Here is a short video on dopamine fasting; What it is, how it's done, and why you should take the challenge.
For those who can't watch the video, here's the long and short of it:
Just like drugs stimulate a dopamine release (the "pleasure" or "reward" chemical in our brains), so too will a variety of other stimuli, e.g. social media, YouTube, TV, sex/masturbation, eating carbs/sugar, listening to music, playing games, reading (action-faking), etc.
The idea behind the "dopamine fast" is just what it sounds like - for 24 hours you will not do anything except for self-reflection, writing down your thoughts/goals, and going for a walk outside.
Even eating is forbidden, although if you absolutely must eat, stick with only one high-fat/moderate-protein meal for lunch, something very basic, like steak & eggs.
This will unearth your innermost thoughts, thoughts you might usually drown out with a quick fix of dopamine.
Our brains are super lazy. They want instant gratification, and in our modern world we are drowning in sources of it.
These sources of instant gratification cover up what we really feel, deep down.
By removing all of these sources of dopamine, you will be better able to understand what it is you're really feeling underneath it all.
Since New Years' is coming up, *Hardmode* is completing the dopamine fast challenge on New Years' Eve, while everyone else is out partying and having fun.
If you accept the challenge, please comment that you do, and we will all update this thread with our results and how it affected us.
Thanks for reading!
The Challenge:
*Full 24 hour commitment, from waking up to falling asleep (~16-17 waking hours)
*Goal is to have as little fun as possible
*No food or drink, except water
*No phone, except emergencies
*No internet
*No watching videos
*No sex/masturbation
*No substances/drugs (of ANY kind)
*No games, music, or reading of any kind
*No talking to friends/family, except emergencies or for urgent work-related matters
HARDMODE: Complete the challenge on New Years' Eve
What is allowed:
*Self-reflection
*Going for a walk outside
*Writing
Goal of the fast:
Remove all distracting pleasurable activities and force your mind to unearth any inner pains.
Spend a few hours with these writing prompts:
*Do I feel any discomfort today, emotionally or physically? Describe the discomforts you are feeling.
*What actions have I been taking to cause these discomforts?
*What actions can I take tomorrow to fix them?
*What would my life be like in a few years if I fully commit to taking these actions to remove these sources of discomfort? (Be as descriptive as possible)
Don't feel like you have to share your responses to these prompts with the community, these are purely for yourself. Please feel free to share your general experiences.
For those who can't watch the video, here's the long and short of it:
Just like drugs stimulate a dopamine release (the "pleasure" or "reward" chemical in our brains), so too will a variety of other stimuli, e.g. social media, YouTube, TV, sex/masturbation, eating carbs/sugar, listening to music, playing games, reading (action-faking), etc.
The idea behind the "dopamine fast" is just what it sounds like - for 24 hours you will not do anything except for self-reflection, writing down your thoughts/goals, and going for a walk outside.
Even eating is forbidden, although if you absolutely must eat, stick with only one high-fat/moderate-protein meal for lunch, something very basic, like steak & eggs.
This will unearth your innermost thoughts, thoughts you might usually drown out with a quick fix of dopamine.
Our brains are super lazy. They want instant gratification, and in our modern world we are drowning in sources of it.
These sources of instant gratification cover up what we really feel, deep down.
By removing all of these sources of dopamine, you will be better able to understand what it is you're really feeling underneath it all.
Since New Years' is coming up, *Hardmode* is completing the dopamine fast challenge on New Years' Eve, while everyone else is out partying and having fun.
If you accept the challenge, please comment that you do, and we will all update this thread with our results and how it affected us.
Thanks for reading!
The Challenge:
*Full 24 hour commitment, from waking up to falling asleep (~16-17 waking hours)
*Goal is to have as little fun as possible
*No food or drink, except water
*No phone, except emergencies
*No internet
*No watching videos
*No sex/masturbation
*No substances/drugs (of ANY kind)
*No games, music, or reading of any kind
*No talking to friends/family, except emergencies or for urgent work-related matters
HARDMODE: Complete the challenge on New Years' Eve
What is allowed:
*Self-reflection
*Going for a walk outside
*Writing
Goal of the fast:
Remove all distracting pleasurable activities and force your mind to unearth any inner pains.
Spend a few hours with these writing prompts:
*Do I feel any discomfort today, emotionally or physically? Describe the discomforts you are feeling.
*What actions have I been taking to cause these discomforts?
*What actions can I take tomorrow to fix them?
*What would my life be like in a few years if I fully commit to taking these actions to remove these sources of discomfort? (Be as descriptive as possible)
Don't feel like you have to share your responses to these prompts with the community, these are purely for yourself. Please feel free to share your general experiences.
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