How do you get your dopamine hits?

[TeaHagTeaBag]

Please don't say exercise. I exercise a lot and don't get any type of high. I do it because it's good for me not because I enjoy it. (And I've tried lots of different things so no need to suggest others.) My main source is sugar which I really need to limit. I bought a gorgeous blazer today which will carry me through this evening, but it's unsustainable to use ongoing shopping. I knit a bit but that's to keep me from doom scrolling. What can you recommend?

Sugar if its an issue can be replaced with regular 3 meals a day plus snacks and eating higher protein. I seek dopamine through sugar much less when I eat like this.

Do you really think about it in terms of dopamine hits? I enjoy reading, music, knitting, going for a walk somewhere beautiful, learning a new language.

Cuddling my children
Listening to an audiobook while playing silly but satisfying "cake sort" game on my phone
Stroking the cat
Giving myself an elaborate facial/manicure/pedicure at home

Alternatively stop chasing the dopamine rush in the first place, build distress tolerance and learn to accept and appreciate the everyday life.

Film photography is one way to slow the fuck down, delaying gratification and helping you see the world around you through more responsive eyes. You can pick up a point and shoot 35mm on eBay for around £30 or less, look for sellers with thousands of great reviews. A roll of B&W film can be under £10, eg Kentmere and you can get it developed and scanned for around £15. Some labs, like Analogue Wonderland, will print individual images for you from as little as 50p each then return the negatives. Or you can do it the old school way and send it off at Boots or similar.

Walking in a forest, looking at beautiful view, crafts like sewing, knitting and crochet, cooking a new recipe, cleaning the house and lighting a nice candle, reading a good book, listening to music and having a dance, hugging my kids and dh.

Cycling
walking the dog
cuddles/hugs with kids and pets
no sex in my life but whenever I talk to my postie, it’s a little ‘skyrockets in flight’.

Maybe I'm confusing dopamine and endorphins, I just need something to lift my mood a bit. Or as @LeicaPro says, maybe I do need to learn to tolerate the discomfort a bit better 😩

Anyway, lots of ideas, thanks.

Actually, sea swimming is the one exercise that gives me that blast of whatever it is I need. Unfortunately I got a bit thrown about in the storm two weeks ago so I've been a bit wary since. Now that my cuts have healed, I need to get back in.

This is a nice thread, OP ❤️. Things that lift my mood are

cat cuddles
good coffee
walk/paddle/swim at the beach
soup and bread for lunch
a nice glass of wine
shopping with a friend and going for lunch
finding a bargain on Vinted
a hot bath with bubbles and getting into clean sheets.
freshly mowed lawn (today!)

Cold water swimming also in Irish Sea. Doesn’t count as exercise but massive dopamine hit.
Online chess. Gameknot. So addictive.
Just discovered Hypnosio. I’ve got Hypnosis on tap when I need it. My brain feels so much better for it.

Elvanse

Music and busting out some dance moves while no-one is looking!

It's serotonin you want

Sugar
Jigsaw puzzles
sex
nerdle (because I struggle with maths so solving it is a huge dopamine hit for me personally)
Cycling
Buying new pyjamas
Drumming to Arctic Monkeys or Elbow

A few other things.
getting my robot mower to mow the lawn and robot vac to clean the floors.
while I cuddle the cat.

It can be dicey out there, for sure.
I never go out far unless I’m with a group. The other day we were all enjoying a lovely mild day, calm sea when we suddenly realised we were well out of our depths and the current had taken us quite a bit further towards the rocks than we felt comfortable with. Took a bit of strenuous swimming but all of us got back in without incident. Very easy to get caught out.
enjoy your swimming, OP 🌊

Yes definitely needs care.
I nearly drowned myself last week. Tried to go out beyond the waves and was quite far out and 3 enormous waves in a row came out of nowhere.

Felt that dopamine hit after I survived 😁

What is this and where would one get it! Asking for my friend.

Decorating
CBD
Sale shopping
London days out
Thames path walks
Cold water swimming

hemphash.co.uk

I can imagine! I got wiped out by a huge wave getting in...luckily it was very high tide so while I got buffeted against some rocks, I had my wits enough to keep myself feet first and the deeper water meant I wasn't dragged too badly. Glad you and @AgileGreenSeal were both OK!

Planning stuff in my diary
Ticking stuff off my list on Habit Tracker
Buying stuff that will improve my life/health in some way. Useful stuff rather than clothes I don't need.
Cold showers
SAD lamp
Shakti mat

Think the first two only produce dopamine...the others are endorphins I think (?)

Ticking off tasks on my task list.
Little games on my phone.

I’ll bet! Those big waves out of nowhere are something else! 🌊🌊🌊
Safe swimming, @OptimisticMermaid