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Improved writing - Dopamine fasting is a way for individuals to fast and cope with impulsive and behavioral addiction to help reset to a healthy lifestyle for your mind and body. Some examples of addictive and impulsive behaviors are include but not limited to; social media use, emotional eating, internet or gaming, gambling or shopping, porn, or masturbation. .

Removed sentences and improved writing -This concept is a form of detox that was first developed by California psychiatrist Dr. Cameron Sepah as a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). However, the practice has been referred to as a "maladaptive fad" by psychiatrist Dr. Cameron Sepah. He explains that the intended goal for individuals fasting is to not completely eliminate such addictive behaviors but to learn how to maintain their impulsive behavior toward a healthy lifestyle.

Added sentence - In contrast, Dr. Cameron Sepah stressed that there have been misinterpretations of the true value of this type of detox and how it is supposed to work.

Definitions

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The practice of dopamine fasting is not clearly defined in what it entails, on what technologies, with what frequency it should be done, or how it is supposed to work. Some proponents limit the process to avoiding online technology; others extend it to abstaining from all work, exercise, physical contact and unnecessary conversation.

Added name of source - According to California psychiatrist Dr. Cameron Sepah, a proponent of the practice, the purpose is not to literally reduce dopamine in the body but rather to reduce impulsive behaviors that are rewarded with it. One account suggests that the practice is about avoiding cues, such as hearing the ring of a smartphone, that can trigger impulsive behaviors, such as remaining on the smartphone after the call to play a game. In one sense, dopamine fasting is a reaction to technology firms that have engineered their services to keep people hooked. It can encourage engagement in less stimulating activities such as reading, crafting, or outdoor sports.

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An extreme form of dopamine fasting would be a complete sensory deprivation, where all external stimuli are removed to promote a sense of calm and well-being.

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Added sentence - The effects of a overload of one activity can cause our brains natural to cause unbalancedness and negative effects on our body and mental health.

Proponents of dopamine fasting argue that it is a way to exert greater self-control and self-discipline over one's life, and New York Times technology journalist Nellie Bowles found that dopamine fasting made her subject's everyday life "more exciting and fun".

It has been described as a fad and a craze associated with Silicon Valley. An account in Vice said, "If the idea of abstaining from anything fun in order to increase your mental clarity is appealing, congratulations: You and the notorious biohackers in Silicon Valley are on the same wave."

Scientific Research

[edit] Detractors say that the overall concept of dopamine fasting is unscientific since the chemical plays a vital role in everyday life; literally reducing it would not be good for a person, and removing a particular stimulus like social media would not reduce the levels of dopamine in the body, only the stimulation of it. Ciara McCabe, Associate Professor in Neuroscience at the University of Reading, considers the idea that the brain could be "reset" by avoiding dopamine triggers for a short time to be "nonsense".

Cameron Sepah, who has promoted the practice of dopamine fasting, agrees that the name is misleading and says that its purpose is not to literally reduce dopamine in the body but rather to reduce the impulsive behaviors that are rewarded by it.

Besides impulsive behavior control, which is regulated by the prefrontal cortex, it has never been conclusively proven that technology use hardens the brain to dopamine’s effects. Technology use induces a dopamine response on par with any normal, enjoyable experience: roughly a 50% to 100% increase. By contrast, heroin, cocaine and amphetamine — three highly addictive drugs — can cause dopamine spikes ranging as high as 300%, 350%, and 1,365% respectively. In addition, dopamine receptors themselves — the cells in the brain activated in different ways by dopamine’s release — respond differently to technology use than they do to substance abuse, with no evidence that they become less sensitive to dopamine with repeated exposure, in the way they do with substance abuse. In the final analysis, it is wrong to assume that avoiding "dopamine spikes" may upregulate dopamine receptors, causing an "increase in motivation or pleasure". Conversely, freeing oneself from bad habits may free up time for healthier habits, like physical activity, leading to actual increases in gray matter volume on multiple brain parts related to the reward system.