I’ve been on a “dopamine detox” for over 6 months now and I feel great. And I guess by “dopamine” I’m referring to the easy/fast dopamine hits.
I’ve deleted Tiktok, Instagram, and Snapchat from my phone. I have decided to use my phone as a ‘means to an end’, not for leisure or empty distractions. I now only use it for texts, phone calls, reading, and to use transportation apps, delivery apps, search engines, etc.
At first, it was challenging. I realized I had so much time on my hands. I found myself bored a lot, but I allowed myself to get comfortable in that uncomfortable feeling. I would literally sit by myself and stare at the wall, lay in bed, take naps. I cried a lot lol (I guess there were many pent-up feelings that were now suddenly exposed).
Until slowly but gradually, I started to come up with things to do. I decided to do the things I always found intriguing. I got back to cooking for myself, I played a board game alone for the first time (turns out it’s a really fun and relaxing activity!), I put more effort into spending time with my family and friends, I put higher goals for myself in terms of what kinds of books I wanted to read and how fast I wanted to finish them, and I go to the gym more often than I did before.
There seems to be a ripple effect as well, as I noticed that I now genuinely dislike consuming any form of junk/highly processed foods, and I don’t find pleasure to sit and binge watch TV shows anymore.
Further, I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was heavily influenced by social media figures. I wasn’t living life for me; I was rather following someone else’s lifestyle or routine. I used to buy the snacks they liked, the makeup they recommended, shopping at websites they liked, and even doing exercises they were promoting.
More things that I now do that aren’t influenced by social media:
- I wear clothes that are timeless rather than trendy, and I focus on silhouettes and shades that best suit my shape and color, and then incorporate it to fit my personal style (it also helps that I took an online personal-styling beginner’s course)
- I cut my hair into a pixie! (a whole interesting experience on its own)
- I eat what I genuinely like and what I know will satisfy and energize me (no one size fits all)
- I exercise at high intensity (no yoga or Pilates for me)
Moral of the story is, there is so much to life than a screen! I know that if I hadn’t done this, I wouldn’t have allowed myself to explore life, experiment, live… I wouldn’t even be here writing a blog.
I’m slowly understanding the unique recipe of (me), and I think I’ve only just scratched the surface.
Try it.
Credit to my little brother, my dad, and Emma Chamberlain for inspiring me to implement this lifestyle.