What activities for dopamine?
I think we live in a dopamine/endorphin seeking world. People are living in overload.
This leads to spikes and crashes between dopamine/endorphins and cortisol.
I picture a person swinging back and fourth between dopamine and endorphin’s and just left feeling like shit.
I noticed which happy chemicals of mine were in excess and which ones were more depleted and gave those depleted areas more attention. I noticed where I made cortisol my enemy rather than befriending it. It can be a useful healthy tool or a dangerous harmful weapon.
For me I was more depleted of serotonin and oxytocin. I was a seeker of external stimuli (for perceived survival). The next fix. Instant gratification. Addictive tendencies. Anticipation and thrill seeking. What goes up must come back down. Numbing out pain.
It feels good to be free of that rollercoaster ride.
Edit: I never felt long term satisfaction or accomplishment. It was always temporary. I would get things done quick, ace my college exams, get my body to where I wanted it to be, get the man of my “dreams”, etc. but still feel empty underneath it all. It’s fun playing with all 4 of these chemicals.