Gimme a dopamine hit!
Recently, someone I care about mentioned to me that "likes" on social media release dopamine. They then compared it to the dopamine of a heroin high. So, I reviewed what I thought I knew about dopamine via the Cleveland Clinic website. Surely, that person won't want to take time to read my thoughts and opinions on the matter, so I share my response here. Did you know that dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the body secreted by adrenal glands on each kidney & the hypothalamus in the brain? Certain levels of dopamine are necessary for nerve functioning, self soothing & social function. Too little dopamine will present itself as anxiety, depression, and even as Parkinsons disease - neural functions allow us make controlled movements. Too much dopamine can cause or trigger compulsions that lead to obesity, mania, & (as often pointed out) addiction. These findings have been insturmental in addiction treatment in the last 10 to ...