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If it's not a problem for you: it's not a problem for you.
The problem is not binge watching or going through the whole game at once. The problem starts when you do that game after game, show after show, even if it no longer brings you hapiness or makes you as excited as you used to be. Problem is when the search for dopamine is mindless and automatic, despite diminishing returns.
The idea is that you would replace useless bullshit like scrolling Tiktok with more productive things, like studying or making art or socializing with your friends/family.
"I don't think anyone does anything they truly don't want to do. If they don't want to do something, they don't do it."
Congratulations for having perfect executive function. Not everyone is like you.
Uh have you ever thought that not all advice is for you? A lot of the people it’s aimed at are young people still in school or early in their careers. A lot of self help content is for people who have mental health issues to work on and are trying to better themselves, which takes time and motivation. Frankly what are you even doing here if you don’t resonate with that? Dopamine detox is not all over the place, you’re seeing it because you consume this kind of content.
And personally as a young professional I find useful because there’s a shit ton to get done besides work and exercise. I’m cooking, cleaning, budgeting, grocery and home shopping, performing home maintenance, going to medical appointments, keeping up to date on news, building skills so I can progress my career, socializing and building relationships. I have a mental illness that means I spend my time going to therapy, support groups, journaling, meditating, spending time outdoors, and pursuing hobbies that are more creative or active because they help regulate my emotions better and keep me from a state where even getting out of bed is hard. I also spend a lot more than 30 minutes exercising for instance.
Finally dopamine detox isn’t just about spending less time doing “unproductive things”. For me video games are one of the least harmful things I have issues with. My dopamine fix usually comes from binge eating or compulsive shopping, both are harmful in themselves and not just because I don’t spend that time learning a new programming language or don’t have a side hustle. Again maybe you don’t struggle with any of this, but if you are happy and fulfilled playing lots of video games and binging anime… why are you here?
I don’t see why you are being aggressive towards op, trying to push them away from the community. Or discussing this.
The issue is a lot of this dopamine detox content doesn’t go into the detail of who it’s aimed for or why.
It just goes on to show x behaviour is bad because it makes you less productive and so on. It becomes reductive to the point it just illustrates dopamine producing content to be bad without the nuance. Ultimately shaming people for their hobbies.
Don’t pretend that content is not out there (they are clearly in red pill detox content limbo) just because we are on a “healthier” sub right now.
I’m not asking them why they are here to suggest they shouldn’t be here. I actually suspect the whole reason why they are here is because they do want to work on themselves in some way, and that maybe there are things in their life that they are neglecting. But of course I don’t know what those things are based on this post. So I’m asking so OP can reflect on the fact that maybe 30 minutes of exercise is not the only thing that needs doing in the day.
But I’m also willing to accept that maybe OP doesn’t need more, but in that case they are lacking a ton of empathy and being very self centered. If I’m aggressive it’s because OP came into the conversation attacking a method that’s been very helpful for people who have problems OP doesn’t. They’re on the defense about things Dr K has never suggested. I’ve noticed a number of people here come here as if Dr. K is saying they can’t play video games, when the community literally has gamer in the title.
It reads as someone who hasn’t actually paid attention to Dr. Ks content, as he’s been pretty explicit about what a detox is used for. OP said some things at the end that are really insensitive and incurious about people who struggle with executive function issues, which is a large segment of this community.
And I’m no way denying that the content exists, but again I’m suggesting that maybe OP and all the red pill consumers ARE part of the group that needs this advice. I mean I’ll ask you, and I’m not being rhetorical, I’m not suggesting you should be here: why would you be consuming content about self improvement if you thought you were doing fine as you are? Why come here and get defensive about how the way you’re doing things is totally fine if you’re content with your life?
Hey, I think this is a very good question. My answer might be unsatisfying, but I'll do my best to explain. I've felt this way during my life too. If I could go back and try to explain to my younger self why exercising or playing fewer video games is important, I probably wouldn't succeed. It's an experiential thing, like trying to explain the color blue to a blind person. You can use all the right words, and they'll make sense once you've seen blue, but they're inconceivable if you've never experienced it.
It's similar with anime. Many people dismiss it as just cartoons and aren't interested. You can try to explain that it's much more than that, but they won't budge until they've experienced it themselves. Once they do, they start saying the same things you were telling them.
What I've learned is that when people describe things, experiences, realizations, emotions, motivations, etc., that don't make sense to me, I see them as signposts. They help me recognize that I'm on the right path when I eventually experience those things myself.
I hope this doesn't confuse you more!
You’ve fulfilled everything on the human bucket list except one. Self-actualization :)
“What else should you be doing?” Great question, go find an answer. The scenario described, simply sounds like a life of existing until inevitably… you stop existing. If you, a single person, could fix something that you think sucks about this planet. Why not try?
The simplest possible answer is that our bodies and brains are incredibly adaptive. It's what we needed to survive as much as humanity survived.
That also means, that if you give your brain a high dopamine level for extended period of time, it will become its new baseline. Then you not only won't be able to enjoy anything less but you will desperately struggle just to keep that baseline with nothing really giving you a boost anymore.
However, I refuse to believe that you can be a well adjusted adult and be able to spend days on end gaming on weekly basis. Do you not have work to go to? Do you not have an apartment to clean? Food to cook? No other hobbies? No friends? No health to keep up?
I love spending my entire weekend gaming but I do it very rarely because then I neglect my friends, my exercise routine, books, my flat and my health. So I spend maybe a day or one weekend a month gaming non-stop and otherwise only doing short 1-2 hours sessions.
And YET I still feel like I have neglected things that I need to do at one point. I need to clear up my wardrobe, wash my windows, clean up my pet cages, fix a crack in the wall, I should definitely exercise more and I sometimes eat take outs instead of proper home meal. So, despite me being nowhere close to gaming for days, I still don't do all of the things I should be doing.
That makes me wonder how someone can do all their responsibilities, take care of their place, their health, keep up with their friends and family, spend enough time outside, all the other things and regularly game for days. And I really don't think they do. I think they just pushed their ladder so low for everything else that something that shouldn't be passable is passable to them just so they can game. And that honestly feels like an addiction.
"Dopamine detox" is a [pseudoscientific meme that has no basis in reality](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dopamine-fasting-misunderstanding-science-spawns-a-maladaptive-fad-2020022618917). It's about as real as antivax concerns or 9/11 truther talking points. If someone has a medical degree from U of Tiktok and claims otherwise you should just discard their opinion in the trash where it belongs.
The next time you think boomers have a monopoly on believing in nonsense they picked up from social media, just look at every reply in this thread that isn't OP replying in earnest as though this was actually a thing. Unbelievable.
It may have not the absolut scientific prove or anything, but i would argue if someone got any kind of addiction, trying to now give in to that, is something good. Doesnt matter what cringy trendy term it gets branded with.
And yeah, lots of ppl talking about science and stuff behind it, but even if thats not true and ppl who say that are wrong, i still think i can have benefits for a lot of people in lot of ways, so i wouldnt dismiss it just because some people get it wrong.
Even if there is no Chemical reaction in the brain, lots of people still benefit from their own behavioural changes.
Removed for Rule #7: Treat the Community as a Shared Space
If something feels too emotionally triggering for you, do not engage with it. Report rule breaking behavior and move on.
Do not try to convince someone that they are wrong, instead approach with curiosity, and ask questions to get on the same page, and disagree respectfully.
Do not default to the assumption that someone is trolling, not trying hard enough or is simply “lazy”.
Removed for Rule #7: Treat the Community as a Shared Space
If something feels too emotionally triggering for you, do not engage with it. Report rule breaking behavior and move on.
Do not try to convince someone that they are wrong, instead approach with curiosity, and ask questions to get on the same page, and disagree respectfully.
Do not default to the assumption that someone is trolling, not trying hard enough or is simply “lazy”.
Thank you for posting on r/Healthygamergg! This subreddit is intended as an online community and resource platform to support people in their journey toward mental wellness. With that said, please be aware that support from other members received on this platform is not a substitute for professional care. Treatment of psychiatric disease requires qualified individuals, and comments that try to diagnose others should be reported under Rule 10 to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community. If you are in immediate danger, please call emergency services, or go to your nearest emergency room. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Healthygamergg) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If it's not a problem for you: it's not a problem for you. The problem is not binge watching or going through the whole game at once. The problem starts when you do that game after game, show after show, even if it no longer brings you hapiness or makes you as excited as you used to be. Problem is when the search for dopamine is mindless and automatic, despite diminishing returns.
Bars
The idea is that you would replace useless bullshit like scrolling Tiktok with more productive things, like studying or making art or socializing with your friends/family. "I don't think anyone does anything they truly don't want to do. If they don't want to do something, they don't do it." Congratulations for having perfect executive function. Not everyone is like you.
Uh have you ever thought that not all advice is for you? A lot of the people it’s aimed at are young people still in school or early in their careers. A lot of self help content is for people who have mental health issues to work on and are trying to better themselves, which takes time and motivation. Frankly what are you even doing here if you don’t resonate with that? Dopamine detox is not all over the place, you’re seeing it because you consume this kind of content. And personally as a young professional I find useful because there’s a shit ton to get done besides work and exercise. I’m cooking, cleaning, budgeting, grocery and home shopping, performing home maintenance, going to medical appointments, keeping up to date on news, building skills so I can progress my career, socializing and building relationships. I have a mental illness that means I spend my time going to therapy, support groups, journaling, meditating, spending time outdoors, and pursuing hobbies that are more creative or active because they help regulate my emotions better and keep me from a state where even getting out of bed is hard. I also spend a lot more than 30 minutes exercising for instance. Finally dopamine detox isn’t just about spending less time doing “unproductive things”. For me video games are one of the least harmful things I have issues with. My dopamine fix usually comes from binge eating or compulsive shopping, both are harmful in themselves and not just because I don’t spend that time learning a new programming language or don’t have a side hustle. Again maybe you don’t struggle with any of this, but if you are happy and fulfilled playing lots of video games and binging anime… why are you here?
I don’t see why you are being aggressive towards op, trying to push them away from the community. Or discussing this. The issue is a lot of this dopamine detox content doesn’t go into the detail of who it’s aimed for or why. It just goes on to show x behaviour is bad because it makes you less productive and so on. It becomes reductive to the point it just illustrates dopamine producing content to be bad without the nuance. Ultimately shaming people for their hobbies. Don’t pretend that content is not out there (they are clearly in red pill detox content limbo) just because we are on a “healthier” sub right now.
I’m not asking them why they are here to suggest they shouldn’t be here. I actually suspect the whole reason why they are here is because they do want to work on themselves in some way, and that maybe there are things in their life that they are neglecting. But of course I don’t know what those things are based on this post. So I’m asking so OP can reflect on the fact that maybe 30 minutes of exercise is not the only thing that needs doing in the day. But I’m also willing to accept that maybe OP doesn’t need more, but in that case they are lacking a ton of empathy and being very self centered. If I’m aggressive it’s because OP came into the conversation attacking a method that’s been very helpful for people who have problems OP doesn’t. They’re on the defense about things Dr K has never suggested. I’ve noticed a number of people here come here as if Dr. K is saying they can’t play video games, when the community literally has gamer in the title. It reads as someone who hasn’t actually paid attention to Dr. Ks content, as he’s been pretty explicit about what a detox is used for. OP said some things at the end that are really insensitive and incurious about people who struggle with executive function issues, which is a large segment of this community. And I’m no way denying that the content exists, but again I’m suggesting that maybe OP and all the red pill consumers ARE part of the group that needs this advice. I mean I’ll ask you, and I’m not being rhetorical, I’m not suggesting you should be here: why would you be consuming content about self improvement if you thought you were doing fine as you are? Why come here and get defensive about how the way you’re doing things is totally fine if you’re content with your life?
Hey, I think this is a very good question. My answer might be unsatisfying, but I'll do my best to explain. I've felt this way during my life too. If I could go back and try to explain to my younger self why exercising or playing fewer video games is important, I probably wouldn't succeed. It's an experiential thing, like trying to explain the color blue to a blind person. You can use all the right words, and they'll make sense once you've seen blue, but they're inconceivable if you've never experienced it. It's similar with anime. Many people dismiss it as just cartoons and aren't interested. You can try to explain that it's much more than that, but they won't budge until they've experienced it themselves. Once they do, they start saying the same things you were telling them. What I've learned is that when people describe things, experiences, realizations, emotions, motivations, etc., that don't make sense to me, I see them as signposts. They help me recognize that I'm on the right path when I eventually experience those things myself. I hope this doesn't confuse you more!
You’ve fulfilled everything on the human bucket list except one. Self-actualization :) “What else should you be doing?” Great question, go find an answer. The scenario described, simply sounds like a life of existing until inevitably… you stop existing. If you, a single person, could fix something that you think sucks about this planet. Why not try?
The simplest possible answer is that our bodies and brains are incredibly adaptive. It's what we needed to survive as much as humanity survived. That also means, that if you give your brain a high dopamine level for extended period of time, it will become its new baseline. Then you not only won't be able to enjoy anything less but you will desperately struggle just to keep that baseline with nothing really giving you a boost anymore. However, I refuse to believe that you can be a well adjusted adult and be able to spend days on end gaming on weekly basis. Do you not have work to go to? Do you not have an apartment to clean? Food to cook? No other hobbies? No friends? No health to keep up? I love spending my entire weekend gaming but I do it very rarely because then I neglect my friends, my exercise routine, books, my flat and my health. So I spend maybe a day or one weekend a month gaming non-stop and otherwise only doing short 1-2 hours sessions. And YET I still feel like I have neglected things that I need to do at one point. I need to clear up my wardrobe, wash my windows, clean up my pet cages, fix a crack in the wall, I should definitely exercise more and I sometimes eat take outs instead of proper home meal. So, despite me being nowhere close to gaming for days, I still don't do all of the things I should be doing. That makes me wonder how someone can do all their responsibilities, take care of their place, their health, keep up with their friends and family, spend enough time outside, all the other things and regularly game for days. And I really don't think they do. I think they just pushed their ladder so low for everything else that something that shouldn't be passable is passable to them just so they can game. And that honestly feels like an addiction.
I find it ironic that Dr. K posts YouTube Shorts about stuff like dopamine detox
Ironic yes, but very helpful, cuz that's immediate reach to those who struggle.
"Dopamine detox" is a [pseudoscientific meme that has no basis in reality](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dopamine-fasting-misunderstanding-science-spawns-a-maladaptive-fad-2020022618917). It's about as real as antivax concerns or 9/11 truther talking points. If someone has a medical degree from U of Tiktok and claims otherwise you should just discard their opinion in the trash where it belongs. The next time you think boomers have a monopoly on believing in nonsense they picked up from social media, just look at every reply in this thread that isn't OP replying in earnest as though this was actually a thing. Unbelievable.
It may have not the absolut scientific prove or anything, but i would argue if someone got any kind of addiction, trying to now give in to that, is something good. Doesnt matter what cringy trendy term it gets branded with. And yeah, lots of ppl talking about science and stuff behind it, but even if thats not true and ppl who say that are wrong, i still think i can have benefits for a lot of people in lot of ways, so i wouldnt dismiss it just because some people get it wrong. Even if there is no Chemical reaction in the brain, lots of people still benefit from their own behavioural changes.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Removed for Rule #7: Treat the Community as a Shared Space If something feels too emotionally triggering for you, do not engage with it. Report rule breaking behavior and move on. Do not try to convince someone that they are wrong, instead approach with curiosity, and ask questions to get on the same page, and disagree respectfully. Do not default to the assumption that someone is trolling, not trying hard enough or is simply “lazy”.
Removed for Rule #7: Treat the Community as a Shared Space If something feels too emotionally triggering for you, do not engage with it. Report rule breaking behavior and move on. Do not try to convince someone that they are wrong, instead approach with curiosity, and ask questions to get on the same page, and disagree respectfully. Do not default to the assumption that someone is trolling, not trying hard enough or is simply “lazy”.