dr_octagon
Banned
I'm going 7 days with no gifs, quoting or tagging anyone.
I'll still send offensive PMs to the worst member.
I'll still send offensive PMs to the worst member.
You know who you are. Cunt.
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Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Dopamine detox - 7 days starting tonight!
- Thread starter IDKFA
- Start date
Whitecrow
Banned
I guess it's a joke... but if not you dont understand how this works : /
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
splain it to me.
dr_octagon
Banned
Endolphins, Dopamean, Sarah Tolkeins and Oxytoxyloxy.
Gym = Endolphins
Edit:
Plies
PM coming your way.
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Whitecrow
Banned
It's thanks to dopamine and other neuro-transmitters that your brain can function, so you cant really stop generating dopamine.
If you do some fasting by quitting some instant-release activities, your brain will adapt to get it from no so instant activities, you cant avoid it.
Anyways, getting dopamine from workout its like, a lot healthier, in every way, that getting it from looking at sheet in a screen.
Dopamine detox is not about stopping generating dopamine, is about taking control of your life and be able to do what you really wanna do, which a lot of people cant because internet addiction.
No faping ends up increasing your testosterone in the 'long' run, gives you more energy, and helps a lot in not giving in to your desires and make you feel a lot more in control.
So, hitting the gym, whatever the reason, is a success.
Tams
Member
Has your wife's boyfriend signed off on this?
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
You made it 2 hours. Congrats!Endolphins, Dopamean, Sarah Tolkeins and Oxytoxyloxy.
Gym = Endolphins
Edit:
Fools idol
Banned
Make sure you are getting a solid 8 hours sleep, and going to bed at the natural times to rebalance your circadian rhythm. The benefits of that alone are MASSIVELY positive (source is my wife who is a doctor / psychiatrist who specialised in sleep hygeine.
- Sleep in a fully dark environment, with no light or sound at all. Buy blackout curtains and ear plugs
- Go to bed before 10:30pm, wake up naturally. (no alarm clocks)
- Sleep in a room with a temperature around 18-20 *C.
- No food after 7.
- No screens 1 hour before bed.
It has been scientifically proven quite recently that poor sleep hygeine is a root cause of many physical and mental health conditions. In some studies it even reversed the effects of depression so significantly the subjects of the study no longer required medication, the brain hormones had a chance to reset properly.
- Sleep in a fully dark environment, with no light or sound at all. Buy blackout curtains and ear plugs
- Go to bed before 10:30pm, wake up naturally. (no alarm clocks)
- Sleep in a room with a temperature around 18-20 *C.
- No food after 7.
- No screens 1 hour before bed.
It has been scientifically proven quite recently that poor sleep hygeine is a root cause of many physical and mental health conditions. In some studies it even reversed the effects of depression so significantly the subjects of the study no longer required medication, the brain hormones had a chance to reset properly.
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Davey Cakes
Member
You can solve all of this just by getting a cat. Can't be on the internet if you're playing and snuggling with a cat.
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anthony2690
Member
All I can think about now, is how this man is wasting two weeks of neogaf gold! :O
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
When I don't jack off, it makes me super motivated to jack off!
dr_octagon
Banned
You made it 2 hours. Congrats!
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
Welcome back, brother. <3
dr_octagon
Banned
I'm going to the grocery store to buy mik, brb.
ahtlas7
Member
For cappuccino?
dr_octagon
Banned
IDKFA
I am Become Bilbo Baggins
That was shit. I actually failed the few days, which is why it's taken me longer to come back.
Did I become my focused? Yes. Absolutely. I absolutely achieved more and after 3 days had an absolute Spartan focus. My work productivity increased, my studying was more focused, my diet was 100% clean and I spent almost every day working out. It felt amazing but......
It was boring as fuck. No TV, no gaming, no GAF, no films, no sex or fap etc.
However, I think it's changed my mind set, hopefully for good. I no longer have the urge for the odd bit of junk food. I have the urge to work out more than I ever have in my life, and I never want to drop below my current work productivity levels again.
If anything it's given me discipline. Discipline to do things I don't enjoy with the same level of effort and focus as if I fucking loved them.
I'd only recommend it if you've become less focused due to social media, games, binge watching TV etc.
Did I become my focused? Yes. Absolutely. I absolutely achieved more and after 3 days had an absolute Spartan focus. My work productivity increased, my studying was more focused, my diet was 100% clean and I spent almost every day working out. It felt amazing but......
It was boring as fuck. No TV, no gaming, no GAF, no films, no sex or fap etc.
However, I think it's changed my mind set, hopefully for good. I no longer have the urge for the odd bit of junk food. I have the urge to work out more than I ever have in my life, and I never want to drop below my current work productivity levels again.
If anything it's given me discipline. Discipline to do things I don't enjoy with the same level of effort and focus as if I fucking loved them.
I'd only recommend it if you've become less focused due to social media, games, binge watching TV etc.
anthony2690
Member
Which one did you fail op?!
IDKFA
I am Become Bilbo Baggins
Internet usage on my phone. Mostly sports and a bit of Twitter. Seriously considering a dumb phone in the future.
JimmyRustler
Member
This is needed for the detox mate. It's how you reset the pleasure/pain balance. I read about that the other day in "Dopamine Nation". Pretty fascinating.
How it works is that you have this balance in your brain and the more pleasureable stuff you do, the more you tip the balance on the pleasure side which makes it more difficult to get pleasure out of anything but at the same time get more suseptible to pain. By being bored as hell you tip the balance back to normal. But you can also use regular pain to do the tipping. Cold showers and such. Resets it too to a certain degree.
nemiroff
Gold Member
The funny thing is, I'm in a full job, married and have two kids, and I do all of the above and I love my life, usually no second thoughts. Of course, variation is important, that way you can do whatever you want without overthinking it. But whatever floats people's boats.., godspeed to you all.
Edit: I'm too late, didn't read through the thread before posting..
Edit: I'm too late, didn't read through the thread before posting..
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JimmyRustler
Member
You don't get into OPs position from today to tomorrow. It's a slow process that takes time. I'm in a similar position as OP now. 2 years ago the statement you just wrote could have come from me.
Enjoy it as much as you can but be aware of the consequences of Dopamine overdose.
nemiroff
Gold Member
Yeah there's a lot of missing context to what I'm saying, and I apologize for rushing my post without explaining.
My story is that I got diagnosed with severe depression. The context to dopamine control is that I was lucky enough to get enrolled in a program where I studied/got taught brain anatomy and fairly advanced phycology. So by that I got to build up a set of amazing tools to almost have a certain control over the chemical flow to my brain (of course most importantly controlling the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline), and I can also to a certain extent release serotonin just by controlling muscles and breathing.
TLDR; I got to study brain anatomy and psychology techniques as tools to control stress hormones (and to an extent serotonin), and this also work on dopamine addiction.
IDKFA
I am Become Bilbo Baggins
TL;DR section: I am going back onto a dopamine detox because I'm easily addicted and a failure. Didn't learn from last time.
Long version:
I thought at the time that this would change me. That I would not go back into bad habits, but these past few months (might even be a year) I've regressed hard. It worked for a while and I was laser focused on every task, but now I feel like a husk of a man. An empty shell going through the motions. I enjoy nothing and every day feels like the last. Even going to the gym gives me no joy. I am depressed as fuck.
I no longer read a book a week. In fact, it now takes me a month to finish a book. Even then, I find it hard to focus. I used to be able to read a book anywhere and not be distracted by any noise. Now, I need ear plugs or headphones, and even then I struggle to keep focused. I can't focus at work because I'm picking up my phone every 30 mins for a "quick scroll". Sometimes I don't even know I'm doing it. I happens automatically. I could be doing it for 20 mins before I know what I'm doing. Sometimes I'm internally screaming at myself to stop, but just can't bring myself to do it. I haven't bothered learning the harmonica I bought almost a year ago, books are piling up, I haven't watched a film in so long because I just can't remain focused. I'm a mess. I have destroyed myself.
If I'm not scrolling then I'm gaming, but I'm not really enjoying it. I'm just chasing the dopamine hit. I started playing FC26 and it's always been one of my favourite games since the 90s, but I just feel like I'm going through the motions. It doesn't hit the same as it did anymore. I almost bought a Switch 2 to try and get the gaming mojo back, but stopped myself because that's not going to fix the problem. But just gaming for the sake of it isn't making me happy. It's actually making me a bit depressed. It doesn't matter what I play, it just feels like a job rather than a fun hobby.
Scrolling on social media is probably the root cause. Studies have shown that not only does constant scrolling damage attention and ability to focus, it also distorts your perception of time and lowers your mood. I can say from personal experience this is true. My memory is worse and my attention span just doesn't exist.
In short, I need another Detox. From now until the 1 November I will:
Not use any social media, including YT.
No internet usage unless it's for personal gain (learning, work etc) so no GAF.
No porn (easy because I'm in the UK) or fapping
No video games
No Spotify or music unless I have no choice (Like going to the gym and being forced to listen to their music)
No Junk Food
No Sex will only work if the wife is onboard. She might be because she really is worried about her own social media usage. If not then I won't be able to resist if she goes into the Y shape.
No sports. I won't watch footy or Rugby. The only football I'll watch is when my son is playing for his team.
No films or TV binge sessions (not that I could do that anway)
My only enjoyment will come from books as reading has a host of health benefits and going to the gym.
This didn't really work in 2022. I need it to work this time. I'll come back on November 1 and we'll see how I got on. After that, I need a plan to keep myself focused and not go back into bad habits again. See you on the other side.
No nutting for a year? What was the nut like after the 12 months? Must have been like nutting for the first time again. Is that even healthy? Tell me when I'm back.
Long version:
I thought at the time that this would change me. That I would not go back into bad habits, but these past few months (might even be a year) I've regressed hard. It worked for a while and I was laser focused on every task, but now I feel like a husk of a man. An empty shell going through the motions. I enjoy nothing and every day feels like the last. Even going to the gym gives me no joy. I am depressed as fuck.
I no longer read a book a week. In fact, it now takes me a month to finish a book. Even then, I find it hard to focus. I used to be able to read a book anywhere and not be distracted by any noise. Now, I need ear plugs or headphones, and even then I struggle to keep focused. I can't focus at work because I'm picking up my phone every 30 mins for a "quick scroll". Sometimes I don't even know I'm doing it. I happens automatically. I could be doing it for 20 mins before I know what I'm doing. Sometimes I'm internally screaming at myself to stop, but just can't bring myself to do it. I haven't bothered learning the harmonica I bought almost a year ago, books are piling up, I haven't watched a film in so long because I just can't remain focused. I'm a mess. I have destroyed myself.
If I'm not scrolling then I'm gaming, but I'm not really enjoying it. I'm just chasing the dopamine hit. I started playing FC26 and it's always been one of my favourite games since the 90s, but I just feel like I'm going through the motions. It doesn't hit the same as it did anymore. I almost bought a Switch 2 to try and get the gaming mojo back, but stopped myself because that's not going to fix the problem. But just gaming for the sake of it isn't making me happy. It's actually making me a bit depressed. It doesn't matter what I play, it just feels like a job rather than a fun hobby.
Scrolling on social media is probably the root cause. Studies have shown that not only does constant scrolling damage attention and ability to focus, it also distorts your perception of time and lowers your mood. I can say from personal experience this is true. My memory is worse and my attention span just doesn't exist.
In short, I need another Detox. From now until the 1 November I will:
Not use any social media, including YT.
No internet usage unless it's for personal gain (learning, work etc) so no GAF.
No porn (easy because I'm in the UK) or fapping
No video games
No Spotify or music unless I have no choice (Like going to the gym and being forced to listen to their music)
No Junk Food
No Sex will only work if the wife is onboard. She might be because she really is worried about her own social media usage. If not then I won't be able to resist if she goes into the Y shape.
No sports. I won't watch footy or Rugby. The only football I'll watch is when my son is playing for his team.
No films or TV binge sessions (not that I could do that anway)
My only enjoyment will come from books as reading has a host of health benefits and going to the gym.
This didn't really work in 2022. I need it to work this time. I'll come back on November 1 and we'll see how I got on. After that, I need a plan to keep myself focused and not go back into bad habits again. See you on the other side.
No nutting for a year? What was the nut like after the 12 months? Must have been like nutting for the first time again. Is that even healthy? Tell me when I'm back.
DKehoe
Member
I think we all now get a huge amount of stimulation that our monkey brains aren't really able to process. So I definitely get why you want to give yourself a break from all that kind of stuff. But don't go calling yourself a failure. You seem like a great guy to me. Hope the break goes well for you.
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DrFigs
Member
i think this sounds good, except not having sex. like actually i think that's pretty healthy.
Bitmap Frogs
Mr. Community
I do somewhat like free jazz I played a famous track (intuition by Lennie Tristano) for someone and he said naaah this is the stuff they do before they play and found a way to sell it!
Chittagong
Gold Member
I have found most success when I identify the worst, most harmful and addictive dopamine sinks and clean them out. My elimination order
1. Apple News. Absolute digital crack. Not even once, ever. Only the magazines like Edge in the plus section are fine.
2. X. Insanely addictive and negative. Massive time sink, gives nothing.
3. Daily Mail and other tabloid and news sites. Total addictive shite.
4. LinkedIn. Absolutely insufferable people with a serving of fomo.
5. GAF political threads. Super addictive, but I have had to hide them, way too much headspace.
Usually cleaning these out works and eases me down. What I do
Videogames. When I delete the above, I feel like playing again.
The Times and FT, digital prints. Beginning, end, curated content, no endless scroll.
Instagram. I have an insta only for ass. That brings me great joy, the kind of dopamine I know I will never regret.
YouTube, severely curated. Only travel, cool flats, cozy interiors, cooking, games. All the political shite filtered out.
I usually have a relapse when something major happens, and when I realise I have wasted a month I go back to these rules.
1. Apple News. Absolute digital crack. Not even once, ever. Only the magazines like Edge in the plus section are fine.
2. X. Insanely addictive and negative. Massive time sink, gives nothing.
3. Daily Mail and other tabloid and news sites. Total addictive shite.
4. LinkedIn. Absolutely insufferable people with a serving of fomo.
5. GAF political threads. Super addictive, but I have had to hide them, way too much headspace.
Usually cleaning these out works and eases me down. What I do
Videogames. When I delete the above, I feel like playing again.
The Times and FT, digital prints. Beginning, end, curated content, no endless scroll.
Instagram. I have an insta only for ass. That brings me great joy, the kind of dopamine I know I will never regret.
YouTube, severely curated. Only travel, cool flats, cozy interiors, cooking, games. All the political shite filtered out.
I usually have a relapse when something major happens, and when I realise I have wasted a month I go back to these rules.
I used to be such a good sleeper that I could have represented my country in the olympics. Now I suffer from restless legs syndrome. Some nights I only get about 3 hours sleep.
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
This thread is a painful reminder of our fallen brethren,
dr_octagon
. Wherever you are, may the light shine upon you as you shone on us.
dr_octagon
. Wherever you are, may the light shine upon you as you shone on us.
Branded
Member
Disagree. It radicalized me. I love it.
JimmyRustler
Member
Has this dopamine detox actually worked for anyone long term? I only read about people trying it but rarely hear about people having success with it long term.
I honestly think it's no use. What we would need is all to go back pre-smartphone where you just could not engage with stuff you like all the time. Forcing oneself to not use all this shit will never have the same effect.
I honestly think it's no use. What we would need is all to go back pre-smartphone where you just could not engage with stuff you like all the time. Forcing oneself to not use all this shit will never have the same effect.
DarkShadowXI
Member
I tried using a "dumb phone" a couple years ago.
I didn't last a week, mostly because it was impossible to keep in touch with my friends. The images and links in the texts would be sent to me via email. I felt so isolated and it was a worse feeling, honestly.
I do have an e-reader with Android on it. Sometimes I use that if I'm feeling overwhelmed with the digital stuff and that helps a bit. Better for my eye strain, too.
But next thing you know, the phone is back in my hand, like some sort of a curse.
JimmyRustler
Member
Exactly, just what I mean. This would only work if everyone played along. Good luck with that.
DarkShadowXI
Member
For sure! Yeah, my friends were getting frustrated with me, too!
It's just the reality we're in and gotta make the best of it.
Best bet I think is taking a vacation and getting outside. Then adjusting your daily habits to be more aligned with what you want out of life rather than living on autopilot. There's no magic solution.
JimmyRustler
Member
In Anxious Generation Jonathan Haidth details a story where a girl was heavily depressed and then bounced back big time after she was sent on a phone free summer camp.
Think this is probably the best metaphor for what we all need. No phones, community, shared activity.
Looking back at my childhood and comparing it with today however makes me realise just how much of a pipe dream this. It goes against our basic instincts to seek what we like. Back when I was a kid I had few friends I could talk to about the video games I like. Internet was such a big deal for me because forums for the first time allowed me to interact with people that like the same games I do.
It's so funny how EXACTLY this, in a broader context, seems to be so bad for all of us and the point is that you mostly just engage with stuff where you have a somewhat shared interest with others. Interacting with people that like the same stuff you do (and to such a high degree) used to be so rare and special. Now it's so common... and it ruins everything. Such a fascinating paradox in human psychology.
DKehoe
Member
I went through a rough patch a few years ago and I was surprised by how much better I felt when I started going for walks regularly. I'm not saying it's the magic bullet for issues people might be having but changing up your routine and getting more active can make a big difference.
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Bert Big Balls
Gold Member
Start listening to David Goggins motivational stuff on YouTube. I started running again after literally fucking YEARS because I was listening to / watching him every day. I'm currently trying to use my phone less too. Good luck, you've got this shit.
Bert Big Balls
Gold Member
Agree. Dumb phones only work if literally everyone you know does the same shit.
Bert Big Balls
Gold Member
Literally. My family and I went camping for a few days and I hardly used my phone the whole time. Touching grass (literally) was honestly fucking great.
KimDongHwan
Member
I've been thinking about this stuff for a while, and I think at some point we will start seeing some "villages" of people that think alike that will just not have smart phone + internet. Most people know the problem its just too hard to do something by yourself when everyone else is on it. I sometimes go to bars with a friend for a drink, and its super depressing seeing so many couples or groups where they don't say a single word between themselves and are just stuck to the phone :/
JimmyRustler
Member
I wouldn't say the internet per se was ever the problem. It's the constant internet access that was the issue. It should have never left the home computer.