Some people will argue for a dopamine detox - that means creating physical space, social space and time away from the negative sources of dopamine. I don't think many people can afford the resources it takes to do monk-style retreats. And, while it might help break the habits in dopamine, it doesn't establish new healthy patterns before the person returns to their normal life.
I think it's more realistic to focus that willpower on one negative behaviour at a time. Try to avoid the behaviour until you can go for 30 days without it - reset the clock with each failure. If you fail three times, then choose something easier to focus on. The next thing is trying to catch the behaviour and divert it before the dopamine hits. Punish any near-misses instantly with a diversionary behaviour - exercise is a good one, a difficult amount of press-ups and then a walk has the added bonus of distancing. This has worked for me before. And, I thank you for the reminder as I look at a few more things I want to work on.
Maybe you'll like this: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/31/1090009509/addiction-how-to-break-the-cycle-and-find-balance
You are viewing a single comment's thread from: