How Dopamine Rollercoasters Dismantle Our Health and Lives

While we chase the dopamine spike of satisfaction, our mental health pays the price.

Parkinson’s is a disease that attacks the nerve cells that create a chemical called dopamine, resulting in low dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is responsible for muscle control and movement.Shutterstock

That notification ping pulls you in once more. The show’s autoplay feature ropes you into another episode. The candy bowl offers one more treat. In today’s world of endless entertainment and distraction, we all have outlets that provide a reliable dopamine hit, replacing life’s problems with a sense of excitement.

But what if our quest for good feelings is actually doing more harm than good?