In this episode of Sufferless with a Part-Time Monk, Tim Tamashiro explores the hidden addictions we never meant to sign up for — dopamine pleasure loops. From sugar cravings to endless scrolling, our brains are wired to chase short-term hits of reward that leave us restless and unsatisfied.
You’ll learn why dopamine isn’t actually the “happiness chemical” but the wanting chemical, how our survival wiring has become outdated in the modern world, and why chasing likes, cookies, or online shopping never brings lasting peace.
Through the Sufferless Shift framework — Default → Deliberation → Design — Tim shows how to break free from these loops:
- Default: How dopamine hijacks your brain with sugar, social media, and quick fixes.
- Deliberation: The moment you see craving for what it really is — outdated survival software.
- Design: Simple swaps that replace dopamine hits with long-lasting serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins through walks, friendships, creativity, gratitude, and more.
If you’ve ever wondered why “just one more” never feels like enough, this episode will help you understand the science, spot the loops in your own life, and discover practices that bring calm, clarity, and real joy.
Listen now to learn how to suffer less and happy more by escaping the dopamine trap.
👉 Do you want me to also generate SEO keywords + hashtags you can plug into your podcast platform and social posts (things like “dopamine addiction,” “how to be happier,” “pleasure loops explained,” etc.)?
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