Overstimulation and How It’s Numbing You To Life

Are you ever reluctant to do the things that you know make you feel good? Like walking in nature, exercising, reading, meditating or eating healthy food. Do you ever feel bored when engaging in these activities? Then you’re probably over-stimulated.

We live in a society that is subjected to an excessive amount of stimulation. Our hectic lives are full of screens, tempting fast food and powerful advertising. As hunters and gatherers, we may have felt heightened stimulation at the sight of an animal in the distance. In this day and age, we are constantly bombarded with artificial stimuli that are intelligently designed to grab our attention and keep us hooked. In truth, we have become slaves to our own dopamine fixes.

Furthermore amongst all of the ‘doing’, we have forgotten the organic bliss that can be sensed through simply ‘being’. Consequently, we have become numb to the magnificent beauty in the natural world and the ever-present aliveness coursing through our veins. 

Artificial and Organic Stimuli

Dopamine is a hormone that is released upon anticipation of a reward. Artificial stimuli (tv, video games, social media, junk food etc..) is designed to deliver a constant stream of dopamine releases, ultimately keeping us drawn in and addicted. As a result, we experience high mental stimulation and low physical exertion, creating an imbalance and over-stimulation.

Organic stimuli (healthy, food, exercise, reading, meditation, communicating with friends) are not designed to pump us full of excessive amounts of dopamine and instead delivers a more appropriate amount. Such activities generally have a balance of mental stimulation and physical exertion, subsequently preventing over-stimulation.

The Age of Dopamine Addiction and Stimulation Addiction

 With an ever-increasing influx of flashy, fast-paced, highly stimulating technology in our daily lives, society has become utterly (and sometimes rather subtly) addicted to artificial stimulation. To feed our hungry appetite for stimulation, we indulge in excessive amounts of drugs, food, social media, tv etc.

Our baselines for dopamine stimulation have become so high that we crave powerful artificial stimuli to receive our fix, consequently, the organic stimuli seem less appealing.

How Do We Focus On Natural Stimuli?

Awareness of when we are over-stimulated is crucial if we intend to create more space for natural stimuli in our lives. We must begin to observe our dopamine levels, screen time, over-indulgence and reluctancy to engage in less stimulating activities. It is through the clarity and shining light of awareness that we can begin to consciously take back our power.

Through cutting back on artificial stimuli where appropriate, we may instead choose to engage in organic stimuli that make us feel naturally good. With consistent practise and applied awareness, eventually, we reprogram our brains to choose organic stimuli more often, ultimately enabling us to dwell more often within a pure sense of joy rather than an addictive hunger.

Joy Is In The Little Things 

I occasionally undergo periods of artificial stimuli fasting! During these periods of quietude, I find myself gradually becoming excited about not only practising yoga and meditation, but life itself and all the small things that make up my daily experiences. Something as simple as smelling a flower, putting on warm socks or sipping on tea become immensely enjoyable experiences, igniting within me a pure sort of happiness found in the moment.

Without the deadening distractions of artificial stimuli and without searching for an elevated baseline of dopamine, I seem to wake up to life. Artificial stimuli are therefore not only numbing us to our emotions and people, but also to the abundant, ever-present and simple beauty around us at all times.

For more information on living in the moment, please click on the following link; 12 Reasons to Be in the Present Moment. 

The Joy of Being

Stimulation is by no means all bad and it’s part of what makes life so wonderfully enjoyable. Delightfully dancing to the flow of our favourite music in amongst a busy crowd of people, will make some of us burst with an electrifying zest for life. Yet we may take time to let go of our busy stimulating external lives for a short while and instead turn our attention internally to simply breathe in the moment.

When we stop our ‘doing’ and make time for ‘being’, we find an inner joy that arises out of peace and stillness. Thoughts themselves are stimulating and we often find it more tempting to think rather than to sit there actively taking in our environment and letting the thoughts float away. When we let go of thoughts, we let go of stimulation to instead rest within the joy of being.

Final Words

Awareness acts as our guiding light as we navigate through the treacherous artificial stimuli jungle. For many of us, the age of technology has meant that such stimuli are  valued and crucial components in our lives. Yet, we may find peace and a simple love for existence through remembering to unplug our devices and instead plug ourselves into the magnificent world both in and around us.

With Gratitude,