A dopamine menu or “dopamenu” is a list of items, activities, and situations that promote joy or provide stimulation to an individual. A YouTuber who specializes in ADHD coined the concept in 2020 to help people with the disorder focus and get back on track when they’re feeling understimulated.
In 2023, TikTokers got ahold of the term “dopamine menu” and started posting videos and slideshows sharing lists of things that make them happy.
What is dopamine and why is it on the menu?
@victoriaharderxo Replying to @STEPHANIE my brain is like a sieve—if it’s not written out where i cab see it i will forget about it!! #hotmessproductivity #dopaminemenu #adhdproductivity ♬ original sound – victoria ✿ habits + daily life
People sometimes refer to dopamine as “the happy chemical” or something simple like that, but the reality is much more complex. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter—one of the brain’s chemical messengers—involved in producing pleasurable sensations meant to be a reward for certain behaviors.
Humans can stimulate the production of dopamine by doing anything from eating to making skin-to-skin contact with another person to taking powerful drugs such as heroin. Too little dopamine can be a factor in depression, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Dopamine is also linked to motivation. People with ADHD, when understimulated, often have trouble finding the motivation they need to perform necessary tasks and can easily become distracted as a result. It’s therefore been theorized that making a list of actions that might produce dopamine could help in these situations.
These lists are referred to as “menus” because you can pick and choose items based on your mood and situation when you need a boost.
@theselfhelpplanner Replying to @lindsayobaji The Dopamine Menu for Overstimulated Brains! #DopamineMenu #ADHDlife #ADHDhack #goalsetting #goals #planner #goalplanner #2023 #2023goals #planning #maksefam #makselife #goals2023 #goalschallenge #plan #plannerinspiration #dailyplanner #purposefulliving #intentionalliving #plannerideas #personalplanner #2023Planner #digitalplanner #lifeplanner #plannerlife #plannercommunity #plannergirl #planners #personalgrowth #plannertok #TheSelfHelpPlanner #1percentbetterdailyplanner ♬ 1901 – Instrumental – Phoenix
Origins of the dopamine menu
Jessica McCabe of the YouTube channel “How to ADHD” published a video in which an expert on the disorder, Eric Tivers, used the term “dopamine menu.” on May 26, 2020. The explainer lays out how folks with ADHD can set themselves up to make better stimulating choices than scrolling through social media feeds when they need to get motivated.
McCabe recommends separating lists into sections, such as:
- Entrees: Longer, full activities that make her feel excited or alive
- Appetizers: Easy and brief activities for a quick boost
- Sides: Anything she can add to an activity that will increase the dopamine boost
- Desserts: Things that she tends to reach for when bored but that aren’t very fulfilling
- Specials: Extra big and exciting activities that can only happen occasionally, such as attending concerts
She emphasizes that menus can and should be adjusted whenever something isn’t working well and that it’s wise to do prep work when possible, such as keeping the guitar next to a couch or chair to make it easy to reach for.
The dopamine menu reaches TikTok
As the years went on, the concept of the dopamine menu grew beyond the ADHD community and reached a wide audience. Starting in the middle of 2023, outlets began reporting on TikTok videos that outlined users’ menus, typically presented as a slideshow of images or rapid-fire string of clips to represent each item or activity that brings them joy.
These are not often organized into a menu format and instead consist of simple lists. However, some more dedicated TikTokers on artistic or crafty accounts have drawn up actual menu-type visuals that do separate items into categories.
Examples
@surfysbooks whats on your menu? Reading is obv a common theme #dopamine #wishlist #fallaesthetic ♬ original sound – Payton Sartain
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