Dr. Alok Kanojia

It can be some dopamine, but it's serotonin. So I think a lot of times what happens is people are so focused on optimizing their dopamine that they ignore the real source of peace and contentment and even a sense of accomplishment in life.

And if it's both, what are some of the most common examples? How do we think about enhancing or optimizing our serotonin? So let's just think about this, okay? So the first thing is that the more dopamine we engage, okay? So when I do a lot of dopaminergic activities, what that literally does is strengthen the dopaminergic circuit in our brain.

And if it's both, what are some of the most common examples? How do we think about enhancing or optimizing our serotonin? So let's just think about this, okay? So the first thing is that the more dopamine we engage, okay? So when I do a lot of dopaminergic activities, what that literally does is strengthen the dopaminergic circuit in our brain.

And if it's both, what are some of the most common examples? How do we think about enhancing or optimizing our serotonin? So let's just think about this, okay? So the first thing is that the more dopamine we engage, okay? So when I do a lot of dopaminergic activities, what that literally does is strengthen the dopaminergic circuit in our brain.

So remember that the brain has a lot of like competing impulses, right? So like I want to eat a piece of fried chicken, but I should eat a salad. So some part of my brain is telling me I should do something. And another part of our brain is saying, I want to do something. So when we give into the dopaminergic part, it strengthens that part and allows it to become stronger than other parts.

So remember that the brain has a lot of like competing impulses, right? So like I want to eat a piece of fried chicken, but I should eat a salad. So some part of my brain is telling me I should do something. And another part of our brain is saying, I want to do something. So when we give into the dopaminergic part, it strengthens that part and allows it to become stronger than other parts.

So remember that the brain has a lot of like competing impulses, right? So like I want to eat a piece of fried chicken, but I should eat a salad. So some part of my brain is telling me I should do something. And another part of our brain is saying, I want to do something. So when we give into the dopaminergic part, it strengthens that part and allows it to become stronger than other parts.

So we kind of know this a lot from like kind of Eastern wisdom, right? That when you give into a desire, whatever you give into in your mind only grows. So if you let yourself eat unhealthy today, it becomes easier to eat unhealthy tomorrow and easier to eat unhealthy the next day. And that's once again, because remember, dopamine creates behavioral reinforcement, right?

So we kind of know this a lot from like kind of Eastern wisdom, right? That when you give into a desire, whatever you give into in your mind only grows. So if you let yourself eat unhealthy today, it becomes easier to eat unhealthy tomorrow and easier to eat unhealthy the next day. And that's once again, because remember, dopamine creates behavioral reinforcement, right?

So we kind of know this a lot from like kind of Eastern wisdom, right? That when you give into a desire, whatever you give into in your mind only grows. So if you let yourself eat unhealthy today, it becomes easier to eat unhealthy tomorrow and easier to eat unhealthy the next day. And that's once again, because remember, dopamine creates behavioral reinforcement, right?

So whatever we do, we're going to create cravings for and we're going to reinforce. So the first thing that a lot of people have sort of figured out is that when they use a lot of technology, that dopaminergic part of their brain is literally getting stronger and it starts beating out other parts of the brain that are telling you to do other things. So it becomes harder to motivate yourself.

So whatever we do, we're going to create cravings for and we're going to reinforce. So the first thing that a lot of people have sort of figured out is that when they use a lot of technology, that dopaminergic part of their brain is literally getting stronger and it starts beating out other parts of the brain that are telling you to do other things. So it becomes harder to motivate yourself.

So whatever we do, we're going to create cravings for and we're going to reinforce. So the first thing that a lot of people have sort of figured out is that when they use a lot of technology, that dopaminergic part of their brain is literally getting stronger and it starts beating out other parts of the brain that are telling you to do other things. So it becomes harder to motivate yourself.

It becomes harder to like, you know, you become more irritable, you become more cranky. It's like if someone tells you to not use your phone, you'll get like cranky around that. So you like literally become more receptive to like dopaminergic activity. So instead, what we really want to do is focus on boosting our serotonin system.

It becomes harder to like, you know, you become more irritable, you become more cranky. It's like if someone tells you to not use your phone, you'll get like cranky around that. So you like literally become more receptive to like dopaminergic activity. So instead, what we really want to do is focus on boosting our serotonin system.

It becomes harder to like, you know, you become more irritable, you become more cranky. It's like if someone tells you to not use your phone, you'll get like cranky around that. So you like literally become more receptive to like dopaminergic activity. So instead, what we really want to do is focus on boosting our serotonin system.

So this is why we're seeing an unprecedented level of addiction in the world today. But we're also seeing an unprecedented level of hunger for meditation and mindfulness. And why is that? What do these do in our brain? So we know that, for example, meditation is an evidence based intervention that improves things like depression and anxiety.

So this is why we're seeing an unprecedented level of addiction in the world today. But we're also seeing an unprecedented level of hunger for meditation and mindfulness. And why is that? What do these do in our brain? So we know that, for example, meditation is an evidence based intervention that improves things like depression and anxiety.

So this is why we're seeing an unprecedented level of addiction in the world today. But we're also seeing an unprecedented level of hunger for meditation and mindfulness. And why is that? What do these do in our brain? So we know that, for example, meditation is an evidence based intervention that improves things like depression and anxiety.

And the primary medications that we use to treat those are actually serotonin based medications. So meditation probably boosts our serotonin transmission in the brain. But I would say that there are also like different kinds of like mindset kind of shifts that we can do. If you kind of think about, you know, what results in serotonin boosts, it's usually things that matter to us that are painful.