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

Hard work is its own reward.  Recite the mantra.

Answer 2

Fascinating information.
It aligns with my own personal experience.
The discomfort and frustration felt when enduring failure is always soothed and eclipsed when you achieve success.
Perhaps that is why failure has always been my greatest teacher.

Answer 3

Huberman is an incredible asset to all humans who will actively listen and work for change.

Answer 4

Straight up. I spent most of my life in the belief that the cheif good is pleasure, and everything I do should be in the pursuit of it. As you would imagine, it started out super fun, then ended up with me as a homeless meth and heroin addict.

I did a huge 180 on that and started following Jordan Peterson's philosophy, setting meaning and responsibility as priorities. Very quickly my life began to improve drastically.

Recently I've been going even further and voluntarily subjective myself to discomfort and suffering via meditation, yoga, exercise, cold showers, etc. That's been incredible.

After a morning of yoga, breathing exercises, a run/workout, and a cold shower it literally feels like a did a little shot of IV cocaine...except instead of crashing and wanting to die 15 minutes later, I feel great for hours!

Comments

This comment should be pinned! This is amazing. What an incredible example of how this works, and I’m so very happy for you—and how blessed are your loved ones as well. ❤️

Answer 5

HUBERMAN IS MY CRUSH

Answer 6

There's a lot of wisdom here, and it makes a lot of sense intuitively. Expending effort even in a small way towards a good goal will lead to more genuine and enduring psychological rewards.

It's possible to experience satisfaction and pleasure with little effort as most of us know, but how long or how deeply can it satisfy us??? Clearly it wears off quickly no wonder we seek more and more of it, it's like the emotional or mental equivalent of junk food.

Clearly our psyches value the rewards most that come from a certain unit of effort expended to get there. And it makes sense, most things worth having in life take at least some effort to achieve. Overcoming that challenge, even if it's a small one, like just getting all your errands done for the day can bring us fantastic and fulfilling senses of reward. We've all experienced this.

Great video! I feel like I learned a lot, but already had awareness of this on an inner level.

Answer 7

This makes so much sense. Every night, between midnight and 3 am, i experience a mild anxiety attack. And immediately after the anxiety subsides, my body feels absolutely blissful.

Answer 8

I've learned how to increase my dopamine levels through special breathing practice and visualization I work with and Andrew is right...I have so much more motivation now.   I also do a heart-brain coherence and gratitude work along with dopamine release practice  and my life is even more amazing than ever now.  This video is gold!!!

Comments

Any video recommendations for the breathing practice, visualization, or heart-brain coherence?

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Wim Hoff

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Certainly I have several on my channel which I'd be happy to share or you're welcome to check out the channel, I also have several on breathwork and related spiritual topics.  If you like also check out Joe Dispenza or Gregg Braden, they are more advanced teachers than myself and have excellent techniques and of course Heartmath Institute who I believe coined the practice "Heart-Brain Coherence" is a great resource.  Namaste

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Ah yes, The Iceman!  Great suggestion!

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thanks for the suggestions! Checking out your channel now. Cheers

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Namaste

Answer 9

A workout of any kind. The gym, running, bicycling, any cardio or anaerobic exercise. Perfect for this. Do it.

Answer 10

IMO this is my favorite after skool video. Could we get a part 2 with Dr. Huberman plz  : )

Comments

Absolutely!

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Can you explain why? What did you gather from this video?

Answer 11

I ever come across the proverb before 'Happiness is a journey, but not the Destination ', but can not understand that. The program is insightful. if we stop pursuits,  we will become unhappy. pursuit is an endless journey.

Answer 12

Wonderful video. I love the graphics and the way you used them to illustrate this so very very important message. Thank you for such great work Dr. Huberman.  You are helping so many of us out here on YouTube who are struggling with understanding our detrimental behaviors and how to make positive changes.  May you always be blessed. Thank you!

Answer 13

I love comfort... I can see how easy it is to become addicted to comfort. My motivation has definitely suffered. Excellent explanations and advice. Thank you to all who worked on this video.

Answer 14

Thank you for all the effort for these videos. They are amazingly helpful, more than traditional schools

Answer 15

The effort you have put into the art work here is next level - they look amazing. Thk you.

Answer 16

Thank God this channel condensed a 2 hour talk into 11 minutes!!!

Answer 17

I know no one will see it, but still. I was in a situation where I was literally obsessed with the fact that I have ADHD, I could not focus on anything for a second, it seemed that tons of coffee were the only thing that relieved the condition for a short time. I also had very poor sleep, as if I could not physically force myself to sleep even when I was very tired. It was the most terrible period in my life, I turned to psychotherapists, but Aderall and the like are prohibited in my country, as a result, I was prescribed antidepressants, but they did not help me. Then, gradually, distracting every 5 seconds, I began to study the literature on dopamine, I highly recommend Dopamine Nation from Anna Lembke. Now I'm literally 100 times more focused with no medication at all, I was just at the pinnacle of pursuing quick pleasures. It breaks my heart that so many people think they have ADHD when they don't. And I understand why they don't believe when I was obsessed with this idea and ADHD was convenient and would seem to be the only reason why I would balk, if someone told me it was because of the abuse I would say that they went crazy and nothing do not understand.

Comments

Thank you for the book suggestion!!

Answer 18

6:45 - Enlightenment is the euphoric Eureka moment of noticing or discovering something or information that you know is is going to be helpful to you mentally & “spiritually”, that you can utilize for the rest of your life. & also that you feel like other should experience this something or information. It usually hit spontaneously

Answer 19

I’m not a big commenter, but man this video was incredible! I love content like this. I genuinely think videos like this make the world a better place.

Answer 20

Wow. I've been taking a series or pain killers for my back for a few years now and things where not too bad for a while but now nothing feels pleasurable. This video is incredible insightful.