What If Dopamine Is the Root of All Your Problems?

We often blame ourselves for feeling tired, unmotivated, addicted, or empty.

But what if the problem is not you?

What if the real issue is dopamine?

Dopamine 101

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger – ناقل عصبي).

It plays an important role in:

• Motivation
• Pleasure
• Mood
• Movement
• Learning
• Attention

Dopamine is what makes you:

• Get out of bed
• Check your phone
• Finish a task
• Chase a goal

But to understand dopamine, we first need to understand neurotransmitters.

What Is a Neurotransmitter?

Your brain is made of billions of nerve cells called neurons (خلايا عصبية).

These neurons do not touch each other. To communicate, they send messages using chemicals.

These chemicals are called neurotransmitters (نواقل عصبية).

In simple words:

Neurotransmitters are the messages your brain uses to tell you:

• What to think
• What to feel
• What to do

They control things like:

• Mood
• Motivation
• Memory
• Sleep
• Movement

Examples of neurotransmitters:

• Dopamine
• Serotonin (السيروتونين)
• GABA (غابا)
• Noradrenaline (نورأدرينالين)

Where Does Dopamine Come From?

Dopamine is made inside the brain. It comes from the food we eat.

Here is the process (simplified):

1. You eat protein-rich food
2. Protein provides an amino acid called tyrosine (تايروسين)
3. The brain converts tyrosine into dopamine

Dopamine is not absorbed directly from food. Your body creates it.

How Dopamine Works in the Brain

Dopamine does not move freely like blood.

Inside the brain:

1. Dopamine is released from one neuron
2. It crosses a tiny gap called a synapse (مشبك عصبي)
3. It binds to dopamine receptors (مستقبلات الدوبامين) on the next neuron
4. The message is delivered

What Happens When the Message Is Delivered?

When dopamine activates a receptor, the receiving neuron changes its behavior.

It may:

• Become more active
• Become less active
• Change how strongly it responds in the future

This depends on the type of receptor.

The neuron then sends an electrical signal through the brain network.

This creates real effects like:

• "This is important"
• "Pay attention"
• "Remember this"
• "Do this again"
• "Move your body"

This is how motivation, learning, and habits are formed.

Dopamine Hit: What Is It?

A dopamine hit is a short and sudden increase in dopamine.

It happens when:

• You receive good news
• You eat tasty food
• You get a like or a message
• You win something
• You experience something new or exciting

Important point:

Dopamine spikes before the reward, not after.

It is the "something good is coming" signal.

Dopamine Baseline: Your Normal Level

Your dopamine baseline is your normal dopamine level in daily life.

• High baseline → motivation, energy, curiosity
• Low baseline → boredom, low mood, lack of motivation

Your baseline is shaped by:

• Habits
• Lifestyle
• Stress
• Sleep
• Long-term stimulation

Dopamine and Pain: Two Sides of One System

Dopamine and pain are connected.

Key idea:

Every dopamine spike is followed by a drop below baseline.

The brain always tries to return to balance (homeostasis – الاتزان الداخلي).

So:

• Big pleasure → bigger crash
• Frequent dopamine hits → lower baseline over time

This is why:

• Pleasure and pain are linked
• Chasing pleasure can increase suffering

What Happens When Dopamine Levels Drop?

When dopamine stays below baseline, you may feel:

• Sad
• Empty
• Unmotivated
• Irritable
• Tired
• Disconnected
• Unable to enjoy things (anhedonia – فقدان المتعة)

This is not weakness. It is biology.

Dopamine and Addiction

Addiction happens when:

• Dopamine spikes are too frequent
• The brain reduces sensitivity
• Normal life stops feeling rewarding

Common dopamine-heavy addictions:

• Social media
• Pornography
• Junk food
• Drugs
• Gambling
• Video games

What changes in the brain:

• Fewer dopamine receptors
• Lower baseline
• Strong cravings
• Less control

How the Brain Rebalances Dopamine

The brain always tries to return to balance.

It does this by:

• Reducing dopamine release
• Reducing receptor sensitivity
• Increasing the pain response

Rebalancing happens when:

• Stimulation is reduced
• Time passes
• Healthy behaviors are repeated

This process is slow, but very powerful.

Can Dopamine Levels Recover?

Yes — naturally.

The brain recovers through:

• Rest
• Sleep
• Exercise
• Sunlight
• Social connection
• Meaningful effort
• Time away from overstimulation

Key truth:

You don't need more pleasure — you need less overload.

Real-Life Example: A Breakup

Before the Breakup

• Your partner was a major dopamine source
• Messages, touch, shared moments → dopamine hits
• Your brain learned: "This person = reward"
• Your baseline adjusted to that presence

After the Breakup

Suddenly:

• Dopamine source disappears
• Baseline drops
• The brain enters withdrawal (انسحاب)

You may feel:

• Emotional pain
• Obsessive thoughts
• No motivation
• Physical heaviness
• Strong desire to reconnect

This is similar to drug withdrawal.

Why It Hurts So Much

The brain expects dopamine It does not arrive Pain systems activate Stress hormones increase

Your brain is not just sad — it is chemically out of balance.

How Healing Happens

Over time:

• New routines form
• New dopamine sources appear
• Baseline slowly rises
• Pain decreases
• Motivation returns

Helpful behaviors:

• Physical movement
• Avoid checking your ex online
• New goals
• Social support
• Patience

Healing is not forgetting. Healing is rebalancing.

Final Thought

Dopamine is not your enemy. The problem is imbalance, not dopamine itself.

When you understand dopamine, you stop chasing constant pleasure and start rebuilding real motivation.

Resources

For further reading and learning, here are some resources I found helpful:

• Understanding Dopamine: The Science Behind Motivation and Addiction
• Dopamine and Your Brain: How It Really Works
• Dopamine Explained: From Basics to Advanced Concepts
• Dopamine - Cleveland Clinic