On sex addiction, social media, and whether a sensory "diet" low on dopamine stimulation can fix these modern afflictions.
Recently, I have been interested in exploring the claims about whether purposefully restricting access to activities that generate high levels of dopamine stimulation can somehow "reset" the baseline level of dopamine required for us to feel okay with how things are and stop having to constantly scratch the itch of excitement and novelty.
A client of mine, whom I will call R., came to therapy wanting to regain control over his life, which he had lost to an ever-consuming sex addiction. He would hook up with several different partners daily, facilitated by modern technology providing easy access to an unlimited pool of strangers seeking the same.
Sex is healthy, (can be) fun, and sometimes extremely exhilarating. What is not to love, right? Well, for starters, the levels of promiscuity we are talking about can be incompatible with a long-term, stable relationship, which is what R. wanted for himself in the long run. Not to mention the other inconveniences that a highly promiscuous lifestyle brings. He felt the time had come for him to learn to resist some of the short-term pleasures provided by sex in exchange for longer-term gains in his focus on the direction of his life, inner growth, and, frankly, something as mundane as having the free time to do other things.
A few sessions in, after realising that the wish to change might not be achievable through willpower alone, we discussed the neurobiology of addiction, and inevitably, dopamine.
As for any other evolutionarily important behaviour, sex stimulates a release of large amounts of dopamine. I can only assume that the semi-secretive, risky and unpredictable nature of hookups with attractive strangers amplifies the dopamine "wave" even further.
What is dopamine fasting?
Dopamine fasting is a voluntary and scheduled regimen of restricting access to repetitive activities that we recognize as addictive (in the broad sense of the word). These activities often trigger cravings and provide short-lived feelings of pleasure and tension release.
While dopamine fasting is commonly associated with digital detoxes—like those for social media, video games, or other forms of digital addiction—the same principle can also be applied to compulsive sex encounters.
But does dopamine fasting work and what would be the machanism? More generally, can the act of depriving ourselves of instant pleasures lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling experience?
As unlikely as it is that a neuroscientist is reading these lines, I will do my best to be cautious in my statements today to avoid any potential grief.
So, let's do this.
From my experience the practice of dopamine fasting is useful but is it really doing what it is saying it does - "reseting" or lowering the dopamine levels in the brain? There are several points worth unpacking.
What that even means? In fact there are two important measures of dopamine signalling - the tonic and the phasic dopamine release.
When we indulge a craving—whether it’s eating a delicious cake, checking our social media feed, receiving a “like” on a post, or pursuing a sexual encounter—this activity generates a short-lived dopamine “hit.” This brief surge in dopamine is the neural correlate of the pleasure we experience from indulging in a satisfying activity, and it is known as phasic dopamine release.
In addition to phasic dopamine release, there is a steady, continuous dopamine release in the brain known as tonic dopamine release. This baseline dopamine level is essential for regulating mood, maintaining motivation, and supporting cognitive functions like attention.
When we constantly seek dopamine “hits” from activities like social media or junk food, it can disrupt the steady, baseline dopamine release (tonic release). This disruption can lower our overall dopamine levels, which might negatively affect our mood and motivation.
To maintain a healthy dopamine balance, the trick seems to be to enjoy gulty pleasures in moderation without allowing them to diminish our tonic (baseline) dopamine levels.
Because large releases of dopamine can influence the amount of pleasure we experience from subsequent activities, it is crucial to monitor our access to “easy” pleasures in life. For instance, indulging in very rich and hyperpalatable foods can make simple, unprocessed foods seem less enjoyable. It looks like we really can have too much of a good thing.
But, is dopamine fasting changing something about the dopamine levels? Or is it just changing the conditioned response and as a result reducing the dopamine activity?
Indeed, alternative explanation could be that refraining from habitual dopamine “hits” can decrease the conditioning between certain environmental cues, times of day, and other triggers that lead to compulsive behaviors. This is because dopamine plays a key role in reinforcement learning and conditioning. By reducing these dopamine-driven cues, we might break the cycle of compulsive activity.
Right now however, there isn’t any solid evidence to show what dopamine fasting does and whether it "works". It might be too early to tell, and future research could prove more conclusive.
But then again, just because we don't understand how something works does not mean that it does not work or that at least does not do something. Think of aspirin, for example.
When it comes to my client, we are still moving forward with a brief dopamine fasting course to see how it goes. We’ll be drawing up a schedule next week. What guides my decision to experiment with this intervention, despite the lack of solid scientific backing, is that I view it as a low-risk, potentially high-reward approach. At the very least, it will help R. get to know himself better, and at best, it might significantly shift his unwanted behavior. I might even try a short dopamine fast myself, in a gesture of therapeutic dopamine solidarity! We shall see—stay tuned!
Do you have your own dopamine "hit" guilty pleasure and would you consider a dopamine fast as an antidote for over-indulgence?
Science of dopamine and other neurotransmitters is complex, and here I have attempted to provide a very narrow and probably wildly imprecise part of the dopamine story. I hope this introduction piques your curiosity and inspires you to explore and learn more.
As always, thank you for reading. For updates and more of the similar follow me on BlueSky or Twitter or subscribe to my mailing list.
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