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06/12/2023

The ‘Dopamine Detox’ Is Having a Moment

It may be time to disconnect

Are you bored by being alone with your thoughts? Does the thought of cooking a meal, brushing your teeth, or taking a walk without a podcast, TV show or music playing send you into a cold sweat? If so—according to a trend circulating on social media—you’re a great candidate for something called a “dopamine detox.”

It involves identifying behaviors that you turn to too frequently for a quick boost—mainly things like social media, gaming and watching TV—then taking a break from them for a few days to a week. The goal is to recalibrate your brain’s reward pathways.

Though some evidence suggests that taking a break from certain unhealthy behaviors can prove transformative, most research focuses on clinical addictions, not the daily temptations we all face. That hasn’t stopped content creators from overstating the science to promise unmatched happiness, productivity, academic success and lots of money from a digital detox—all unrealistic claims. It’s just a temporary break, and while that can be nice, it won’t change your life. Real change takes more active work.

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.

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