Chasing Life Podcast: "How to Hack Your Brain’s Reward System"
Release Date: February 7, 2025
Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Guest: Eric Tivers, ADHD Coach and Creator of the Dopa Menu
Introduction: Battling Winter Blues
Dr. Sanjay Gupta opens the episode by sharing his personal struggle with motivation as winter continues to linger. Feeling increasingly content with inactivity, he seeks a solution to reignite his drive.
"It's hard to describe, but just harder and harder for me to find the motivation." [00:31]
Determined to overcome this slump, Dr. Gupta introduces the topic of the day: the Dopa Menu—a strategy aimed at boosting dopamine to enhance motivation and reward.
Meeting Eric Tivers: The Mind Behind the Dopa Menu
Eric Tivers, an ADHD coach and host of the podcast ADHD Rewired, joins Dr. Gupta to discuss his creation, the Dopa Menu.
"It's kind of a creative project meets sort of list of strategies to use. You know, it's, it's, in some ways it's like a portion of a self care plan." [01:05]
Diagnosed with ADHD at 19, Tivers shifted his life trajectory by understanding his brain's workings, leading him to develop tools like the Dopa Menu to help others harness their own neurodiversity.
Understanding the Dopa Menu
The Dopa Menu is a curated list of activities designed to stimulate dopamine production, categorized into Appetizers, Entrees, and Desserts—mirroring a restaurant menu structure.
Appetizers: Low-Effort Dopamine Boosters
These are simple, low-effort activities that provide quick dopamine hits.
"Going for a quick walk or having a snack or putting some music on or lighting the candle. Just little things like that that are pretty low effort." [01:36]
Examples include:
- Taking a short stroll
- Enjoying a favorite snack
- Listening to music
- Lighting a scented candle
Entrees: Engaging and Rewarding Activities
These require more effort but offer greater dopamine rewards.
"Pickleball, go for a bike ride, play piano and guitar, engage in a new hobby, journaling, drawing." [07:06]
Activities include:
- Playing sports like pickleball or ping pong
- Riding a motorcycle
- Learning a new instrument
- Journaling or drawing
- Spending quality time with loved ones
Desserts: Tempting but Counterproductive Choices
These are activities that offer instant gratification but may lead to negative consequences.
"Scrolling, video games, sugary treats, staying up late... things that aren't great yet." [07:06]
Examples include:
- Mindless social media scrolling
- Binge-watching TV shows
- Consuming excessive sugar
- Staying up late without reason
The Science Behind Dopamine and ADHD
Dopamine plays a crucial role in motivation and reward. Tivers explains that individuals with ADHD have an under-aroused brain state, necessitating more frequent dopamine stimulation.
"Our brains are under aroused in its natural state." [11:47]
A study from 2012 highlighted that ADHD brains work harder to perform basic cognitive tasks and require more immediate rewards to stay engaged.
"The ADHD brain is working profoundly harder... it's less responsive to rewards." [12:04]
Universal Benefits: Beyond ADHD
While the Dopa Menu was conceptualized to aid those with ADHD, Tivers emphasizes its universal applicability.
"People with ADHD need these strategies, but these are often really great strategies for everybody." [03:09]
He likens the Dopa Menu to universal design for life, benefiting anyone looking to enhance their motivation and well-being.
"The dopa menu could have benefits for everybody, not just those with ADHD." [14:26]
Creating Your Own Dopa Menu: A Step-by-Step Guide
Tivers provides practical advice on crafting a personalized Dopa Menu:
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Choose a Format: Use tools like Canva or traditional pen and paper.
"I use Canva, which is a pretty user-friendly graphic design tool." [22:31]
-
Categorize Activities: Organize them into Appetizers, Entrees, and Desserts based on effort and reward.
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Assess Dopamine Impact: Rate activities on a scale (e.g., 1 to 5) to indicate their dopamine-boosting potential.
"I typically rate it between 1 to 5. Interesting." [07:14]
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Include Flexibility: Allow your menu to evolve as your preferences and circumstances change.
"You've got to allow the menu to be in a little bit of a state of flux." [19:10]
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Make It Accessible: Place your menu where you'll see it regularly, such as on the fridge or as a phone wallpaper.
"Have it highly flexible, you want it to be easy to engage with." [23:53]
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Set Up Your Environment: Arrange your space to make positive activities more accessible and tempting.
"Put the guitar right next to the couch where you normally just turn the TV on." [23:53]
Personal Insights and Evolution
Tivers shares how his own Dopa Menu has evolved over time, adapting to his changing needs and preferences.
"Sometimes I like that [playing alone], not so much." [18:13]
He emphasizes the importance of regular reflection and adjustment to ensure the menu remains effective.
"It's a tool just like our calendar and our to-do list... it's like, just because we captured it and put it in the calendar of the to-do list doesn't mean we have to do it to change our minds." [19:19]
Conclusion: Embracing the Dopa Menu for a Balanced Life
Dr. Gupta encapsulates the essence of the conversation, encouraging listeners to create their own Dopa Menus to navigate challenges, especially during trying times like the cold, dark season.
"I love that, the idea that you could add a little spice to your food... you have to eat, so you order up the menu." [21:03]
By intentionally selecting activities that enhance dopamine levels, individuals can foster greater motivation, joy, and resilience in their daily lives.
Notable Quotes
- "It's like a creative project meets sort of list of strategies to use." — Eric Tivers [01:05]
- "The dopa menu could have benefits for everybody, not just those with ADHD." — Eric Tivers [14:26]
- "It's a tool just like our calendar and our to-do list." — Eric Tivers [19:19]
Production Credits:
Produced by Aaron Mathewson, Jennifer Lai, Grace Walker, Lori Gallaretta, Jesse Remedios, Sofia Sanchez, and Kara Daring. Special thanks to Ben Tinker, Nadia Kanang of CNN Health, and Katie Hinman.
Note: Advertisements and non-content sections have been excluded to focus solely on the informative and insightful discussions of the episode.