m
Anyway, now that I have about a million hours a day extra, I’ve rediscovered phone calls. So, long story short, in the past 2 days I’ve spent a total of 7 hours on the phone. Turns out I’m not the hermit that I thought I was. Bit sad but what can you do.
I did have a moment after work when I thought I’d die of inconsolable sadness, utter despair, and irreparable heart break. When I thought the tidal waves of time would swallow me whole and all was darkness, but turns out I was just hungry. Fixed it with some chicken.
Overall, I’m rediscovering a way of life I didn’t know I’d lost. All I need now is to learn to make my own cheese and sausages.
I also found some ants. I gave them different foods to see what they’d take. They like chicken, cashew nuts, and pistachios but kind of panic when you put the sour cherry there. The big ones show up when you do that. I don’t think they like those. They’re like vacuum cleaners but kind of cute. In short, I did some ant watching. They’re very chill, I call them the A-team. A for ant.
Day 3: check
rimshot.
Watching ants, sounds very grounded and peaceful, and a little boring too 
guess you doing a good job
Check in day 3 completed:
- spend time doing basically nothing, walking around the streets and chilling on my bed. Guess I usually dont feel boredom, I just do something else, mainly involving social media or streaming
- felt some sugar cravings and had some sensless phone unlocking, but so far I am happy with the challange
I guess now we know why people back in the day would write entire books about the shapes of snowflakes and beehives. There’s not much else to do in life but to look at stuff and say things about them.
It’s why Thoreau went to Walden Pond, “to live deliberately.”*
*Yes, I know Thoreau’s cabin was a stone’s throw from Concord and that he wore out his welcome sponging dinners at Emerson’s house.