Taking a break from social media is now fashionably called dopamine detox
dopamine functions,” he says.
Sharma is a professor of clinical psychology at NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) in Bengaluru. He is also a coordinator at the institute’s clinic SHUT, which expands to Service for Healthy Use of Technology.
His clients, many in the 25-35 years age group, often ask him to suggest some “dopamine detox” retreats. His answer is not what they expect.
In recent years, many internet users have embraced the term “dopamine detox” to signify a break from social media and digital devices.
A cultural import from the West, the term has gained significant traction in India, reaching peak search interest on Google Trends in the last week of February 2023. As the concept gains popularity, mental health professionals like Sharma are busy debunking myths associated with it.
Their work starts with clarifying how dopamine works.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a brain chemical that helps us feel pleasure and motivation, among other things. “Before the internet era, dopamine was primarily stimulated through daily rituals like work-related activities, sports and family interactions,” says Sharma.
The internet transformed the way we get our dopamine fix by bombarding us with constant notifications that cater to our need for validation.
Additionally, streaming platforms awakened our binge-watching tendencies, adding to the many digital stimuli that give us a dopamine rush at a faster and more frequent pace. “All of this conditions the brain to expect stimulation at a certain speed, so it tends to go back to the screen to look for that stimulation. And if you don’t get the same level of stimulation, you start feeling demotivated and irritable,” says Sharma.
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