Counselor Toolbox Podcast with DocSnipes

1038-Discover How Dopamine Impacts Serotonin, Hormones and Happiness


Listen Later

Dopamine’s Role in the Body

  • Dopamine is essential for motivation, pleasure, and reward processing.
  • It plays a role in digestion, immune response, and inflammation regulation.
  • Dopamine is found in various parts of the body, including the brain, immune system, kidneys, and pancreas.
  • Dopamine and Other Neurotransmitters

    • Dopamine interacts with neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA, and others.
    • An imbalance in dopamine can affect mood, sleep, attention, and motivation.
    • Altering one neurotransmitter, such as dopamine, can impact others, causing a cascade effect.
    • Effects of Dopamine Imbalance

      • Excess dopamine can lead to psychosis, mania, ADHD-like symptoms, and addictive behaviors.
      • Dopamine deficiency is linked to depression, lack of motivation (anhedonia), Parkinson’s disease, and Restless Legs Syndrome.

        Dopamine and Hormones

        • Dopamine influences the release of hormones like oxytocin, estrogen, and testosterone.
        • Disruptions in dopamine function can impact social bonding, anxiety, addiction, and even fertility-related conditions like PCOS.
        • Mental Health and Dopamine

          • Low dopamine is associated with mood disorders such as depression and post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) in addiction recovery.
          • Dopamine plays a crucial role in PTSD, where prolonged stress can deplete dopamine levels, leading to more severe symptoms.
          • Ways to Balance Dopamine Naturally

            • Natural ways to regulate dopamine include sufficient sleep, balanced nutrition (rich in tyrosine), exercise, and reducing chronic stress.
            • Avoid overstimulation from sugars, caffeine, and artificial stimulants to prevent dopamine flooding and depletion.
            • Medications and Treatments

              • Medications like SSRIs, antipsychotics, and dopamine agonists/antagonists can alter dopamine levels, but they need to be carefully managed to avoid side effects.
              • In addiction recovery, restoring dopamine balance is crucial for long-term recovery and mental health stabilization.

              • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

                ...more
                View all episodesView all episodes
                Download on the App Store

                Counselor Toolbox Podcast with DocSnipesBy Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes

                • 4.7
                • 4.7
                • 4.7
                • 4.7
                • 4.7

                4.7

                583 ratings


                More shows like Counselor Toolbox Podcast with DocSnipes

                View all
                The Trauma Therapist by Guy Crawford Macpherson

                The Trauma Therapist

                532 Listeners

                Therapy Chat by Laura Reagan, LCSW-C

                Therapy Chat

                669 Listeners

                Counselling Tutor by Ken Kelly and Rory Lees-Oakes

                Counselling Tutor

                125 Listeners

                Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

                Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

                2,409 Listeners

                Therapist Uncensored Podcast by Sue Marriott LCSW, CGP & Ann Kelley PhD

                Therapist Uncensored Podcast

                1,370 Listeners

                Attachment Theory in Action by The Knowledge Center

                Attachment Theory in Action

                148 Listeners

                The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy by Curt Widhalm, LMFT and Katie Vernoy, LMFT

                The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

                244 Listeners

                Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast by David Puder, M.D.

                Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast

                1,319 Listeners

                Light Up The Couch by Clearly Clinical

                Light Up The Couch

                315 Listeners

                Therapy in a Nutshell by Therapy in a Nutshell -Emma McAdam

                Therapy in a Nutshell

                529 Listeners

                Trauma Rewired by Jennifer Wallace & Elisabeth Kristof

                Trauma Rewired

                309 Listeners

                Complex Trauma Recovery by Kina Penelope

                Complex Trauma Recovery

                177 Listeners

                Psychology Unplugged by Dr. Corey J. Nigro

                Psychology Unplugged

                688 Listeners

                Adult Child by Andrea

                Adult Child

                1,782 Listeners

                Evidence-Based: A New Harbinger Psychology Podcast by New Harbinger Publications

                Evidence-Based: A New Harbinger Psychology Podcast

                50 Listeners