Addiction and You Part 5
So far in this series we’ve covered why the common addictive substances and activities are actually addictive, the damage they do to our brain and mental health and why, and how, to complete a dopamine fast. In this final post I will discuss what to do when your dopamine fast is over.
How do you know if your fast has been successful, or if you should finish? At the start of the fast you may find it difficult and feel a pull, a craving and desire, for some of the things you have given up. This is dopamine at work. It is used to regularly being released at a certain volume and your tolerance is high. As you start the fast, the dopamine you are releasing is very low compared to what you are used to and this will make you crave the things that you have trained your body to use for dopamine. However, over time, your sensitivity to dopamine will increase and you will no longer need the activities that release high amounts of dopamine to feel pleasure. When you notice you no longer crave sugary foods, or TV, or social media etc, this is when you have gained control back from addiction. This may happen at the end of week 2, but keep going for the month, or this may happen at week 5. When you start to feel this may, make sure you give yourself two weeks after to consolidate the change.
When this happens, things that you used to consider dull, you may feel now are pleasureful. Such as going out for a walk or a run, talking with family or friends, playing games, learning a new hobby. All these things, which before were no replacement for your addiction, will now feel enjoyable. You have learnt that pleasure shouldn’t be instant, but should be something to work for. In fact, pleasure and positive emotion come in the process of working towards something, as opposed to only in the achievement at the end.
When you have finished your fast, it is important to be careful and considerate when reintroducing the things, you removed from your life. You have created new habits, but you can still fall back into old ones. So introduce them back to fit in with your new habits. If you are going to bring social media back into your life, maybe give yourself thirty minutes in the day to do so, and not first thing in the morning or last thing at night. If you are going to bring back in some processed foods, make sure your diet is still a majority healthy foods. Make sure, ultimately, that you are in control and notice any cravings as a sign that that control may be waning.
Most of all, best of luck! To gain back control over addiction, is to gain back control over your future; certainly, something worth sacrificing for.
If you require any further advice then please send me an email, message or comment on these posts on social media and I will get in touch.