In social networks there are abound theories about the supposed need to make a dopamine “detox”, a process that, according to digital “experts”, It would help to recover motivation, energy and even happiness. However, medical specialists warn that this trend is not supported by scientific evidence.
This proposal, according to GQ, promises benefits that go from relieving mental fatigue to re -effort the enthusiasm for everyday life.
The Dopamine It is a chemical produced naturally in the brain. According to the Cleveland Clinicits main function is linked to the cerebral reward system, which evolutionively motivates us to perform essential actions for survival: Eat, drink, compete and reproduce.
“Our brains are scheduled to look for behaviors that release dopamine”says the American institution.
But its effects are not limited to inducing pleasant sensations. Dopamine also plays a fundamental role in control of movement, memory, attention, sleep and vigil cycles, learning and stress response. It is a vital substance for the neurochemical and emotional balance of the human being.
Although the “dopamine deficiency” is not officially recognized as a disease, it is known that the levels of this neurotransmitter can fluctuate. When they are low, symptoms such as fatigue, lack of motivation, concentration difficulties, memory problems, insomnia, humor changes and decreased sexual desireaccording to the Hospital Houston Methodist.
In more serious cases, dopamine imbalances They have associated with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s evil. However, doctors warn that these symptoms may be due to multiple causes and that they should not “self -diagnosis.”
One of the most popular concepts on the Internet is that of “dopamine detoxification”, which proposes that excessive use of digital stimuli – as social networks or video games – generates an overload in the brain reward system, affecting the ability to experience pleasure with common activities. The supposed solution: get away from these stimuli to “restart” the brain.
But both the Cleveland Clinic like him Hospital Houston Methodist They are emphatic in rejecting this idea like a panacea. “There is no evidence that no supplement or detoxification modifies the amount of dopamine in the brain”said the neurologist Dr. William Ondo in statements collected by Houston Methodist. “But the good news is that we know that everyday activities, how to exercise or plan something fun, can do so;
In addition, experts warn about the risks of falling into simplistic solutions or fashions of well -being without foundations. “Don’t be fooled by those well -being tricks you see on the Internet”Underline the Texano Hospital report.
Instead of extreme or disconnected practices of medical reality, the consulted medical institutions recommend simple but effective strategies to maintain a healthy dopamine balance:
- Regular physical exercise: It favors the natural release of dopamine and other substances associated with well -being.
- Balanced food: A diet rich in magnesium, present in foods such as seeds, legumes and green leafy vegetables, can contribute to dopamine production.
- Gratifying activities: Programming moments of recreation, rest and personal enjoyment also stimulates the natural mechanisms of brain reward.
Dopamine is a key piece of brain and emotional functioning. Although it is true that its imbalance can have negative effects, the solution does not go through viral strategies such as “digital detox”. As the specialists of the Houston Methodist and the Cleveland Clinicthe safest and most effective path is in healthy life habits, not in magical formulas.
The promise of a happiness recovered through a technological fasting can be seductive, but It does not replace the complexity of the neurological system or the need for a rigorous medical approach.
