Dopamine Fasting?! Hoodwinked About Dopamine?!

Dopamine fasting is actually a thing, or trend you could say, that has hoodwinked people about dopamine. Addiction to our cell phones, to foods, to video games is way more complicated than just dopamine. Yet whenever I come across articles about dopamine and dopamine fasting the whole story about dopamine is never told. It all about the pleasure or pain, desire and wanting what we want.
As someone with Parkinson's disease, which is the fastest growing neurodegenerative disease in the world, taking over Alzheimers disease, and for articles and books about dopamine to completely ignore the role that dopamine in movement is inexcusable.
I discuss and critique the New York Times best seller Dopamine Nation in this video for not having Parkinson's listed in the index so that I could easily find what it is that the author would say about Parkinson's and dopamine it's not in the index. The author Anna Lembke is the medical director of Stanford Addiction Medicine, and we need researchers like her, in no way am I saying I am smarter or know more. It's just sad for the Parkinson's community who relies on taking synthetic dopamine and is desperately trying to get our brains to produce dopamine, that the role of dopamine in our lives is even worth a mention in a book about dopamine.
www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/exp...
my.clevelandclinic.org/health...
www.health.harvard.edu/blog/i...
www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/p... parkinsons#:~:text=One%20disease%20in%20particular%20stands,and%20a%20ubiquitous%20chemical%20pollutant.
www.npr.org/sections/health-s...
www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/we...

[@ricksuvanto5009]

Thanks for putting this out there. I was thinking if there are people out there who don't want their dopamine, I know lots who want it. Dopamine Bank ? 😂

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Lol!!!! I do too 😂

[@user-yy7ys8vr8c]

Good for you! I don’t mind being a dopamine “addict” as long as there isn’t a supply problem! I’m also addicted to air, but as long as there is no supply problem, I’m happy!

[@user-ne2mc6pl4e]

Thank you so much for your due diligence on this issue. For those of us who are involuntarily ‘dopamine fasting’ it is neither trendy or beneficial. Our lives are truly a struggle in nearly every possible way. For those who would play fast and loose with the idea of intentionally lessening or squandering dopamine, please spend a day with someone quietly battling the day by day war with Parkinson’s. How did Paul Harvey put it, ‘…Now you know the rest of the story.’

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you for your comment! Exactly....come spend a day with someone who has Parkinson's. As you know I agree 🥰

[@2bluBruce]

Very insightful! I agree, “dopamine “ is hot in the current pop culture lexicon.. meaning the word gets clicks (regardless of the content) As a person fighting PD, YOU are my favorite follow. Thanks again 😊

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you so much for watching and your compliment Bruce!! 🥰

[@davidhughes5998]

This is such a learning curve. Thanks for your efforts and views it's a great comfort. We can feel so isolated. Thanks for explaining. ❤

[@rogerokelley]

Great subject. Also, I love the outside background and especially the book shelf background. I'd rather read a book than the phone😊😊😊

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you so much....Nothing quite like a good book!!🥰

[@johnp.2614]

Great research and video!

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you! 🥰

[@JeremyMcdonald]

Wow! Another great video, Jenn! Well researched and presented. I always learn something from watching you!😁 Dopamine fasting sounds like a strange way to deal with life issues! As someone with PD, I can’t imagine denying myself something as necessary as dopamine. Thx, Jenn!

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you Jeremy!! I’m curious how many of us in the Parkinson’s community have heard of dopamine fasting and if it drives them as crazy as it drives me 🥰

[@MikeMercury]

thanks for the information

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you and you’re welcome! 🥰

[@DizzyRansmeier]

Love the petroleum metaphor. This just came up today with a co-worker when I was trying to explain what PD is, and mentioned our Dopamine issues. The response was “Oh, so I’ll give you lots of hugs and pictures of puppies!” This, just after I said “you’d never guess how much we rely on Dopamine just to get around!” Thanks for calling out the trend and misinformation Jennifer! As always, it’s a comfort to know what you’re mind is up to, as it helps me feel so much less alone in my experience. Thank you❤

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you Dizzy! It's in conversations like that where you wonder, are people listening? Happy to hear you "love the petroleum metaphor." It was actually a challenge to think of one...nothing was quite right. But that was the one that finally worked : )

[@MIKEPURCELL24]

Great to see another one of your videos! I think what we are looking at here is another case of extreme view to sell books. People use narratives to get attention as we all know. I guess bringing attention to the subject might help in some way. I think as a group we can get behind you and remind people of the more complete view on Dopamine balance. I hope maybe we can see a comment from MJF’s foundation reminding people to be careful what they wish for. Like my father used to always preach to me, “Everything in moderation”

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you Mike! I think it's also an example of our love for a quick fix. Understanding why we do the things we love to do in excess is complicated and blaming dopamine is the quick fix. And maybe we should be allowed a few things that we are addicted to? But that's a whole other discussion ; )

[@markbiech]

Good conversation

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you! 🥰

[@joemancini2988]

May I call you Jenn? Excellent video. You may have movement issues but your voice is clear and strong.

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Jen is fine and thank you! I sing a lot and hope that it keeps my voice clear and strong for as long as possible 🥰

[@GoProGoalieUzi]

Great video! I love dopamine❤❤

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you!! 🥰

[@mikiwhite8190]

Buzzword ignorance.. go girl~ shine the light!!

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

The dopamine fasting thing drives me crazy!! 🙃

[@RovingReader]

We had a speaker to start the school year who wanted us to be “dopamine dealers” and even had swag. I have SO many problems with using the word “dealer” and especially the lack of science present in this catch phrase!

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Omg! Really?!? That is one of the craziest things I've heard in a long time :) But I am glad you were wise enough to know better!! I am amazed the school allowed the use of the word dealer, unreal! Thank you for sharing your story!! 🥰

[@SDWP]

Great video. Give me all the dopamine! Lol

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you!! So far that’s the parkie consensus 🥰

[@GamingisAHobby]

33 and was just diagnosed five months ago with Parkinson’s. How do you stop freezing of gait? I’m taking four carbidopa levodopa four times a day. Also started taking selegiline two times a day. I just recently stopped drinking in hope my freezing of gait which happens once or twice a week will go down to a month. I’ll continue to follow and watch. On top of that I’ve had four major heart surgeries. I do have a movement specialist. Look forward to watching your channel :)

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Thank you for your comment!! Do you exercise? That's a BIG helper for me with all my symptoms. The kind of exercise I get is a dog walk in the hills every morning. Freezing of gait is tricky...I have moments almost daily though they are brief. My tricks are pretty standard and actually I think this would be a great video topic for me to do next!! 🥰

[@GoProGoalieUzi]

Exercise!!❤❤

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Yeppers!! Weez got's to!! @@GoProGoalieUzi

[@sharoncribbs7516]

I love dopamine too!

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Right!!! Yay 🥰

[@alittlebitshaky]

You are a demon when it comes to research, Jen. To be honest, I don’t read much or pay attention to the newspapers and/or social media. Even PD stuff…. So if there’s a heap of discussion around dopamine I will have missed it. 😬 But I do agree with you on your love for dopamine!

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Awe thank you!! 😈 I read a lot, books, newspapers, and live for lively conversations! 🥰

[@Michael-he7xn]

It strikes me that jumping on the bandwagon about the latest fad (be it diet, dopamine fasting, politics or whatever) and publishing a book about it is a great way to make a buck and spread less than accurate information. Life is so much more nuanced and complicated than a simple fix. All the best Jennifer.

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Did you edit out the funny parts of your comment? I read something hilarious at 5 am and fell back asleep…anyways yes I totally agree about the bandwagon! Things are never so simple 🙃 Thank you!! 🥰

[@Michael-he7xn]

Wuzzn’t me.

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

@@Michael-he7xn 🥰

[@MikeMercury]

bonjour dear

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

🥰

[@LifewithParkinsons]

Interesting that someome thinks we can control our dopamine

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

Have you ever heard of it before?

[@LifewithParkinsons]

@@ParkinsonsWigglesProject I've heard concerns about teenagers becoming addicted to video games, partially because of dopamine but that's about it.

[@ParkinsonsWigglesProject]

@@LifewithParkinsons yeah that's where I think most people are at. I read a lot of news/lifestyle articles and talk of dopamine is everywhere except about PD!! Grrr! :)