How to Give Your Brain the Stimulation It Needs

Summary

本视频探讨了ADHD患者如何通过创建所谓的'Dopamenu'来满足他们对刺激的需求。由于快速获取多巴胺的方式往往无法真正满足需求，Eric Tivers建议通过预先规划活动菜单来避免无聊时做出不健康的选择。视频中介绍了如何设计菜单、准备材料、宣传菜单，并提供了随机选择生成器等工具，以帮助观众在需要时做出更有益的选择。

Takeaways

• 🤔 ADHD患者需要大量刺激来正常运作，而社交媒体等快速简单的多巴胺来源往往不足以满足这种需求。
• 🚫 我们不是因为认为浏览社交媒体是好的利用时间的方式，而是因为我们在寻找所需的刺激才这样做。
• 🔄 社交媒体的长时间浏览并不能真正让我们感到享受，就像用有洞的水桶装水一样，水进来又出去。
• 🎯 解决方案是做那些真正能给我们所需刺激的事情，真正能填满我们的“桶”。
• 🛠️ 做出不同的选择需要弄清楚选择是什么，权衡这些选择，弄清楚涉及的步骤，然后启动它们。
• 📋 制作一个“多巴胺菜单”或“dopa-menu”，列出那些能激发我们兴奋的事情。
• 🧘‍♀️ 通过设计菜单，准备材料，宣传菜单，来帮助我们在需要时做出更好的多巴胺选择。
• 🍽️ 菜单可以包括不同的类别，如主菜、甜点、开胃菜和配菜，以及不常见的“特餐”。
• 🚫 去掉那些目前不现实或不是真正“点餐”和“制作”的选项。
• 🏋️‍♂️ 为了鼓励自己做一些活动，减少开始这些活动的步骤数量；对于想要减少的活动，增加步骤。
• 📝 菜单上可以有吸引人的描述，甚至可以制作得漂亮或有趣，并放在我们能看到的地方。
• 🤷‍♂️ 如果什么都不觉得有趣，可能需要联系医生，因为这可能是抑郁的迹象。

Q & A

为什么ADHD患者会花费数小时在社交媒体上滚动浏览？

ADHD患者需要大量的刺激来正常运作，他们滚动浏览社交媒体是因为在寻找所需的刺激，而不是因为认为这是好的利用时间的方式。

为什么快速简单的多巴胺来源往往不足以真正满足ADHD患者的需求？

因为这些刺激源像是一个有洞的水桶，水进来又出去，导致他们花费很多时间在社交媒体上，却没有真正享受到乐趣。

Eric Tivers是如何比喻我们尝试用快速简单的方式满足多巴胺需求的？

Eric Tivers将此比喻为用一个有洞的水桶来装水，水不断地进来也不断地出去，无法真正填满水桶。

为什么我们需要做出不同的选择来满足我们的多巴胺需求？

因为不同的选择可以提供更持久和更深层次的刺激，从而真正满足我们的需求，而不是仅仅依赖快速简单的多巴胺来源。

为什么在多巴胺水平较低时，做出好的选择会变得更加困难？

当多巴胺水平较低时，人们更难以忍受无聊和等待，这使得选择更健康或更有益的活动变得更加困难。

Eric提出的'dopa-menu'是什么？

'dopa-menu'是一个多巴胺菜单，列出了那些能激发我们兴奋感的活动，以便在我们感到无聊时可以选择。

如何设计一个有效的'dopa-menu'？

设计'dopa-menu'时，需要考虑那些让你感到兴奋或活着的活动，以及你无聊时常做的活动，并将它们分类，如主菜、甜点、开胃菜和配菜。

为什么我们需要从'dopa-menu'中删除不现实或不常做的选项？

因为'dopa-menu'应该是一个你真正会'点'和'做'的菜单，删除不现实或不常做的选项可以让我们更专注于那些可行且有益的活动。

为什么在菜单上准备食材（即提前准备活动）很重要？

提前准备可以减少开始活动的等待时间，使我们在需要时能够更快地获得多巴胺刺激。

如何让'dopa-menu'更加吸引人？

可以通过增加诱人的描述、使菜单看起来漂亮或有趣，以及将其放置在我们容易看到的地方来吸引我们的注意力。

如果什么都不好玩，Eric有什么建议？

如果什么都不好玩，Eric建议咨询医生，因为这可能是抑郁症的症状，而不仅仅是因为ADHD导致的无聊。

Outlines

00:00

🤔 探索ADHD大脑的多巴胺需求

视频脚本的第一部分讨论了ADHD大脑对刺激的需求，以及人们如何通过社交媒体来寻求这种刺激。作者指出，虽然我们可能不认为长时间浏览社交媒体是有效利用时间，但我们这样做是因为我们需要刺激来正常运作。然而，这种快速简单的多巴胺来源往往不足以真正满足我们的需求。作者通过与Eric Tivers的对话，比喻了尝试用有洞的水桶来装水，水进来又出去，形象地说明了我们在社交媒体上花费大量时间却无法真正享受的问题。此外，作者提出了通过创建“多巴胺菜单”来解决这一问题，即提前规划能给我们带来刺激的活动，以便在需要时选择。

05:02

📋 制作个性化的多巴胺菜单

第二部分详细介绍了如何创建个性化的多巴胺菜单。首先，设计菜单时要思考那些让你感到兴奋或活着的活动，以及当你无聊时会做什么，但这些活动实际上并不让你感觉很好。然后，准备食材，即提前准备好可以快速开始的活动。接着，宣传你的菜单，用吸引人的描述和美观的布局，将其放置在你容易看到的地方。最后，如果什么都不好玩，Eric建议寻求医生的帮助，因为这可能是抑郁症的症状。视频结束时，作者鼓励观众在评论区分享想法，并在Instagram上使用#BraintasticTuesday分享他们的菜单。

Keywords

💡ADHD

ADHD（注意力缺陷多动障碍）是一种常见的神经发育障碍，表现为注意力难以集中、多动和冲动行为。在视频中，ADHD被用来解释为什么人们会花费大量时间在社交媒体上寻找刺激，因为ADHD患者需要更多的刺激来正常运作。

💡多巴胺

多巴胺是一种神经递质，与大脑的奖励和快感中心有关。视频中提到，人们常常通过社交媒体等快速简单的方式寻求多巴胺的满足，但这往往不足以真正满足需求，就像用一个有洞的水桶装水一样。

💡刺激

刺激在视频中指的是能够引起兴趣或兴奋的事物或活动。ADHD患者需要更多的刺激来满足他们的大脑，而社交媒体等活动虽然能提供短暂的刺激，但并不能长期满足他们的需求。

💡Dopamenu

Dopamenu是视频中创造的一个新词，结合了多巴胺（dopamine）和菜单（menu）的概念，指的是一个列出能激发人兴奋和兴趣活动的清单。这个概念被用来帮助人们规划和选择更能满足他们需求的活动。

💡规划与选择

在视频中，规划与选择是指将活动规划和决策过程分开，以减少在需要刺激时同时进行所有执行功能的压力。例如，创建一个Dopamenu，当感到无聊时，可以快速选择一个活动而不是无目的地滚动社交媒体。

💡准备

准备在视频中指的是为了使活动更容易开始而提前做好的准备工作。比如，将吉他放在易于拿取的地方，或者将绘画材料预先摆放好，这样可以减少开始活动的等待时间。

💡菜单设计

菜单设计是创建Dopamenu的第一步，要求人们思考哪些活动能让他们感到兴奋或活着，以及他们在无聊时常做的活动。视频中提到，可以将活动分为不同的类别，如主菜、甜点等，以帮助更好地组织和选择。

💡特别推荐

特别推荐在视频中指的是那些不经常能做，但能提供大量刺激和满足感的活动，如偶尔参加音乐会或度假。这些活动被单独列为菜单上的“特别推荐”，以区别于日常可做的活动。

💡障碍

障碍在视频中是指为了减少对某些不健康或不满足需求的活动的依赖而设置的障碍。例如，将手机充电器放在远离沙发的地方，或者在吃零食前进行一次运动，这些都是为了减少不健康行为的频率。

💡宣传

宣传在视频中是指通过吸引人的描述和视觉展示来推广Dopamenu，使其更容易被注意到和使用。比如，将菜单贴在显眼的地方，或者将其设置为手机锁屏，以便在需要时快速查看。

💡随机选择器

随机选择器是视频中提到的一个工具，用于帮助人们在不确定如何选择时随机选择一个活动。这可以是一个在线工具，用户可以在其中输入所有选项，然后工具会随机选择一个，减少决策压力。

Highlights

ADHD大脑需要大量刺激。

人们通常不是因为认为社交媒体是好的时间利用方式而花费数小时浏览，而是因为我们需要寻找刺激以正常运作。

快速简单的多巴胺来源往往不足以真正满足我们的需求。

Eric Tivers将多巴胺的获取比喻为试图用一个有洞的水桶装水。

社交媒体的长时间浏览并不能真正让我们享受，或者我们重复同一活动直到它不再有趣。

解决这个问题的明显方法是做那些确实能给我们提供所需刺激的事情。

做出不同的选择需要确定这些选择是什么，权衡这些选择，找出涉及的步骤，然后开始行动。

多巴胺选择通常需要更长的时间来设置，需要能够忍受同时感到无聊的痛苦。

当多巴胺水平已经很低时，很难做出好的多巴胺选择。

将计划和选择分开可以使事情变得更容易。

创建一个多巴胺菜单或'dopa-menu'，列出让我们兴奋的事情。

Eric Tivers本人也有ADHD，并且非常擅长自娱自乐。

制作一个基于餐厅菜单经验的'Dopamenu'。

设计你的菜单，考虑让你感到兴奋或活着的活动，以及当你无聊时的默认活动。

准备你的食材，就像餐厅为了不让饥饿的顾客等待而提前准备一样。

宣传你的菜单，用诱人的描述让你选择它。

如果什么都不好玩，Eric建议咨询医生，可能是抑郁症。

通过提前准备菜单，我们在需要时会有更多选项可用。

如果什么都不觉得有趣，可能是抑郁症，或者是因为ADHD导致的对事物的厌倦。

Transcripts

Hello Brains!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever spent 3 hours scrolling through social media.

Raise your *other* hand if you’ve ever actually *planned* to.

(INTRO)

ADHD brains need a lot of stimulation.

I explain why in this video, but basically, most of us don’t spend hours

scrolling through social media because we think that's a great use of our time —

we do it because we’re looking for the stimulation we need to function.

Unfortunately, the quick and easy sources of dopamine we tend to turn to often

aren't enough to actually satisfy that need.

I had a really great conversation with Eric Tivers about this a couple weeks ago — and

he explained it as trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it.

Water’s coming into the bucket...but it’s also going out of the bucket.

So we spend hours scrolling through social media without really enjoying ourselves.

Or we hit the pleasure button on the same activity so many times,

it actually stops being as fun.

Or we send WAY too many texts.

The obvious solution here is to do things that *do* give us the level of

stimulation we need.

That DO fill our buckets.

But making different choices requires figuring out what those choices are,

weighing those choices,

figuring out the steps involved then initiating them,

and, because the more satisfying dopamine choices usually take longer to set up, being

able to tolerate the distress of being bored in the meantime.

Which, when we’re already low on dopamine, has a possibility scale ranging from “mayyyybe?”

to “nope.”

Just like it’s really hard to make good food choices when you’re already hungry,

it’s really hard to make good dopamine choices when you’re already low on dopamine.

One way we can make it easier is to separate the planning from the choosing.

Or as Eric puts it -- don’t try to do all the executive functions at the same time.

[ERIC]: One of the challenges that we come across is that we are looking for something

to stimulate ourselves at the time when we need to stimulate ourselves.

We can create a dopamine menu or a dopa-menu for things that excite us.

So when you're like, "I'm so boredddd," grab the menu!

I feel like not doing that is almost like going to the grocery store hungry.

[Jessica]: Yeahhh.

Without a grocery sho-- without a list.

[Eric]: Without a list. Right. Without a list.

Whatever's the fastest, easiest, like, I want to eat this thing NOW.

[Jessica]: In case you're thinking, "well yeah, that's easy for him to say, he's a professional--"

He also has ADHD.

And he's very good at entertaining himself.

[Eric]: What do we do about how to...

Wait, what do we do about what?

[Jessica]:(laughs)

[Eric]: I just had the thought.

Would these tomatoes fit in my nose?

[Jessica]: Do you need a minute?

[Eric]: There's a tomato somewhere on the floor of my office.

And if I forget about it, it's eventually gonna become a sundried tomato.

Do you see my tomato?

[Jessica]: I don't see your tomato.

Does anybody else see Eric's tomato?

[Eric]: I love that I have clothes on my floor and this is my office.

Okay, hold on.

Where's the tomato?!

[Jessica]: So I tried it out!

I made a Dopamenu based on his suggestions, and it was actually a really cool experience.

I elaborated on the concept a bit based on my experience in restaurants working with

actual menus, and then put it all together in a handy acronym: DOPA.

Here you go.

The world’s first video on how to create a Dopamenu.

In 4 steps.

First, DESIGN your menu.

To do this,

Eric recommends thinking about things that you’ve done that made you feel really excited,

or alive -- and on the flip side, what your go-to’s are when you’re bored

that don't actually make you feel great.

You can design your menu however you want, but I split mine up into:

Entrees: the activities that excite me and make me feel alive — like playing my guitar,

or taking my dog to the dog park, going to the gym or yoga,

spending quality time with someone, game nights with friends, making a TikTok video!

Desserts: things that are my go-to’s that I tend to overdo it on.

Things that don't really fill the bucket.

Scrolling through social media, texting, spending time with someone who’s not really present,

ruminating, mindless eating,

watching TV, playing video games by myself, wow I have a lot of these.

I would like to point out that it's totally fine to eat dessert sometimes, it’s just

good to be aware of when that’s what we’re ordering because if that’s all we’re eating,

we’re probably not going to feel great.

I also added

Appetizers: things that can give me a quick dopamine burst without sucking me in.

So things like a minute of jumping jacks, or a cup of coffee, or setting a timer for

5 minutes on social media.

And

Sides: things I can add to other activities to make them more engaging.

So, adding a music playlist, using a fidget, or making it more challenging.

And I made a separate menu for “specials” --

Things like concerts that I might be able to go to occasionally but I can’t do very often.

Going on vacation, buying a new outfit!

Once you have a bunch of options on your menu,

omit any options that aren’t realistic right now.

You know what...

Restaurants take stuff off their menu all the time because it’s not in season or it’s

too expensive to make or nobody's ordering it; so can we.

Dog park will have to wait until we can do that again.

I will actually never choose "write a novel" over "post on Twitter;" also

this is not a to-do list, this is a Dopamenu.

That one’s kind of expensive, it should probably be a special --

Oh good, I have specials again.

The idea is, what’s on your menu should be something you’d actually “order”

and something you can actually “make.”

Once you’ve got your menu set,

Prep your ingredients!

Restaurants know that when people are hungry, they don’t like to wait... so they prepare

everything they reasonably can ahead of time.

We can do the same.

After creating my menu, I set up a table for painting my minis so it doesn’t take as

long to get started,

I put my guitar on a stand by the couch.

When I’m done watching TV at night, I switch it to a YouTube workout video so that that's

the first thing I see when I turn it on in the morning,

and because I realized video games are only really satisfying to me when they’re new

or when I’m playing with a friend, I added to my video game budget so that I can try

new games and occasionally buy one for a friend.

I also *created* a few barriers to some of my go-to's that I would like to not go to

as often.

I put my phone charger where I can’t reach it from the couch, I deleted Facebook from

my phone and gave my kitchen a cover charge.

Before I can grab a snack, I have to roll a d20 and I do whatever exercise matches the

number on the die.

Basically, for the things you want to encourage yourself to do, decrease the number of steps

involved.

For any go-to's you’d like to go to a little less often, you can do the opposite and

increase the number of steps.

Finally,

Advertise your menu!

Most menus have enticing descriptions to get you to order the thing.

We can do that too!

We can also make it pretty, or funny, and post it where we’ll be able to see it when

we’re bored.

I posted one on my coffeetable, in my studio, on my fridge, and I made a mini version for

the lock screen of my phone.

Now when I pick up my phone, I can see what my other options are.

If you're not sure what to choose, there are even websites with random choice generators.

Just put in all your options and it will pick one for you.

This isn’t to say that suddenly we’re going to make all different choices,

or even that we should.

There’s something to be said for familiarity, especially when we’re going through a crisis.

But by preparing a menu in advance, we’ll have more options available to us when we

need them.

Of course, if nothing seems fun, Eric has a different piece of advice for that.

What do we do if nothing feels enjoyable?

[ERIC]: Call your doctor.

Maybe that's depression.

So, if the, you know, it's the things that you once found enjoyable are not, I mean...it

also could be ADHD cause you're just bored of the thing cause you've already been doing

this for a week and I need something new now.

Um...

[JESSICA]: How do you know the difference?

[ERIC]: I think you feel it physically when it's depression.

[JESSICA]: That's it for this video!

Let us know what you think in the comments below and share any ideas you have.

If you do design a menu, post it on Instagram and use the #BraintasticTuesday.

It's where we're starting to celebrate all of our achievements!

Thank you to my Brain Advocates and all my Patreon Brains for helping us hit

our next goal!

Like, subscribe, click the bell if you want to be notified the next time we post and

I will see you next video!

Bye brains!

But did he ever find the tomato?