Crafting a Dopamine Menu: A Recipe for Balanced Well-being

Written By Marisa Castro, APC

Dopamine, often referred to as the “feel-good” hormone, plays a significant role in our brain’s reward system, offering feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. In today’s digital age, many of us habitually seek dopamine boosts through social media and constant phone use. However, diversifying our sources of dopamine can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

Introducing the concept of a Dopamine Menu can serve as a practical tool in achieving this balance. Much like perusing a restaurant menu, our Dopamine Menu can be divided into distinct categories:

Starters: These are quick and easy tasks that require minimal setup and time commitment—perfect for brief breaks between activities. Examples include stretching, deep breathing exercises, tidying up our surroundings, spending time with a pet, or enjoying a healthy snack.

Mains: Our main courses consist of activities that demand more time and engagement, typically lasting between 30 minutes to an hour. These pursuits should bring genuine joy and a sense of accomplishment. Consider options like reading a book, going for a run or leisurely walk, practicing a musical instrument, or indulging in a relaxing bath.

Sides: Sides complement our main tasks, providing motivation during mundane or tedious activities such as cleaning or working. Listening to music, using a desk bike, or catching up with a friend via phone call are excellent examples of side dishes that can enhance productivity and enjoyment.

Desserts: While enjoyable in moderation, desserts represent activities that offer instant dopamine gratification but can make us feel icky when overindulged. These include social media scrolling, binge-watching TV shows, or having a sugary treat.

Specials: Reserved for occasions that require more time or resources, our specials encompass activities that bring immense pleasure but may be less frequently indulged in. This category could include attending a concert, dining out at a favorite restaurant, or embarking on a spontaneous trip.

Crafting a Dopamine Menu empowers us to consciously choose alternative sources of pleasure beyond our habitual “desserts.” Additionally, implementing barriers to make accessing our dessert category more challenging can help promote moderation. Setting time limits on screen usage, relocating distracting apps to less accessible areas on our phones, or placing sweets in harder-to-reach spots are effective strategies.

Simultaneously, we can enhance the accessibility of healthier options by making them more readily available. Keeping craft supplies or workout gear easily accessible, or placing meditation apps prominently on our devices, can encourage us to engage in activities that contribute positively to our well-being.

By curating our Dopamine Menu and implementing mindful practices, we can foster a more balanced and enriching lifestyle, one that prioritizes genuine fulfillment over fleeting pleasures.

Create your own Dopamine Menu today!

Marisa Castro, APC

Marisa is licensed as an associate professional counselor with advanced training in cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, depression, and personality disorders through the Beck Institute. She has completed advanced Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD training and Exposure Training for Children. She also has trained under the Peachtree DBT-C team to enhance her teaching of parenting skills for emotion regulation. Marisa provides individual and group therapy for children, adolescents and adults suffering with mood and anxiety disorders. 

Marisa was born and raised in Atlantic Beach, Florida. She is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, and she obtained a Master’s Degree in Counselor Education, Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Marisa’s prior work history includes a counseling and research internship at the Agape Therapy Institute in Orlando, where she treated individuals, couples, and families in an outpatient non-profit setting. She facilitated groups for mothers of young children with a focus on parenting, child development and stress management. She also treated patients at the Community Counseling and Research Center at UCF. Marisa was active on the Play Therapy Research Team, where she co-authored a module to be published on the fundamentals of building an effective playroom and engaged in presentations on the development of research in play therapy. 

Marisa has special clinical interests in child development and play therapy techniques. She has an interest in working with patients suffering with OCD and other anxiety disorders by using CBT and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP). Marisa’s compassion and dedication to her patients, along with training in child development, play therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, create strong rapport and trust in treatment she provides for children and their parents. Marisa implements nondirective and directive play therapy techniques to connect with children. She meets a child where he/she is, and play therapy helps a child better understand and develop the skill of expressing and working through feelings in a language the child understands. 

Marisa also has an interest in working with victims of domestic violence and the LGBTQIA+ community. She is a member of the American Counseling Association and the American Counseling Association of Georgia. In her spare time, Marisa enjoys being outdoors and reading books of all kinds, especially historical fiction. She enjoys cooking for family and friends. She also enjoys rollerblading, kickboxing, and yoga as opportunities to provide self-care and wellness.

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