Dopamine: The Core of the Relationship Between ADHD and Social Media
If you’ve ever opened Instagram for “just a second” and found yourself still scrolling 30 minutes later — you’re not alone. For many women with ADHD symptoms, this isn’t about willpower. It’s about dopamine.
Understanding the relationship between ADHD, dopamine, and social media can help you start building habits that support your mind, not the algorithm.
The ADHD-Dopamine Connection
ADHD is widely associated with lower baseline dopamine levels — the brain chemical responsible for motivation, focus, and reward. This means:
You may crave stimulation to stay engaged
Boring or repetitive tasks feel excruciating
You might struggle with delayed gratification
This isn’t a character flaw — it’s neurobiology.
Your brain is trying to find something that sparks enough dopamine to stay alert and interested. And in a world full of digital distractions? That “something” is often social media.
Why Social Media Feels So Addictive
Social media is engineered to trigger dopamine:
Likes, comments, and notifications offer instant validation
Quick-hit videos and carousels keep your brain hooked
Novelty and surprise keep your system on high alert
For someone with ADHD, this becomes a perfect storm:
Your brain is under-stimulated → so you seek dopamine
Social media gives you a hit → but never true satisfaction
You close the app feeling worse — foggy, overstimulated, and disconnected
How to Work With This Cycle (Without Shame)
Instead of blaming yourself, explore habits that:
Support dopamine regulation without overstimulation (i.e. creative hobbies, low intensity movement)
Help your nervous system release pent up stress (i.e. exercise, time spent with friends)
Promote sustainable focus and rest (i.e. structured time around work and rest)
Try incorporating:
Digital hygiene rituals — like turning off notifications and setting app time limits
Digital detox practices — including full days off social media or screen-free Sundays
Morning and nighttime tech boundaries — avoid screens for the first and last hour of your day to support natural dopamine balance and circadian rhythm
How Therapy Can Help
In my integrative therapy work, I help women explore:
EMDR to reprocess early shame around “not focusing” and internalized beliefs about laziness
Safe and Sound Protocol to support vagus nerve function and promote parasympathetic calm
Somatic therapy to work with stress responses physiologically so the body can begin to discharge stress and return to a sense of safety
ADHD-specific tools and techniques to increase focus, concentration and task completion
These tools help you build self-trust so you’re not relying on dopamine hits from your phone to feel OK.
Work With Me
I offer online holistic therapy for women across California, including Santa Cruz, Carmel Valley, San Luis Obispo, Marin County, and San Diego.
If you’re ready to break the cycle and regulate your nervous system with support — click here to learn more about holistic therapy for ADHD symptoms.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or therapeutic advice. Reading this post does not establish a therapist-client relationship. If you are seeking clinical support, please visit somaticspiritualtherapist.com for more information about therapy services available to California residents.
