Dopamine Menu

Article • 288 Words • Self-Care, Mental Health, 2025 • 09/02/2025

A dopamine menu is a list of various things that can give a person dopamine, which may help regulate someone who is feeling overwhelmed and/or under-stimulated. Each is unique to a particular person and their likes/dislikes, but I think there are a lot of common ones you can take when building your own.

I used various articles when trying to build this one, but found that a lot of the examples were quite generic, so I tried to come up with various other things that could be done at my apartment, and abstract that out.

Starters:

  • Eat a snack
  • Make a cup of tea/coffee
  • Use the candle warmer/light a candle
  • Sit on balcony/porch/deck and observe people/animals
  • Do a puzzle book or online word/puzzle game
  • Do a few minutes of yoga/stretching from a YouTube video
  • Skin care/hygiene routine
  • Paint nails

Entrees:

  • Watch Show/Movie/YouTube on TV
  • Make a craft from the cart
  • Read a book
  • Cook/bake something
  • Go for a walk
  • Take a nap
  • Use massage gun
  • Everything shower
  • (Video) call friend
  • Practice language

Sides:

  • Listen to podcast
  • Listen to a record
  • Fidget toy bin
  • Text people back
  • Water plants

Desserts:

  • Instagram/TikTok/Twitter
  • Nintendo Switch
  • Online shopping

Other Resources:

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