Dopamine seems to be ubiquitous. It is invoked to explain a wide range of phenomena—by the media, on podcasts, and even by people in everyday conversations. It has been labelled the brain’s chemical of pleasure. We’re supposed to be experiencing ‘dopamine hits’ or ‘rushes’ whenever we engage in activities that lead to gratification. This can be anything from eating chocolate to scrolling through social media feeds. Addictive pursuits from substance abuse through to gaming supposedly flood the brain with dopamine and hijack our actions. Abstaining from pleasure and thereby performing ‘dopamine detoxes’ is therefore necessary to reset dopamine levels. Otherwise, we can develop tolerance to high levels of it, and further stimulation can ultimately drain the brain’s dopamine leaving us flat and unhappy. Article continues after advertisement There are many books that have been published on these issues.…