Contrary to popular belief, dopamine is not just the brain's way of rewarding us for activities that bring us pleasure. Rather, it plays a crucial role in increasing motivation and our desire for certain things. It is the anticipation of a reward, not the reward itself, that triggers the release of dopamine. It essentially spurs us to seek out potential rewards that lead to pleasure.

However, the advent of smartphones, social media, and internet pornography has made it all too easy for us to indulge in activities that release dopamine at any time. For example, scrolling through social media or watching pornography activates our brain's reward system and floods us with dopamine. Unfortunately, this constant stream of dopamine can have negative consequences.

Over time, the brain adapts to this flood of dopamine and reduces the number of dopamine receptors, leading to a deadening of previously pleasurable activities. This leads to a cycle in which we always look for new, more extreme activities to feel the same dopamine rush. Comparable to the regular consumption of alcohol, the body also builds up resistance here, which leads to us having to drink more to feel drunk. Back to dopamine: the brain does not distinguish between good and bad sources of dopamine, which can lead to possible addiction and negative symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and drug abuse.

In summary, dopamine is a powerful driver that makes us seek rewards that lead to pleasure. However, overexposure to high dopamine activities can have a detrimental effect on our mental health and well-being. It is therefore important to be aware of dopamine intake and to pursue activities that promote a healthy balance between activities that release high and low dopamine.

If you suffer from one or more of these symptoms (lethargy, anxiety, depression) and suspect that dopamine dependence is the cause, we recommend seeking professional help. You can anonymously contact the hotline of the German telephone counseling service at "0800-1110111" for support.