What effect does dopamine have on motivation and craving?

Question

Dopamine is often described as the agent primarily responsible for motivation, pleasure, and craving. These claims cannot be rejected. However, theories posit that there have been necessary modifications in the understanding of functioning of dopaminergic system. For example, scientists have increasingly emphasized that dopamine is really more than “reward” –maybe it is better to say, it’s something completely different. Quite recently one of the leading theorists of dopaminergic activity proposed a new and simple explanation of how dopamine works, which basically says the following: Do not touch that!... Want crops or they've won!

Answer 1

I needed this video so much at this moment in time. I read and watch tons, but this clicked for me as a needed wake-up call where nothing else quite worked to break through for me. Huge thanks ☀️

Comments

That's great news! Good luck on your journey my friend

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Be like a child who asks why and how and follow the truth always.

Answer 2

This is one of the best videos i have ever seen. really eye opening. I'm really struggling with low dopamine while trying to work and thought adhd meds might be the only way out, but maybe i can actually train myself to receive deopamine naturally. gonna start trying immediately.

Answer 3

Main idea (in my opinion): Dopamine is whats driving us to pursue pleasures, so just increasing dopamine is going to make us want pleasures which also include bad habits.
But theres another element to this equation, and it is to change our subjective interpretation as pleasure for the experiences that we want to engage in more often (exercise, productive work etc…) so only having a high baseline of dopamine will make us more motivated to engage with ANYTHING pleasurable but to make sure that we engage only with the health habits we need to also work on our subjective mind

Comments

so what increases the dopamine if it is not the reward ?

Answer 4

I'm 22 years old this video is very useful for me. I just lost my job as a junior software developer working for a big company and so this came at just the right time.

Answer 5

In an age teeming with distractions, this video poignantly underscores the invaluable lesson that true fulfillment lies not in ephemeral pleasures but in embracing the often overlooked beauty of the journey. As we navigate a world rife with overstimulation, it becomes ever more crucial to channel our energies into meaningful pursuits—transforming the inevitable pain of discipline into a driving force rather than succumbing to the regret of inaction. The insights shared here remind us that dopamine isn't just a reward; it's a call to action, a motivator to pursue and cherish every moment we invest in ourselves and our passions. To everyone watching, remember: the pursuit itself is the reward. Embrace challenges as opportunities, and let every step forward fuel your journey towards personal and collective growth. Thank you, After Skool, for not just enlightening us, but for empowering us to transform knowledge into action.

Answer 6

This intelligent and sincere Sir Huberman has helped me more since Feb 2023 than all 25+ Doctors /Neuro in Sweden for the last 15 years (They love presscibe SSRI for everything and sadly it gave me Bipolar II after 3 weeks combined with ADHD.

Always Thankful and I wished more doctors ect could be competent as Andrew. Blessings!

Answer 7

This was really good. I loved everything he said and your art references were spectacular. Thank you.

Comments

Adam bro, I love you

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Adam is here

Answer 8

YouTube is one of the only places you can leave from exploring the Atlantic ocean , Sahara desert watch news a documentary then and entertaining view of the big bang challenge you got to love it....

Answer 9

1:00 2:59 5:34 <3 motivation is everything
7:19 adhd >> self regulate
8:38 search pain, not pleasure
[do as much as painful things] >> pain evokes dopamine after the pain is over

Answer 10

“Addiction is a progressive narrowing of the things that bring you pleasure” is a bar

Answer 11

I was really struggling to get my head into work just now, a recurring problem. And I thought, my goodness, I need some dopamine. This just seems impossible to focus on right now. While I probably shouldn't have looked to my phone to fill this void, I must have fortunately put in the right key words because they led me here. The struggle, after the pain passes, is what creates the dopamine?! Oh man. I gotta put this shit where I can see it every day. Struggling is so much more bearable with that in mind.

Answer 12

This is totally checks out with my experience. I do have ADHD and depression, and for me personally, medication has been the game changer that has helped me get past the constant low. It doesn’t stop depression, but it clears the fog, and has changed my life- I know that’s not true for everyone.

The power of this video for me is connecting now with the  reason I I create these seemingly insurmountable goals. I love the process rather than the destination. In fact achieving something so completely usually makes me depressed, as weird as that sounds. If I can have checkboxes along the way to a difficult task I always feel like I accomplished something, and that is a huge factor in my motivation and happiness on a day to day basis.

The trick is getting everyone else in my life to understand that it’s okay to have long term goals that take time. Good stuff, thanks for
Sharing your knowledge!

Comments

Check sapien medicine it helps and has no side effects
Has depression video full reversal

Answer 13

This stuff is so so good. It’s not any new age bs but hard cold facts. But I like referring to it less as “pain” unless we are talking emotional pain and more “getting out of our comfort zones” . The greatest pleasure does come after the struggle with something that resists us. I learned that if one can see things as challenges instead of obstacles, healthy dopamine release is freely available every day

Comments

Well said !

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I cause myself emotional pain on purpose why do you think?

Answer 14

Remember one Alan Watts Video you guys did  I've forgotten the title.. "Why you shouldn't pursue pleasure".. This video relates to it just perfectly.

To me, that's one of the most enlightening Alan Watts Video I've ever watched on YouTube.

It's really amazing how the wisdom of the past, which was discussed philosophically is gradually being stumbled upon by modern day scientific discoveries especially in neuroscience and psychology..

The wise ones have been echoing this fact since the time past which is - Pleasure is meaningless without pain, just like every other dual processes of life ☯️.. They need each other for balance.

Great great video by the way

Answer 15

I think what is spoken about in this video, this is the key to what we all want and need right now.

Answer 16

So good! I will be sharing this video and returning to it whenever I forget that THE PERSUIT IS THE REWARD!  I took up a habit of walking every day in 2022, while I haven't bene perfect at this, I feel SO much better and even getting myself to do other forms ofexerscise is easier!  Clearly, the routine exercise is increasing my motivation and its the best kind of compounding interest.  Thanks again!

Comments

Neuro mag. For pain and anxiety is great.

Answer 17

thanx. i coach people with adhd and i am an advocate for non medical treatment of adhd kids. i tried to explain always how important bodymovement is. now i have the scientific explanation.

Answer 18

Almost as if on cue. Thank you. What a brilliant understanding that's given me the motivation I was absolutely missing due to having so much "free" time.

Answer 19

6:00 The Cave by Plato is a good reference to what Andrew is saying because to reach enlightenment/better life involves experience pain/discomfort of some form. Hence why he says pleasure without requirement is bad for use because then you won't actually be motivated to have a better life.

Answer 20

I fully believe that during the time we were locked down during the pandemic, that many people got caught in pursuing pleasures in this way, and so now are addicted and are having trouble getting back to work. And that’s one reason we have a work force shortage issue right now…..and a depression issue as well.
I got sick for 3 weeks and resorted to YouTube videos to help me get through. I’ve been working my way out of this pursuit of pleasures for a couple of weeks now. It’s not easy to get out, and refocus, once it begins. It hurts actually.
I hope that more and more people can find their way out of social media addiction that’s so easy to pursue these days. Sometimes to me it feels that forces want us addicted in this way  But no matter, it’s our responsibility to not fall in line. My love to us all ☘️

Comments

this is the absolute and utter truth...

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Same! Thanks for sharing! Have several failed restarts under my belt to refire up healthy pain/reward loops.

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Maybe for some. But people not being able to put down their phones is also happening.
How did people learn their worth by getting paid to stay home?