How Dopamine Strengthens Our Cravings and Weakens Our Willpower (E89)
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Gill discusses cravings and how dopamine influences our level of self-control. Cravings to drink can show up when you least expect them and they can be really powerful. They don’t last forever, but if you’re trying to willpower your way through cravings all the time then you’re going to get exhausted. She explains an interesting study on levels of dopamine and how this influences our decision to go for instant gratification, and how the more willpower we try to throw at something, the worse our ability to exert self-control becomes.
What to listen to next:
E51: Why we crave alcohol and what to do about it
E67: How alcohol impacts cortisol and causes cravings
E62: Dopamine deep dive
E61: How alcohol memories are triggered in sobriety
E68: How heavy drinking changes the way we make decisions
E80: Benefits of a dry month
Sources
Pine, A. Dopamine, time, and impulsivity in humans. J Neurosci. 2010, 30 (26) 8888-8896.
Liad Uziel, Roy F. Baumeister. The Self-Control Irony: Desire for Self-Control Limits Exertion of Self-Control in Demanding Settings. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2017; 43 (5): 693
Cite this episode
Tietz, G. Episode 89: How Dopamine Strengthens Our Cravings and Weakens Our Willpower. Sober Powered. 2022.
