Having too much dopamine — or too much dopamine concentrated in some parts of the brain and not enough in other parts — is linked to being more competitive, aggressive and having poor impulse control. It can lead to conditions that include ADHD, binge eating, addiction and gambling.
The "seeking" brain chemical
It was thought that dopamine makes you feel enjoyment and pleasure, thereby motivating you to seek out certain behaviors, such as food, sex, and drugs.
High dopamine symptoms include anxiety, excessive energy, insomnia, and hallucinations. Low dopamine levels are associated with brain fog, mood swings, and muscle spasms. This article discusses dopamine and dopamine-related disorders.
Low dopamine symptoms can include a lack of enthusiasm for things you usually enjoy and are interested in. Plus, having low dopamine may have a low sex drive. You may also experience physical troubles such as insomnia, tremors, muscle spasms, stiffness, and difficulty moving.
People with ADHD have at least one defective gene, the DRD2 gene that makes it difficult for neurons to respond to dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is involved in feelings of pleasure and the regulation of attention.
High Versus Low Dopamine Activities
Examples are working out, doing chores, playing an instrument, drawing, taking a shower, or having a conversation. Low dopamine activities done on a screen also take time and are usually productive, such as writing a paper, creating a Power Point, or using Photoshop.
Lots of things can stimulate dopamine like sex, exercise, the nicotine in cigarettes, and recreational drugs like heroine or cocaine.
High levels of dopamine caused by drinking, drugs, gambling, playing video games, or using social media can trigger dopamine's excitatory effects. This “excitement” motivates us to continue the activity, which can eventually lead to addiction.
Dopamine Can Reward Unhealthy Behaviors
Other potentially harmful activities, including social media use, drug use, alcohol use, playing video games, gambling, and the consumption of comfort foods can also trigger large releases of dopamine.
It's also possible to have too much dopamine. Effects of overly high dopamine levels include high libido, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, increased energy, mania, stress, and improved ability to focus and learn, among others.
A dopamine imbalance can cause depression symptoms, such as apathy and feelings of hopelessness, while a serotonin imbalance can affect the processing of emotions.
Dopamine: Often called the "happy hormone," dopamine results in feelings of well-being. A primary driver of the brain's reward system, it spikes when we experience something pleasurable. Praised on the job? You'll get a dopamine hit.
Indeed, ADHD brains struggle to sustain motivation when rewards are mild or are linked to long-term gratification. As a result, ADHD brains search for stimulation that can increase dopamine more quickly and intensely. Ultimately, the pursuit of pleasurable rewards may become a potent form of self-medication.
Dopamine can provide an intense feeling of reward. Dopamine is most notably involved in helping us feel pleasure as part of the brain's reward system. Sex, shopping, smelling cookies baking in the oven — all these things can trigger dopamine release, or a "dopamine rush."
It's a constant struggle to keep your brain balanced with just enough—but not too much—of that good feeling. Since ADHDers have less dopamine1, they may find themselves seeking out anything and everything that might make them feel good. This is called “dopamine-seeking behavior”.
When there isn't enough of it in your system, the lack of it can make you feel lazy or unmotivated. Or if there's too much of it over a long period of time, induced by external factors such as food and social media, it can make you feel lethargic and couch potato-y.
Other problems associated with dopamine deficiency are fatigue, forgetfulness, obesity, trouble concentrating and difficulty in completing tasks. On the other side, excess dopamine is also bad as too much is associated with schizophrenia and psychosis.
The traditional antipsychotic or antiemetic drugs, also called neuroleptics, block dopamine receptors and are sometimes used to treat the various hyperkinetic movement disorders. However, these drugs carry the risk of tardive dyskinesia and, therefore, are not appropriate for the chronic therapy of movement disorders.
Dopamine makes you feel happy and motivated. It's responsible for the pleasurable feelings you experience when you do a rewarding activity, like hug a loved one or eat a piece of chocolate. That's why it's sometimes referred to as the “happy hormone” or the “feel-good chemical.”
Caffeine also increases dopamine levels -- the neurotransmitter that is affected by drugs like amphetamines and heroin. Although this occurs on a much smaller scale than seen in other drugs, this may attribute to caffeine's addictive quality.
Binge Watching Is Like a Drug
Who knew binge watching your favorite series could produce a "high?" It's true. When you're engaged in an activity you enjoy, your brain produces dopamine — a chemical that promotes feelings of pleasure, excitement and happiness.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can cause attention difficulties, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Research suggests that imbalances of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, and structural changes in the brain may play a role in the development of this condition.
Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do. People with ADHD do think differently though, in a sense.