Hello Brains!
You've probably heard about dopamine before.
There are even some memes about it.
A lot of memes.
[off camera] --[laughing] Dope-a-memes
They make it seem kinda simple. It's not.
♪ [ intro music ] ♪
Dopamine (n) is a neurotransmitter...
...a chemical released by neurons to send signals to other neurons...
...that plays a large role in motivation and behavior.
It's often referred to as the "pleasure chemical"
Which can be a bit confusing...
...because dopamine doesn't actually create pleasure.
What it does do, is reinforce it.
Dopamine is released in the brain during pleasurable situations.
Like, eating a piece of cake.
Which stimulates us to further seek out those rewarding situations.
It essentially tells our brain "Whatever you did, that felt good."
"Do it again."
Dopamine helps with learning and memory...
...as well as a lot of other brain functions.
Cognitive and emotion regulation, movement...
...sensory processing, including pain processing, even sleep.
Typically, brains start to learn which behaviors lead to rewards.
And can begin to release dopamine even in anticipation of that reward.
Oh, I'm filling out this college application form...
...it'll feel so great when I graduate!
Dopamine!!
♪ ♪
And that release of dopamine is in turn helpful in filling out the form.
Solid levels of dopamine in the brain, especially in the prefrontal cortex...
...help in improved memory, attention, problem solving...
...and other cognitive functions.
But in ADHD, we don't have normal levels of dopamine in the brain.
As a result, core aspects of our reward system work differently.
So intellectually, we might understand that doing this thing now will lead to a reward later.
But our brains don't light up in anticipation of that reward.
So we don't experience the same boost in motivation when anticipating a future reward.
We
Which is probably why I get so excited...
...when I get to post one of these videos and read all the comments.
But after we experience that reward which triggers a release of dopamine...
...which gives us a boost in motivation, something called dopamine re-uptake happens.
Which happens for everyone, just a little more quickly for us.
Basically when the transporter cells take that dopamine back to the original source...
...it gets nommed up by the brain.
So there's lower levels of dopamine floating around to hit our dopamine receptors.
This is complicated.
But bottom line, that happens kinda quickly for us.
And the return to our low baseline levels results in an immediate drop in motivation.
So we're motivated. But not for long.
This is why we can sometimes have trouble sustaining effort toward long-term goals.
And why, especially when untreated, we might be more susceptible than our neurotypical peers...
...to engaging in activities that provide more immediate forms of dopamine.
Like video-games, impulse-buying, petting an animal...
...jumping on the bed, cookies, sticker charts.
Stuff that makes you feel good right away.
Getting specific, immediate, positive feedback.
This is also why treating ADHD typically involves...
...boosting dopamine levels through stimulant medication.
If you don't make your own, store bought is fine.
Exercise and getting enough sleep, all of which help balance our dopamine levels...
...which can help us manage our ADHD.
But that doesn't mean the more dopamine, the better.
Having too much or too little dopamine can create challenges.
You kinda want to balance the chemical cocktail in your brain.
And researchers believe there's more to ADHD than just a dopamine deficiency.
Especially since there are different presentations of ADHD.
And we already know dopamine isn't the only neurotransmitter involved in ADHD.
But dopamine does seem to be involved.
And researchers are even beginning to identify...
...the specific dopamine pathways in the brain that are associated with specific ADHD symptoms.
Mesolimbic, mesocortical and nigrostriatal. See? Not simple.
If you'd like to learn more about dopamine...
...I've linked to some articles in the description below.
And as researchers learn more, I'm sure we'll cover it again.
This episode is sponsored by the Hero's Journal...
...which is a personal planner designed to turn your goal into an epic adventure.
It was designed for ADHD brains, by ADHD brains.
And it's based on behavioral science and fantasy nerdyness...
...both of which I really appreciate.
I fell in love with this journal a few months ago...
...and somehow it keeps getting even more impressive.
Which is probably why I keep talking about it.
They now have two different story lines available...
...Istoria Magic Academy, for fans of Harry Potter...
...and for fans of LoTR, Legend of Istoria.
I'm a DnD nerd personally, so this is the one I'm using.
Or it was untill they came out with a new version.
They just sent me the new ones yesterday.
And I couldn't stop talking about them while I was shooting B-roll.
Thye're now available in leather which feels very adventure-y.
The side-binding is gorgeous.
The beginning is redesigned to guide us even better...
...through the process of defining our quest.
They added a tutorial page to help prompt us on the first day of our journey.
Every 7 pages you get to level up and reflect on your journey.
Super important for those of us with ADHD...
...to recognize the progress we've made.
And they've done it in a really fun way.
The artwork changes daily so it's almost like a flip-book.
The pages are undated...
...so you can take days off from questing without wasting any pages.
And of course you can still color in it.
Which is good, 'cause sometimes planing our day is stressful.
This journal is absolutely stunning inside and out.
You can see it continues to be designed with a lot of care...
...and thought to helping us set off on our quests...
...and actually achieve our goals.
It's definitely a premium product.
If you want to try it out for free, you can!
You can actually download the first 71 pages for free.
Which includes the intro and the entire first act.
If you decide you want to order one...
...there are a lot of international Brains that expressed interest in it.
So they also ship internationally now.
If you'd like to try the Hero's Journal or buy one for a friend...
...click on the link in the description below and use code howtoadhd.
And by supporting them, you're supporting us too.
Thank you to my Brain Advocates and all my Patreon Brains...
...for helping me afford my store-bought dopamine.
So I have the motivation to create episodes like this.
And thank you to my Brain Board for watching me film it.
Like, subscribe, click all the things.
And I will see you next video. Bye Brains!
Something called re-uptake happens...
...where that dopamine is taken back out of your brain-smoothie.
[off-camera] -- Your brains-smoothie?!
JESSICA: The chemical cocktail that is your brain.
Dopamine!!
I just realized I don't have to do the freeze frame.
The editors can do the freeze frame.
[off-camera] I--I want to see you get this in one take.
Mosolimbic, mesocortical and nigrostriatal.
[off-camera laughing]
[off-camera] --The brain-smoothie.
JESSICA: No, no, no, no. You know...
...like the chemical cocktail that's happening in your brain.
Like a cocktail. Like this much this, this much this.
Right? And then it's like spiked with dopamine...
...and then someone's like "Oh man, who spiked the punch?"
And then they like, take it out...
...they like, filter it back out.
[off-camera] -- Oh wow, there's some endorphines. Like that's a pretty cool ingredient!