Michael E. Long: "Managing dopamine? You have to ask three questions"

He studied physics and mathematics, left the field to write political speeches, tried his hand at playwriting, and today teaches writing as a tenured professor at Georgetown. Such is the complete and diverse curriculum vitae of Michael E. Long (New York, 1946), co-author of Dopamine bestseller, which is now returning with the sequel Dopamine under control (Peninsula), where he offers clues to try to understand why this molecule makes us feel dissatisfied, and how to reverse it.

If this interview goes well, will I get a dopamine rush?

— Yes, but that's because of the anticipation of what might happen. Dopamine is related to the future: many people will read this, congratulate me on the interview…

What if I do it again and it works again?

— The dopamine rush will be smaller. If your boyfriend brings you flowers on a Friday, you're very happy. If he does it every Friday, you get used to it. The dopamine surge diminishes as we anticipate what's about to happen. It's the surprise that triggers the release.

It can be problematic.

— We need more to hear the same thing.

But you say it's useful for evolution.

— That's its whole role; it keeps us alive. I'm not talking so much about being physically alive, but about cultural civilization. The first step is understanding how it works.

How does it work?

— It is actually an early warning system.

I mean…

— The man had to find food, and it was important to find it while remaining alert for animal attacks. Regulating his attention is crucial, and this is useful if you're a caveman.

And today?

— We no longer worry about whether there's a bear behind a rock. And we end up chasing things that aren't important. For example, being hooked on social media. You can be there for hours… and that's dopamine. The expectation of finding something.

But it moves us forward…

— It drives progress. Dopamine is what makes us ask, "What's out there?" and it eventually leads us to the moon. In other words, it's an engine for civilization and progress. And for our careers, too.

Because?

— I dreamed of writing political speeches for many years. I studied physics and mathematics, and I changed jobs to write speeches. It was exciting. But after six months I thought: I've done that. And I changed jobs. And over time I wanted a bigger job… dopamine makes us want what we don't have. And as soon as we get it, it makes us bored.

You talk about politics. You say that people who are interested in it have high levels of dopamine.

— Yes, because they are people who like to plan. There are two dopamine systems.

Dopamine of desire and dopamine of control.

— Desire is the early warning system: I see something, I wonder what it is, I want it. The control system is what allows us to anticipate and plan: Where will we go for dinner? What house do we want to buy? Politics is about controlling things from a distance and telling others what to do. If you're dopamine-driven, it's very appealing.

How do we know if I have high or low levels?

— Simply put… people with higher dopamine levels are more creative, more artistic, and perhaps more difficult to live with.

Nothing releases more dopamine than romantic love, right?

— Romantic love involves dopamine and many other things. But dopamine makes us imagine the other person. That's why beginnings are so wonderful.

Because?

— You only know 2% of a person, and the other 98% is filled with dopamine, which makes you imagine them. And usually, it's all good. That's why, for many people, when this ends and they live in the here and now, love seems boring.

How to manage dopamine properly?

— Trying to live in the moment. It's important to tame the molecule.

How do you experience the moment?

— You have to ask yourself three questions. The first: what do you like to do? And it doesn't have to be complicated. I like to write. Even the sound and the gesture of typing. Talking to people… we can all make a list.

Second question.

— What am I good at? You might enjoy playing guitar, but you might not have the knack for it. And the third, important question: Do I have value for others? And this doesn't mean you have to be curing diseases.

What does it mean?

— That you feel has meaning for someone other than yourself. It can be anything: a children's dining hall, and you feel it makes sense for the children you care for and feed… whatever it may be.

We need a purpose.

— And it has to come from outside ourselves. Otherwise, we feel dissatisfied. Look, one of the things we know works to improve mood is physical exercise. And let me say something controversial. The idea that therapy is the answer to everything is wrong.

Because?

— There are some things for which therapy is essential; it can save your life. Especially if it involves brain chemistry. But if your problem is that you're generally dissatisfied, it's important that you start doing something about it. And maybe the first thing you do won't help at all, but you'll eventually find things that do bring you satisfaction.

You describe an experiment you did to reduce dopamine: quitting the news.

— It was 2017, and I was spending a lot of time reading, analyzing, and commenting on the news. I was aware of the dopamine rush, and I thought: what if I stopped doing it for a year?

And what happened?

— I saw that the world wasn't changing much. And also… how would I explain it? It was like having the house at 27 degrees every day. And then thinking: why such a need for heat? Exactly, now I read a little, but I'm not obsessed.

We must set limits on what we like.

— Absolutely. And social media is a perfect example. They offer you short, varied things; you browse hoping to find something better. Don't let them become your whole life. It's dopamine, so you need to be aware of that.