Are you curious to learn more about the concept of a dopamine menu? Discover what it is, how to make one, and the best ideas to add to yours.
Have you heard of the recent trend of the Dopamine Menu?
Well if youâre curious to learn more about it, youâre in the right place.
Today weâre discussing all things dopamine menus from what they are, how to make them, and all the best ideas to add to yours.
But first, letâs take a moment to dig into the science, learn what dopamine is, what it does, and how you can get a little boost when you need it.
Contents
What Is Dopamine?
Dopamine is a special type of hormone called a neurotransmitter. Itâs made in the brain and acts like a messenger for the rest of your body.
Responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward, dopamine plays a critical role in our ability to do all kinds of things from learning to remembering and to even keeping organs like the kidneys operating correctly.
Itâs often referred to as the feel-good hormone because itâs closely linked to our reward system. When you do something that feels good, your brain releases a rush of dopamine flooding you with feelings of achievement, confidence, and just general good vibes.
What Dopamine Does
Dopamine is responsible for all kinds of critical functions within the body. But to keep things simple, when you are experiencing high dopamine levels you might feel happy or even euphoric, energetic, and possibly a little frisky.
On the other hand, when they are low, you might feel understimulated, low energy, and maybe even anxious or sad.
In todayâs world, weâre used to getting near constant hits of dopamine and we seek it out consciously or unconsciously through a variety of micro behaviors like picking up our phones, eating something sweet, or online shopping.
While none of these things are bad in moderation, the idea behind a dopamine menu is being more intentional about where we are seeking out our next boost rather than turning to our unconscious vices again and again.
What Is a Dopamine Menu?
Dopamenu is a term coined by Jessica McCabe, an expert on all things ADHD. It refers to the idea of creating a curated list of dopamine boosting activities so that you can become more mindful of your reward seeking system and choose activities that nourish the mind, body, and soul instead of resorting to constant doom scrolling.
She uses the example of trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it. When weâre feeling under stimulated we seek reward but often look for it in the wrong places. So when we open the Instagram app we might feel like weâre getting the boost we needed but then when you finally manage to pull yourself away you might find that you feel even emptier than when you started.
These types of hallow activities will vary from person to person but some common examples are:
- Doomscrolling
- Endless texting
- Ruminating
- Mindless or emotional eating
- Watching TV
- Playing video or phone games
Jessica compares it to trying to make good food choices when youâre hungry. When youâre already low on dopamine, you might find yourself making bad choices on where to seek it out.
A dopamine menu is a way to put some forethought into creating a list of activities that may actually fill your bucket in those moments â from making a nice cup of tea to going for a walk or planning your next vacation.
Itâs basically your blueprint for where to get dopamine when you need a little boost đ
If youâre curious to learn more, you can check our Jessicaâs YouTube channel How to ADHD or her book.
Hereâs the YouTube video where she introduces the idea of a dopa menu.
How to Make Your Own Dopamine Menu
Okay now that youâre an expert on all things dopa menu, itâs time to turn intention to action and make your own.
This is a choose your own adventure:
Path 1: Make a Dopamine Menu thatâs totally your own from choosing the menu items to designing the menu itself, turn the process into a creative project and spend an afternoon creating a dopa menu thatâs totally unique to you.
Path 2: Use our Dopamine Menu Template and fill edit and adjust your menu items to match what you love and what brings you pleasure.
In either case, weâve adapted Jessica McCabeâs approach into a simple four step process below.
- Design: Think about things that youâve done in the past that have made you feel excited or alive and also things that have left you feeling bored or depleted. You might want to treat this as a stream of consciousness brainstorm because thereâs room for editing in the next step.
- Set Your Menu: Review and edit your list. Keep in mind this isnât a to do list so you should feel some level of genuine excitement to do each thing on your list. Donât forget to put each menu item into a category: appetizer, entree, side, desserts, and specials. In this step you should also turn your menu into a fun design. Pinterest is a great source of inspiration.
- Prep: Make doing the things on your dopamine easier by preparing your space. You might want to set up a little tea station or get your bullet journal set up. Think about how you can make things easy for yourself by setting the stage.
- Display: This step is about putting your dopamine menu somewhere where you wonât forget it so it can serve as a constant reminder. Some ideas include printing it and putting it on your fridge or desk or you can even set it as the background on your phone.
Dopamine Menu Ideas
Just in case you need a little inspo along the way, weâve put together our best dopamine menu ideas to spark your imagination. From peaceful walks to pet cuddles and wine drinking, these activities are sure to give you the little extra boost you need.
Appetizers (small boosts in 5 to 10 minutes)
- 5-minute meditation
- 5 minutes of positive affirmations
- Listen to your favorite song dance like no one is watching
- Make a cup of coffee or tea
- Cuddle or play with a pet
- Do some satisfying stretches
- Get some sunlight
- Send a text to a friend to tell then youâre thinking about them
- Take a warm shower
- Do you skincare routine
- Do a Duolingo lesson to keep your streak
- Make a list
Entrees (for a full boost of dopamine)
- Go for a walk or hike
- Go to a workout class or do a home workout
- Cook a meal
- Watch a movie
- Read your book
- Take an everything shower
- Declutter one area of your home
- Deep clean your house
- Make a new playlist
Sides (some frosting to make something else just a little more fun)
- Light a delicious smelling candle
- Put on a TV show you love in the background (or a cozy ambiance video)
- Call a friend or family member
- List to a podcast or audiobook
- Put on your favorite playlist
- Make a special beverage
- Put on a face or hair mask
Desserts (something extra sweet to be enjoyed in moderation)
- Scroll on social media
- Do some online shopping
- Binge-watch a show
- Have a glass of wine
- Make a delicious snack
Specials (an special treat when you really need it)
- Book your next vacation
- Sign up for a workshop or course
- Buy yourself some flowers
- Go for a cold plunge or cryo session
- Start a new creative project
- Do a random act of kindness
- Get your nails done
- Take a pottery class
- Book tickets to a concert
How to Use Your Dopamine Menu
Now that you have a customized dopamine menu with all your favorite activities ready to go, itâs time to start thinking about how youâre going to use it.
Becoming mindful of our reward seeking behavior can be difficult because for many of us itâs a deeply ingrained subconscious habit.
To start, take a moment to reflect on a couple of things you do on a daily basis or maybe many times a day when youâre feeling understimulated.
For many, the big one is reaching for our phones but it could also be snacking, biting your nails, or even compulsively checking your text messages or email.
Start with just one of these habits and try to be mindful of the times throughout the day when you start to initiate this activity. Can you think of any specific triggers? Perhaps you always scroll on social media on your commute, or maybe you check your email every time you finish something.
Your triggers will be deeply personal and unique to you but once you have some awareness of what they are, you can start to reprogram your mind to reach from your menu instead of your old habits.
Final Thoughts
Creating and using a dopamine menu can be a great way to feel happier and more fulfilled on a day to day basis.
Itâs a great way to bring awareness to habits that are not serving us and being mindful about replacing them with things that do.
We hope this post has inspired you to create your own dopamine menu and weâd love to hear about it in the comment below.
However, if you are finding that nothing feels enjoyable, you could be experiencing something bigger and itâs always best to seek out professional help if you need it. Thereâs no need to struggle along. We wish we could be there to give you a big hug.
With love,
A small note to my readers â Over here at VLHhealth, we occasionally include affiliate links in our posts. This means that if you purchase using our links, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Sources
Harvard Health Publishing: Dopamine: The pathway to pleasure
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dopamine-the-pathway-to-pleasure
How to ADHD: An Insiderâs Guide to Working with Your Brain (Not Against It)
https://books.google.nl/books/about/How_to_ADHD.html?id=xSkY0AEACAAJ&redir_esc=y
Very Well Mind: As a Therapist With ADHD, Here’s What’s On My Dopamine Menu
https://www.verywellmind.com/as-a-therapist-with-adhd-here-s-what-s-on-my-dopamine-menu-8610279
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