You sit all the way down to start a task you care about. Nothing happens. Instead, you open your phone. Minutes turn into hours. You feel restless, flat, or strangely drained, despite the fact that you have not done much.
For many neurodivergent people, this cycle is painfully familiar. It is sometimes called a motivational problem or an attention problem. But for individuals with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or autistic and ADHD (AuDHD), these experiences are closely related to how dopamine – a key brain chemical involved in motivation and reward – is regulated.
Because of this experience, some neurodivergent people have begun to show to a straightforward tool: the “dopamine menu.” Popularized in 2020 by Jessica McCabea YouTuber and ADHD advocate, has a private list of Dopamine Menu activities that can assist provide small, regular boosts of motivation and happiness throughout the day.
For those that find themselves stuck or overwhelmed, it offers a structured technique to access activities that feel rewarding or structured. But to know why this approach may be helpful, it is important to know what dopamine is and the way it really works.
Dopamine is sometimes called the “feel good” neurotransmitter, but that is an oversimplification. Although it plays a task in happiness, dopamine can also be closely linked to motivation, anticipation, and the power to initiate and sustain tasks.
It originates in three parts of the brain: the hypothalamus, the substantia nigra, and the ventral tegmental area. Outside the brain, it’s also secreted by the adrenal glands, kidneys, and stomach.
Dopamine is involved in lots of cognitive processes including learning, attention, mood regulation, attention, memory and reward. It also plays a task in pain perception, sleep and movement.
Dopamine is released in response to certain activities akin to spending money, eating and drinking, and having sex. This dopamine “burst” reinforces that we just like the activity and motivates us to do it again. Not all dopamine surges are equal. Some activities result in short, intense bursts, while others result in more gradual and lasting changes.
Why it matters to neurodivergent people.
Some neurodivergent people have a special relationship to dopamine than neurotypical people. When it involves dopamine, probably the most discussed neurotype is ADHD.
Research shows that folks with ADHD typically have a less basal levels of dopamine, and should process it in another way. This can result in a large search drive. Stimulus.
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In on a regular basis life, this will manifest as difficulty initiating tasks, dependence on the urgency of completing tasks, or an inclination to hunt down highly stimulating activities. These patterns are sometimes mistaken for laziness or a scarcity of discipline, when actually they reflect differences in how the brain processes motivation and reward.
People with ADHD are also more prone to develop it. The reasonsakin to substancevideo games, gambling or the Internet, and is at greater risk. relapse. This highlights the importance of appropriate, appropriate support fairly than making such behavior purely a matter of selection.
Regardless of neurotype, many individuals find themselves drawn to quick, easily accessible sources of dopamine, akin to scrolling on a phone. While it could provide. Short term reliefThey are sometimes unsatisfying in the long run and may make people feel more vulnerable.
Designing your personal sources of reward
This is where dopamine menus may be helpful. Rather than counting on a narrow set of high-intensity activities, a dopamine menu provides a wider range of options that may support more consistent regulation throughout the day.
In her 2020 video, Jessica McCabe describes the Dopamine Menu in sections, although they may be adapted to individual needs.
“Appetizers” are small, quick activities like watering plants or making coffee. “Eating” are more essential activities that take more time, akin to going for a walk, cooking or playing a board game. “Sides” are additions that make less enjoyable tasks more appealing, akin to adding music or podcasts. “Deserts” are pleasurable activities which might be best consumed carefully, akin to scrolling through social media or watching television. Although “special” are less frequent, more novel experiences, akin to going to an event, eating out or happening a visit.
The technique of making a dopamine menu begins with identifying activities that you just enjoy and considering how they’ll fit into your day by day routine. Making these activities more accessible — for instance, leaving a yoga mat outside or preparing materials prematurely — can reduce the trouble required to start. It will also be helpful so as to add small interruptions to the activities you are trying to scale back.
Importantly, dopamine is just not a to-do list. They are optional, flexible and designed to scale back stress fairly than create it. By enabling us to make a decision prematurely what feels helpful or nice, they’ll reduce the cognitive load of selecting what to do in moments of low motivation.
So, fairly than addressing a scarcity of motivation, dopamine menus offer a technique to work with the brain’s natural rhythms, creating space for small moments of energy, interest and ease throughout the day.