There have been promising trends related to well-being in recent years “detoxify the mind” through technological breaks either drastic changes in everyday life. One of the most common is the phone call dopamine detox, a practice that suggests limiting social networks, Fast food or digital stimuli for Reboot the brain and regain the ability to enjoy the simple. But his scientific explanation does not stand up to scrutiny.
According to proponents of this practice, temporarily avoiding activities that produce immediate gratification would restore the sensitivity of the reward system. However, consulted specialists from The Economist They make it clear that this interpretation is incorrect and does not reflect how dopamine really works in the brain. Yes OK A period of abstinence can change a person’s relationship with the digital environment, the concept of a “chemical reset” does not find support.
Dopamine detoxification is largely a modern version of old abstinence traditions, but dressed up in pseudoscientific language. Its proponents claim that constant exposure to applications, gambling and highly processed foods would saturate the dopaminergic system and reduce neuronal sensitivity. As a solution, they suggest a radical break lasting several weeks to “restore” the balance.
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The available evidence directly contradicts this approach. The Economist quotes Christian Lüscher, a neuroscientist at the University of Geneva, who points out that dopamine is clearly not the pleasure molecule. Instead, it is involved in key processes such as learning, movement and habit formation and does not act as an exhaustive resource.
A profound dopamine deficiency – such as that seen in Parkinson’s disease – has serious consequences through the loss of producing neurons, showing that its function is much more complex. Its central role is related to the reward prediction error, a mechanism that compares what is expected with what is received: its activity increases when faced with a positive surprise and decreases when expectations are not met. This system guides learning and reinforces useful behaviors, also the foundation of several artificial intelligence models.
Over time, initially conscious behaviors can turn into automatic habits, activated by minimal signals such as a notification. Although these habits reduce cognitive load, they can persist even when they no longer produce satisfaction. Additionally, dopamine patterns adapt to context, allowing behavioral strategies to be adjusted depending on the situation.
The Relationship between social networks and dopamine is a central point in this debate. Georgia Turner, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge, explains that many apps use variable, unpredictable rewards, a design that makes it easier to form lasting habits.
In this sense, detox advocates are not entirely wrong: taking a break can break this cycle. Despite it, The Economist emphasizes that the changes come from the Brain plasticity – the brain’s ability to reorganize itself – and not through a supposed dopaminergic “recharge”.
Studies on the benefits of unplugging provide mixed results. Short breaks generally have little impact on well-being, partly because they are also associated with distance from the nearest social network. When abstinence is carried out in a group and over a longer period of time, the effects are more noticeable. The magazine cites an experiment at a British school in which students abstained from social media for three weeks and reported better sleep and mood.
Taken together, the results suggest this The positive effects come from changing habits that has ceased to be functional –no “chemical reset” in it Brain.
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