Dopamine System Out Of Whack

[duginsky]

Have your wife set a password for the internet, agree on how much time you spend there, she logs you in on her password per any agreement. That won't keep you using a cell signal, but there are apps that can help you to restrict your time there. Like the wise men have advised. Get outside … find hikes in the coast range whatever Tryon Creek, even…the more you're outside and engaged with that, the internet becomes less compelling.

 

[Flopsweat]

I have been doing some exercise but the real problems lie with the internet and shopping sucking me in daily. It's a super easy way to kill many hours in a day and not break a sweat. My wife has a similiar problem but her addictions are TV and her Kindle.

As much I as I love NWFA, I've really need to cut way, way back on my time here and do some "real" world" stuff as @slimmer13 implied.

2022 was suppose to be the year I started making regular range trips again, reloading some of the many thousands of projectiles I have bought and working on lots of firearm projects I have parts for. So far I have been to the range once. It feels like a motivational paralysis.

Another way is to schedule activities with friends. It creates a commitment that is harder to shrug off.

 

[duginsky]

Oh yeah, if you're going to spend money, spend it on books that have topics you enjoy…it'll widen your attention and help re-train the brain around immediate gratification. Dang, even Lyman's current volume…build an AR with Lyman's "Reloading for the AR15" book- not via You Tube…get those synapses stretched out, brother…

 

[arakboss]

Oh yeah, if you're going to spend money, spend it on books that have topics you enjoy…it'll widen your attention and help re-train the brain around immediate gratification. Dang, even Lyman's current volume…build an AR with Lyman's "Reloading for the AR15" book…get those synapses stretched out, brother…

Sorry books (except reloading books) are torture for me. I will make an effort to get outside more. With my work schedule I could be needing sunlight. BTW we spent a ton of time at Tryon Creek park as kids but I have been there in decades.

 

[arakboss]

Baby step I took today is to disable the alerts here on NWFA. The alert bell hasn't lit up since and no new alerts have come in since 10:38am.

 

[WheatNuts]

Lift heavy things, run, and eat lots of red meat and leafy greens. If you're depressed, anxious (more so than normal), or are tired/have no energy, doing these things will alleviate all of your symptoms greatly, and have the bonus of increasing your testosterone, if that's part of your problem. Also, if you jerk off, stop. It's a huge sap of energy and can mess with your dopamine greatly. This last one will motivate you to get a girlfriend and increase your "drive" in your everyday life.

I know so many people who complain about their health or how they don't feel good and have no energy, yet these same people eat crap food and don't exercise. If people ever have any ailments, diet and exercise should be the very first place you start, and medication should be you last resort.

 

[duginsky]

Sorry books (except reloading books) are torture for me. I will make an effort to get outside more. With my work schedule I could be needing sunlight. BTW we spent a ton of time at Tryon Creek park as kids but I have been there in decades.

Well dang, my recommendations are right up your alley, then!

 

[arakboss]

Lift heavy things, run, and eat lots of red meat and leafy greens. If you're depressed, anxious (more so than normal), or are tired/have no energy, doing these things will alleviate all of your symptoms greatly, and have the bonus of increasing your testosterone, if that's part of your problem. Also, if you jerk off, stop. It's a huge sap of energy and can mess with your dopamine greatly. This last one will motivate you to get a girlfriend and increase your "drive" in your everyday life.

I know so many people who complain about their health or how they don't feel good and have no energy, yet these same people eat crap food and don't exercise. If people ever have any ailments, diet and exercise should be the very first place you start, and medication should be you last resort.

I did start lifting again recently. Only for about 15 mins two days a week but it's a start. I am married so I will run the girlfriend topic by the wife.

 

[arakboss]

I talked with my wife last night and decided to limit the amount of time I spend on the internet to 2.5hrs a day Sunday thru Thursday and 5 hrs a day on Friday and Saturday. That may seem like a lot of time to some but it will more than cut in half my current weekly usage. In addition I am leaving my smart phone outside the bedroom when I am sleeping. Lately I have been waking in the middle of my sleep time and spending and hour or more on the phone before going back to sleep.

 

[revjen45]

Back in the late 80s/early 90s I had problems with depression. The doc gave me a Rx for amitriptyline and said it might take 2 weeks to help. I took it and the next day when I woke up to the sun was shining and the birds were singing. Tricyclics may not be the answer for you, but it sure did the trick for me. (Note: this was a long time ago and the problem has resolved.)

As much as I love guns, they didn't help with depression.

 

[SrMachoSolo]

Less phone/internet usage is a start. Consider doing a detox. Try not to post or comment anything for a week, you'll then see how much free time and energy you were burning.

Back in my day, internet was not so readily accessible... simpler times indeed.


-Robert

 

[arakboss]

Less phone/internet usage is a start. Consider doing a detox. Try not to post or comment anything for a week, you'll then see how much free time and energy you were burning.

Back in my day, internet was not so readily accessible... simpler times indeed.
View attachment 1113341

-Robert

A week? I would die.

 

[P7M13]

A week? I would die.

I did a four day weekend in late December. Turned off the phone, packed away the laptop, didn't do a 'effing electronci thing. It was heaven.

Lots of good suggestions above. Here are mine:

1. Stop shopping. The seek/purchase cycle creates brief dopamine spikes but the remorse is much worse. Break that cycle.
2. Eat healthily. Cut out junk: empty carbs & processed sugars. Tryptophan is helpful for your body in the creation of seratonin. There are many other foods that also contribute, like walnuts.
3. Physical activity. We are animals, we need to move.
4. Get outside. Wife tells me I'm always happier after spending a day in the woods.
5. Sex. Try to rope mama into a daily regimen of 69. It really helps. Again, we are animals.
6. All them guns and ammo, get out and shoot more. It really does help. Wife also tells me, I'm a happier man after a few hours at the range.
7. Find those activities (not shopping) that leave you feeling elated after doing. For me, it's my kids - hanging out with them, even if only for an hour, brings me great joy.

I've tried SSRIs and SNRIs in the past. My body rejects them with painful side-effects. Noting what they did to me, I cannot help wonder how people take these drugs.

 

[revjen45]

"I've tried SSRIs and SNRIs in the past. My body rejects them with painful side-effects. Noting what they did to me, I cannot help wonder how people take these drugs."

Few things are as subjective as the effects of drugs on different people.
e.g.:
Carisoprodal caused severe vertigo for me, but a friend who had similar issues with back pain thought it was a godsend.
I knew a lady who said codeine caused her hair to fall out.
A friend who has issues with depression had serious problems with just about everything he took to ameliorate it.

So different people are affected in different ways. What you found to have unacceptable side effects may be just the ticket for somebody else.

 

[Mike_M57]

My advice, for what it's worth...

If it isn't something you already do, I think you should take up fly fishing. Seriously. Go to Cabela's or wherever and get an inexpensive fly-fishing combo and an instructional DVD or book and spend the next few weeks (months... years ) figuring out how to cast. Buy a bunch of cheap flies (or learn how to tie your own) and go find a lake or pond full of bluegill or crappie or learn how to read a trout stream/river...

All kinds of dopamine triggers available there if you think about it. And it gets you outdoors doing something, like catching dinner. Or swearing at fish, which is more satisfying than yelling at clouds, and is actually considered 'normal' for fly fishermen.

 

[JustShoot]

I have been trying to determine what is causing my lack of motivation to do just about everything. I thought it might be low testosterone but I am now thinking that my dopamine system is messed up. I have been reading up on dopamine system problems and here is a basic synopsis of symptoms.


Although dopamine alone may not directly cause depression, having low levels of dopamine may cause specific symptoms associated with depression.

These symptoms can include:

• lack of motivation
• difficulty concentrating
• feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
• loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities

Besides work and shopping I pretty much spend the rest of my time online. I have 50 gazillion projects and other things I could be doing but I can not get motivated to do most of them. My life involves hanging out on NWFA, reddit, youtube, etc and spending money on stuff that I rarely end up using or food that I shouldn't be eating. It's pretty pathetic but evidently not pathetic enough to get my arse in gear and do something else.

Anybody else been in a similar state and snapped out of it? If so how?

I am thinking a dopamine fast may be in order but not I'm convinced that it will do any good.

This week I am determined to get my workbench cleared off and start a build project or set up the press to reload something. I have to start another spending freeze too, my wallet looks like it has been through hell and back.

Go out and do a Skydive, to increase your Dopamine level , and create a motivational interest in living .
.

 

[arakboss]

Thanks to all who shared ideas on curbing internet usage. I watched a youtube video today that suggested using cold turkey website blocker. It allows the user a lot of options to block internet usage on a schedule. I am reluctant to download this type of stuff on my computer and phone but if I can't curb my usage on my own I may give a blocker like this a try.

Cold Turkey Blocker

The free website blocker designed for studying or focusing on work. Block distractions like social media, games, apps, Youtube or even the entire Internet.

getcoldturkey.com

 

[Flopsweat]

Thanks to all who shared ideas on curbing internet usage. I watched a youtube video today that suggested using cold turkey website blocker. It allows the user a lot of options to block internet usage on a schedule. I am reluctant to download this type of stuff on my computer and phone but if I can't curb my usage on my own I may give a blocker like this a try.

Cold Turkey Blocker

The free website blocker designed for studying or focusing on work. Block distractions like social media, games, apps, Youtube or even the entire Internet.

getcoldturkey.com

Find the brand and model number of your modem/router. It may have those features in it already.