DOPAMINE - THE MOLECULE OF MORE by Daniel Z. Lieberman & Michael E. Long

The dopamine circuits in the brain can be stimulated only by the possibility of whatever is shiny and new, never mind how perfect things are at the moment.

The dopamine motto is “More.”

I was always interested in finding out more about this chemical in our brain that is associated with pleasure and influences our human behaviour so much but most importantly, I discovered that the lack of it could sadly lead to depression and even Parkinson’s disease.

Dopamine, the future-oriented and anticipation molecule is well contrasted with what is referred to in the book as present oriented molecules (here & now) such as serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins.

Turns out, some people are predisposed more towards the enjoyment linked to expected pleasures while others are able of enjoying more of what they already have, it’s all determined on their “here & now” neurotransmitters levels.

People that tend to be dopamine dominant are driven, obsessed with achievement and efficiency and they love the thrill of the chase rather than the actual relationship, for example. However, this could also mean they are rarely happy if we define happiness by what we actually have.

On the flip side, those predisposed with more “here & now” chemicals, tend to be more content and have stronger interpersonal relationships but are less driven to achievement and less resilient to change.

Overall, dopamine can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on these key takeaways:

• Balance - let the dopamine work in your favour by encouraging persistency and creativity but not at a cost of addiction or depression.

• Expectations vs Reality - All relationships start from imagining possibilities but understanding that different neurotransmitters guide us throughout the life of a relationship, is important.

• Mastery & Present - Achieving mastery acts as a culmination of dopamine and reality.

“Paying attention to reality, to what you are actually doing in the moment, maximises the flow of information into your brain. It maximises dopamine’s ability to make new plans, because to build models that will accurately predict the future, dopamine needs data, and data flows from the sense. That’s dopamine and H&N working together.”