What are your non food dopamine hits?

[Chasingdopamine]

NC. I’ve realised I use food for a dopamine hit, always thought it was the comfort eating but I don’t think so any more. Something about the thrill of an assortment of the food. The treat element. Mindless eating wasn’t really part of it and I always feel miserable afterwards but don’t seem able to avoid doing it almost every day.

I want to find other options but feeling low at the moment so looking for your go to, non food dopamine hits? Preferably experiences rather than purchases but I’m open to anything!

Crochet and going to church.

I'm autistic so can't handle much excitement 😂

Picking the phone up and having a good chat and catch up with long term close friends. Always hang up with a smile.
Colouring is something that I really enjoy that I only realised since my granddaughter came along.

I love weeding my garden. A big trug full of weeds and a raked square of soil just makes me feel calm and relaxed and thoughful of all the food I'm going to grow there in the coming months. I'll even weed in the rain. Until my fingers go cold. Then come in, light the fire and sit down and get warm.

Stickers are definitely one of my favourite things, I love notebooks and filling them with random stickers!

Tidying up and rearranging shelves!

So many great ideas :) just need to develop the ability to do the things!

Walking the dog
Pulling the chair up the window when the sun is out and sitting there like a weirdo with my eyes closed.

Scrolling on my phone too much

Booking holidays
Generally purchasing things!
Fasting... This one may sound strange but I actually feel really good when I have an empty stomach, which is rare. I'm now not eating between 8pm and 11am and I feel really great in the mornings.

Glass of wine and tik tok is my fav at the moment... think I'm missing the point!

Woodland walks
Crossing things to complete off lists
Being organised

I can relate to this! For me, I have to get out of the kitchen (even if just into the sitting room) or shop as quickly as possible, find something to do with my hands (fiddling with the zip on my coat is enough) and find something else which is quick to do, often a puzzle but, if I have the time, a walk or exercise is best.
I might be an entirely different size if I'd discovered this in my mid-20s rather than mid-40s!

Listening to wonderful music, singing, drumming, being in a wood, cuddling the dogs, getting into a ritual, foot massage, head massage, good sex, wonderful essential oil smells, in burner or on body, shooting stars, solar or lunar eclipses, looking at stained glass in the sun, seeing the aurora borealis, being in a boat on the sea, drifting away in a daydream, meditation, pathworking, making something that turns out well.
…some of these may also involve oxytocin.

crushing on an actor.
Orgasm.
Baths.
Music.

White water kayaking (not very practical at the moment as I live 3h from a decent river).
Skiing - I go about once every 3 years
And cycling which I do Monday - Friday.

I suppose the common factor for me is exercise which involves speed without the feeling of putting in too much effort - gravity is your friend.

Trying on clothes

Rammstein.
Crossing the Tyne Bridge in an HGV and looking all the way down Side. The view from Redheugh Bridge is pretty good too.
Getting every floor in the house spotless.

Swimming, running, walking the dog, being out in nature and listening to YouTube playlist.

have a sing to some loud music
watch really shite tv in the bath with loads of bubbles and candles (for shit tv think supersize vs super skinny, world worst hoarders etc)
my husband 🤣

Cleaning.. Sorting. List writing.

Getting a big pile of books from the library - Feels like shopping but it's free.
Making themed playlists on Alexa

Sex, music, walking

Shopping.
Sorting things into categories.
Doing make up/nails.
Exfoliating
Self massage
Chewing gum
Tweezing

Hiking
Shooting stuff online
Kitchen disco all by myself

Going for a long bike ride and listening to a true crime podcast 😁

Ohh doing my nails yes. That cheers me up no end. I also have started doing exercise and stretching videos which massively helps my anxiety.