What Is Dopamine?
If you have ADHD, it’s important to understand how dopamine works in your brain. Low dopamine can make it hard to focus, stay motivated, or break out of habits that repeat.
What Dopamine Does in the Brain
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. This means it helps your brain cells (called neurons) send messages to each other. Your brain has a system that works kind of like phone lines, with signals going back and forth.
When dopamine is active, it moves between the spaces between brain cells (called synapses) and helps send messages across your brain.
We get a boost of dopamine when we do something fun, exciting, or rewarding. But not all of these things feel “positive.” For example, you might feel drawn to someone who makes you feel emotionally intense, even if the experience isn’t actually enjoyable. That’s still dopamine at work.
A bored person looking for something interesting to watch on tv
Dopamine and ADHD and the INCUP Rule
For people with ADHD, dopamine often comes from tasks that are Interesting, New, Competitive, Urgent, or something they are Passionate about. This is called INCUP, and we explained it in an earlier blog post.
These kinds of tasks are easier for people with ADHD to focus on because they naturally increase dopamine.
Dopamine and ADHD and Motivation
Dr. Gabor Maté is a well-known speaker about ADHD. I don’t agree with everything he says, but his ideas about dopamine and motivation are helpful.
In one study he talks about, scientists made it so that rats couldn’t use their dopamine receptors (the part of the brain that receives dopamine). Even when the rats could see and smell food, they didn’t move to eat it. They didn’t feel motivated.
This happens to people too. If your brain has been through trauma or if you have ADHD, low-dopamine tasks can make you feel numb or unmotivated. You may want to get things done but still find yourself stuck.
One solution? Try using dopamine-boosting rewards after doing boring or low-dopamine tasks. This trick can help you stay on track.
Where Dopamine Comes From
Think of dopamine like fuel for your brain. Just like a car needs gas to run, your brain uses dopamine to keep going—especially if you’re used to a lot of stimulation.
You can get dopamine from simple, everyday things, like:
-
Talking with a friend
-
Going for a walk or working out
-
Solving a puzzle
-
Making a meal
-
Finishing a task you care about
Even tough workouts can give you a “runner’s high,” which is another kind of dopamine boost.
But be careful. Chasing dopamine too much can lead to bad habits, like addiction, toxic relationships, or risky behaviors.
Dr. Ed Hallowell describes the ADHD brain as a “Ferrari engine with bicycle brakes.” Dopamine is the gas that powers that engine—sometimes too fast!
A runner reaches the top of a mountain, leading to a dopamine rush!
What Is a Dopamine Detox?
Too much dopamine can be a problem too. Think about how a kid acts after playing video games for four hours. Or how an adult can ignore everyone while glued to their phone. This happens when the brain gets overstimulated.
The more stimulation your brain gets, the more it needs to feel something. It’s kind of like an addiction—you need more and more to get the same feeling.
A dopamine detox helps reset this. It means taking a short break from electronics and other high-stimulation things so your brain can calm down.
In 2024, the National Institute of Health found that dopamine detox worked well for some people. But they also warned not to take it too far.
Here’s what I suggest:
Take a half-day to one full day off from non-essential electronics. That means no phones, TVs, or tablets unless you really need them. Don’t punish yourself or cut yourself off from people—just give your brain a break.
Don’t Try to “Win” the Detox
This isn’t about being perfect or building willpower. It’s about watching what happens when you unplug. How do you feel? What’s hard about it?
Struggling doesn’t mean you’re wrong, bad or broken. It just shows you where your brain might need some care and attention. That’s a good thing!
Get Help with Dopamine and ADHD
I work with creative professionals across Georgia who deal with Anxiety, ADHD, or Autism (Level 1). If you’d like help with these or related issues, give me a call at 770-615-6300.
You can also schedule a session here. I offer both telehealth and in-person sessions, and I’m in-network with Aetna insurance and Lyra EAP. I also provide paperwork if you want to file with your out-of-network insurance.