So how’re you doing?
Feeling kinda of “blah,” “who cares,” and “why bother”?
If life seems to have lost its shine, and your happy place is seeming a bit run down, you may be suffering from dopamine depletion, says expert Suzy Cohen, RPh.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Dopamine imbalances can induce depression. This is different depression than the type induced by a serotonin deficiency. Serotonin may be effectively raised with Prozac, though Cohen is quick to point out that depression is not a symptom of “medication deficiency,” and must be addressed differently for long-term health.
Low serotonin makes you feel “blue,” lacking motivation and self-esteem, but does not generally create a desire to die. Dopamine does… gratefully, you’re just too low to do anything about it.
- Dopamine deficiency looks like:
- morning sluggishness, with brain fog
- low dopamine (unlike low serotonin) creates depression marked by a lack of pleasure, rather than the serotonin type of pessimism or “ glass half empty” negativity.
- enthusiasm may be elicited with a “hit” of caffeine or sugar that may spur a desire to shop, have sex, or do some other immediately rewarding activity. When dopamine fades, so does all interest.
Beyond mood, dopamine deficiencies may damage your brain, specifically the substantia nigra, where dopamine is produced. Low dopamine levels are connected to Parkinson’s disease and thyroid dysfunction.
Cohen describes in detail the damage done by fluorinated drugs and chemicals to the thyroid and dopamine levels. She also alerts the public to the link between dopamine, research concerning a process called “Redox Homeostasis,” and the import of “preventing neurodegeneration which leads to depression, Parkinson’s and other neurological disorders.”
Here’s what you need to do:
1) Stop free radicals with antioxidants.
2) Consider careful use of dopamine-lifting supplements or drugs because “the risk of suicide goes up in some people, possibly because they are so dopamine deficient to begin with.”
3) Check thyroid hormone levels properly.
4) Opt for a healthier diet, not the SAD diet (Standard American Diet), which can disrupt Redox Homeostasis, cause cellular inflammation, and lead to mild brain inflammation.
Read the full article here: Have You Stopped Enjoying Life? Could Be Low Dopamine – Suzy Cohen, RPh
