I Did a “Dopamine Detox” to Quell My TikTok Addiction – ryan

As it turns out, the entire concept of a “dopamine detox” is wildly misunderstood. You can’t actually fast from dopamine because it’s not a toxin—your brain doesn’t “store” it in a way that requires purging. “Dopamine is just a mechanism that explains how addictions can become reinforced, and makes for a catchy title,” says Dr. Cameron Sepah, the California psychiatrist who coined the term. “The title’s not to be taken literally”​.

So, what is dopamine? It’s a neurotransmitter that regulates motivation, learning and pleasure—always present in your brain and fluctuating naturally throughout the day​. Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician at Harvard Medical School, explains the major misconception: “People view dopamine like it’s heroin or cocaine, believing that by depriving themselves of stimulation, they’ll replenish depleted dopamine stores and experience a greater high later. But that’s not how it functions”​.

Instead of treating dopamine like a gas tank that needs refilling, it’s more accurate to view it as part of a complex feedback system that helps reinforce behaviors. The real problem isn’t dopamine itself—it’s how our brains become conditioned to seek out instant gratification. Excessive use of TikTok, for example, can create a habit loop: every time you’re bored or restless, you reach for quick, high-reward content. And over time, this establishes compulsive engagement as a routine, making it harder to focus on anything that requires sustained attention.​