Neuroscience Does mild dexamphetamine use really not downregulate dopamine that badly?

[sadmachine]

Many years ago I learnt that for me everything in life is harder and worse when you regularly overindulge in low effort, highly stimulating rewards. Long term porn usage, daily mindless browsing (doomscrolling, especially short form content) and online gaming addictions were the big ones for me.

Now that I have a really great psych and gp, I now understand this as dopamine dysregulation. I.E the reason I had adhd-like symptoms was because my brain had adapted to protect itself from the insane amounts of dopamine I was constantly trying to stimulate out, daily for 10+ years, none of which was being used to benefit me.

So simple as, I’m older and settled down now. Porn can go for good. Online gaming went years ago and nicotine has recently left. Scrolling my social media I’ll keep to intentional and infrequent and only friends content.

But I’ve asked both of them, how can a powerful dopaminergic stimulant even if only used 1-2 times a week in responsible doses not eventually downregulate it too?

Psych said it still will but not anywhere near to the extent of my old lifestyle habits. As long as you’re not routinely hyper stimulating that dopamine out like I used to, keeping protein intake high and taking days off to let if heal it won’t shrink its capacity (downregulation) to an extent will make you feel that way you hate. I trust them over anyone else at the end of the day but it sure was hard for me to accept strong drugs won’t harm me as much as my smart phone. If misused ofcourse.

They did mention frequency and time to recover plays a huge part in limiting downregulation and also mentioned porn in particular they suspect might be uniquely consequential to those sensitive due it being tied to reproduction, one of our biggest inherit motivators.

They both know I tend to abuse dexamphetamine to boost my mood and we are all trying to work towards getting me to a place where I can control it and use it as tool, as the benefits when I do use it are so life changing that I don’t wanna give up the fight until I’ve really given responsible use my best go.

I’m really, really focused on keeping my dopamine receptors as big, full and sensitive as possible because it just makes life, my relationship and my job so much easier and more enjoyable for me.

I’ve also discovered a genuine interest in neurochemistry and learning about it has really captured me.

Anyone on here who knows a thing or two and wouldn’t mind offering their 2c?

Cheers in advance for any replies, hope we can get an informative chat going.

 

[tryptakid]

Many years ago I learnt that for me everything in life is harder and worse when you regularly overindulge in low effort, highly stimulating rewards. Long term porn usage, daily mindless browsing (doomscrolling, especially short form content) and online gaming addictions were the big ones for me.

Now that I have a really great psych and gp, I now understand this as dopamine dysregulation. I.E the reason I had adhd-like symptoms was because my brain had adapted to protect itself from the insane amounts of dopamine I was constantly trying to stimulate out, daily for 10+ years, none of which was being used to benefit me.

So simple as, I’m older and settled down now. Porn can go for good. Online gaming went years ago and nicotine has recently left. Scrolling my social media I’ll keep to intentional and infrequent and only friends content.

But I’ve asked both of them, how can a powerful dopaminergic stimulant even if only used 1-2 times a week in responsible doses not eventually downregulate it too?

Psych said it still will but not anywhere near to the extent of my old lifestyle habits. As long as you’re not routinely hyper stimulating that dopamine out like I used to, keeping protein intake high and taking days off to let if heal it won’t shrink its capacity (downregulation) to an extent will make you feel that way you hate. I trust them over anyone else at the end of the day but sure surprise me.

They did mention frequency and time to recover plays a huge part in limiting downregulation and also mentioned porn in particular they suspect might be uniquely consequential to those sensitive due it being tied to reproduction, one of the biggest inherit motivators.

They both know I tend to abuse dexamphetamine to boost my mood and we are all trying to work towards getting me to a place where I can control it and use it as tool, as the benefits when I do use it are so life changing that I don’t wanna give up the fight until I’ve really given responsible use my best go.

I’m really, really focused on keeping my dopamine receptors as big, juicy and sensitive as possible because it just makes life, love and vocation so much easier and more enjoyable for me.

I’ve also discovered a genuine interest in neurochemistry and learning about it has really captured me.

Anyone on here know a thing or two and wouldn’t mind chipping in their thoughts? Or even just gently correcting me if I’ve got something wrong?

Cheers

We have to nourish our dopamine systems through action - dopamine is the drive to take action but it does not provide the reward for action completion. It's important to nurture our serotonin processes by rewarding ourselves for a job well done.

Exercise - sitting in the sun - being social - investing in our right brain are all ways that we can nurture that part of our processes.

 

[sadmachine]

We have to nourish our dopamine systems through action - dopamine is the drive to take actio but it does not provide the reward for action completion.

In our last session I learnt about the default mode network and how important “intention-action-outcome” task oriented states of mind are, especially to those with already sensitive or dysregulated dopamine systems.

I’m probably not doing it justice with my lousy description (still very new stuff to me) but nothing has ever resonated with me so intensely. I’ve spent 30+ years in the dmn, overanalysing, patting myself on the back for recognising patterns and being a critical thinker yet without action on this none of it is worth a damn. And I am rubbish at taking the action! That lack of ability to take action when I know the solution has held me back from achieving so much that I want in life.

Even on non dex days, intentionally setting tasks, seeing them through (action, the hardest part for me) and getting the outcome and benefits feels like I’ve unlocked some cheat code.

Such a fascinating and beneficial topic to learn.

 

[tryptakid]

Psilocybin might help?

 

[sadmachine]

Never really been able to “let go” on it like I could on LSD or Ketamine.

For me the learning always occurred after I figured out how to stop clinging (and reminded myself to do so mid-trip) but Psilocybin for some reason I’ve never been able to pull it off.

Even tried a small benzo dose once hours before a mushroom trip, still held on to my ego for dear life the whole ride. A shame really.