Dopamine is a chemical messenger (a.k.a. neurotransmitter) that is made in your brain. It communicates messages between nerve cells in your brain and between your brain and the rest of your body.
Dopamine plays a role in many body functions, including memory, movement, motivation, mood, attention, and more. It also serves as the “reward center” of the body. Its design is to reward you when you are doing certain activities. When you’re doing something pleasurable, your brain releases a large amount of dopamine. That makes you feel good. When you feel good, you will see more of it, compelling you to repeat behaviors in hopes of repeated experiences of pleasure.
With an adequate amount of dopamine, a person will feel happy, alert, and motivated. The catch is that there is a balance to be kept. A very high dose of dopamine, while euphoric in the moment, will eventually need to be balanced. Psychiatrist and author Anna Lembke describes this as the moment the gremlins our come out.
Watch the following video clip to learn what Dr. Lembke means by this and how perpetual high levels of dopamine creates addiction and wreaks havoc in our lives.
If you want to learn more about dopamine and how the relentless pursuit of pleasure in today’s society has created imbalance and addiction in nearly every aspect of life, join with us in reading Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke.
We will discuss the book on Saturday, July 30, at 11:00AM in the studio. This is a FREE EVENT event, and all are welcome!
DOPAMINE NATION
by Anna Lembke, M.D.
Saturday, July 30
11:00AM-12:00PM
In-studio only
Free event! Open to the public!
Sign up today!
Click HERE to register!!