What's on my Dopamine Menu

Have you guys heard of a dopamine menu? I’ve seen it all over my TikTok feed lately and I actually love this concept. It’s a concept of having a “menu” with your appetizers, entrees, sides and desserts and listing a few items in each category that give you that boost of dopamine or pleasure. The reason I love it is because I think we all tend to doom scroll when we have free time or watch reruns of Vanderpump Rules, just to feel something.

Getting a dose of dopamine doesn’t have to be a long-winded activity, it can be something simple like taking an everything shower. On your menu, you’ll have your appetizers which are activities that don’t take up too much time, they are things you can do whenever you need a quick break and don’t require much effort like drinking a big glass of water or making a cup of coffee. Your entrees or your main courses are longer activites that you might have to plan out in advance but they will full you up with more dopamine than an appetizer would. This could be going for a hike or a dinner out with a friend. Next, are your sides. Your sides can be combined with another task or chore you have to do. It’s like habit stacking. For example, cleaning your house while listening to a podcast. Lastly, we have dessert. These are things you love to do but should be enjoyed in moderation. If you have dessert too often, it can become unhealthy. Balance is key! For example, having a rot day and binge watching Love Island. You can also add Specials to your menu which would be items that are not offered everyday or are more expensive or require a lot of planning in advance like a ski weekend getaway.

Everyone’s dopamine menu will be different as we all have different interests, hobbies and likes/dislikes but I believe creating a menu that’s catered to you and keeping it in your Notes app or designing one on Canva to reference whenever you find yourself asking what you should do with your free time can be incredibly effective in making you feel happier and satisfied. I’ve made my own down below.