How does dopamine work?

What is dopamine?

Dopamine is a chemical in our brains that helps us feel happy and motivated. It’s like a reward for doing things we enjoy, like eating a yummy snack or playing with a cute puppy. When we do something that gives us dopamine, it makes us want to do it again and again.

But dopamine can also be dangerous if we overdo it. You see, our brains are always looking for the next big hit of dopamine. Sometimes, we might do things that are not so good for us just to get a little bit of that happy feeling. For example, if we eat too much junk food, it might give us a burst of dopamine, but it’s not good for our bodies in the long run.

Short-term vs long-term dopamine

There are two types of dopamine: short term and long term. Short term dopamine is like a quick fix. It’s what we get from doing things that are easy and fun, like playing video games or scrolling through social media. But after a while, we might get tired of these things and need to find something new to do to get more dopamine.

Long term dopamine is different. It’s what we get from doing things that are a little harder, but that have a bigger payoff in the end. For example, if we work really hard to learn a new skill, or if we save up money to buy something we really want, it can give us a long term boost of dopamine. These things might not be as easy or fun as playing video games, but they can make us feel really good about ourselves in the long run.

So, in a way, dopamine is like a double-edged sword. It can be really good for us if we use it in the right way, but it can also lead us down a dangerous path if we’re not careful. The key is to find a balance and make sure we’re getting our dopamine from things that are good for us in the long run.