One of the first things that comes to mind when someone is stuck and not able to get things done is low motivation caused by low catecholamines/low dopamine. But what if numbing, rewarding, comforting and/or distracting behaviors (caused by low endorphins) are holding you back and preventing you from getting things done instead? It may be low endorphins only or may be in conjunction with other neurotransmitter imbalances. The following question and stories from women in the community (and my insights and some of the research) may help you figure it out if any of this applies to you.
I posted a question to this effect on Facebook and there was a great deal of interest. Many folks shared examples of what their distractions are and how they fit into being rewarding and comforting for them. Here is what I posted:
I’m digging into the research connecting low endorphins and low motivation i.e. not being able to get stuff done! We associate low endorphins with physical pain, emotional pain and comfort/reward eating. But in a similar way that emotional eating /comfort food is used to numb us out and reward and comfort us, certain behaviors can do this too. Here are some examples you may relate to:
- mindless scrolling through Facebook or other social media platforms instead of working on your new project
- binge watching hours of Netflix shows instead of getting to bed early so you’re productive and motivated (and not distracted)
- playing video games for days (and not going outdoors, eating proper meals and even bathing)
All of these are also an addiction and we know low endorphins are a factor when it comes to addictions too. There is also an endorphin/dopamine connection hence the motivation aspect I’m looking into.
Can you relate to any of this and has endorphin support (with the amino acid DPA/d-phenylalanine as a supplement) or exercise or LDN (low dose naltrexone) helped with your low endorphin symptoms, your lack of motivation and the distractions you almost create for yourself?
I’d expect the amino acid DLPA (dl-phenylalanine) to help since it works on boosting both low endorphins and low dopamine. I am really curious about DPA because some folks can’t tolerate DLPA or it’s contraindicated.
What are some examples of your distractions and what has helped you?
Sarah: finds looking for split ends and cutting them off very rewarding. Is this a low endorphin behavior?
Omgosh this is so me. I often wonder what the heck is wrong with me. I look around at everything that needs to be done but just get overwhelmed and have no motivation to get it done. I don’t know where to start and then get anxious about it. I will immerse myself looking for split ends in my hair instead, I can spend easily over an hour at a time just sitting there looking for split ends and cutting them off. I find it very rewarding and it’s become such a habit now that if I’m out publicly and see a pesky split end l can’t ignore it and as Í don’t typically carry scissors with me (because that would be weird right?!) so I bite them off. I often think I must look like a nutter! I am always thinking what is wrong with me???!!
Sarah describes a rewarding activity perfectly and I’d suspect endorphin support – using the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) – will likely help her. This behavior is her distraction from getting things done. It’s such a distraction that she cannot ignore it even when in public.
Since she also mentions overwhelm and anxiety I’d also want to explore low GABA physical-type anxiety and low serotonin worry-type anxiety and consider trials of both GABA and tryptophan (or 5-HTP).
There may also be an obsessive element to her distracting behavior and serotonin support (with the above, inositol and possibly NAC) has been shown to help with trichotillomania (recurring habit of pulling one’s hair).
Bonnie: low motivation almost feels physical or like something is missing in my brain. Low endorphins and low dopamine?
I relate to this very much – low motivation almost feels physical or like something is missing in my brain, also an almost inability to focus or organize how to do something or get through the day. I have low motivation with poor focus … but I am also constantly craving reward, comfort, or some kind of boost in energy or pleasure to motivate or energize me – this used to be things like sweets or chocolate but I have been lowering sugar/attempting to quit.
I haven’t tried any supplements mentioned but I’m very interested to learn more as this significantly affects my life.
She says her low motivation feels physical or like something is missing. It’s great she has that awareness and she is spot on – she is missing the specific action of certain neurotransmitters (which can be resolved with amino acid supplementation).
We address neurotransmitter imbalances, one at a time:
- DPA for low endorphin support to help with the comfort/distraction/reward
- And tyrosine for dopamine support to help with the inability to focus and needing something to energize her
- Her inability to focus or organize could be due to the spinning we see with the low GABA type of physical anxiety too
She also shares that she has “feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and self judgment” so low serotonin worry-type anxiety is also likely in the mix.
As always it’s best to trial one at a time and find the ideal dose before trialing the next one. I recommend trialing in the area that causes the most distress. What is great is that addressing all this will make quitting sweets and chocolate easy and with no feelings of deprivation.
Jennifer: video games are hard to break free of / switches to learning languages. Could it be low GABA and an inability to prioritize?
All of the above but video games are especially hard to break free from. Luckily I decided to use those dopamine hits to my advantage and am closing in on a 1000 day Duolingo streak, having made it to the end of the French, Norwegian, and Japanese courses. Yes I neglect other things, but it’s better than wasting time on video games. I do worry a bit that I would lose interest if my chemistry was fully balanced, but then again there are more important things that I could be doing.
I congratulated her on her language learning and shared that it’s common to switch one addiction for another. For example alcoholics quit drinking and then get addicted to sugar or caffeine unless they address their neurotransmitter imbalances.
Jennifer has been using GABA without much success yet and once she finds the ideal dose it may be the solution or part of the solution for her spinning and inability to prioritize (which she “chalked up to ADHD, but also only became a problem when I got sick.”
Initially I would focus on GABA support (for physical anxiety) more than endorphin support, because she shares she also has all these other low GABA symptoms:
- acrophobia (which started when she got sick)
- proctalgia fugax/rectal spasms (recently developed
- and burning mouth (which was a big part of her mold symptoms)
Keep in mind mold can deplete GABA and other brain chemicals so this does need to be addressed (home/office remediation and healing from the mycotoxin effects), in addition to using amino acid support.
She does check all the boxes on the symptoms questionnaire and it’ll be interesting to see which other amino acids help her with this gaming/language learning challenge. There may well be a low endorphin distraction and reward aspect too.
As always it’s best to trial one amino acid at a time and find the ideal dose before moving on to the next one.
Some of the research
I actually went looking for the research to support what I was seeing in terms of these struggles folks are experiencing i.e. another type of low motivation that is driven by low endorphins and has a numbing, rewarding and addiction aspect.
As mentioned above there is an endorphin/dopamine connection. This paper, Opioids for hedonic experience and dopamine to get ready for it, summarizes it well:
Brain dopamine has been suggested to rather code for the preparatory aspects of behavior, while brain opioids [endorphins] seem to mediate the perception of the hedonic [or pleasant] properties of rewards.
There is an addiction/cravings aspect with each of the neurotransmitter imbalances, including low endorphins. As mentioned above, these distracting behaviors can also be addicting. And we know low endorphins are a factor when it comes to addictions to drugs, carbs/sweets and behaviors.
DPA destroys the enzyme that breaks down/inhibits endorphins and in essence raises endorphin levels, This paper discusses beta-endorphins and the reward mechanism and how they can induce euphoria, reduce pain and ease addictions and distress: “Long known for its analgesic effect, the opioid beta-endorphin is now shown to induce euphoria, and to have rewarding and reinforcing properties.” You can read more about DPA here.
With regards to DLPA (which supports low endorphins and low dopamine), a really interesting study identified low endorphins and low catecholamines as a probable cause of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) in some women. I blogged about this study and the use of DLPA here.
When it comes to exercise, this study, Opioid Release after High-Intensity Interval Training in Healthy Human Subjects, highlights the effects of different exercise intensities on opioid release, with moderate-intensity exercise being more beneficial for endorphin support. You can read about the impacts of exercise on pain, reward, and emotional processing and “the most commonly adopted theory on physical exercise induced euphoria …the ‘endorphin hypothesis’.”
LDN (low dose naltrexone) is often used in autoimmune conditions and to help with inflammation. This article, The Uses of Low-Dose Naltrexone in Clinical Practice, provides a good overview, and states that “unlike higher doses of naltrexone, LDN acts on β-endorphin receptors to stimulate the release of endorphins in the body.” I’m not advocating the use of LDN instead of DPA or DLPA, but if you’ve been prescribed LDN you may have observed the endorphin boosting effects.
Brain chemical imbalances to consider when you experience low motivation and can’t get things done
Here is a short summary of brain chemical/neurotransmitter imbalances to consider when you have low motivation and can’t get things done:
- Low endorphins – the less recognized low endorphin/comfort/distraction type as discussed in this blog
- Low dopamine/low catecholamines – this is what we think of as the classic low motivation trigger where there is also poor focus, low energy and sometimes curl-up-in bed kind of depression
- Low serotonin is another less recognized kind of low motivation I’ve blogged about: What if overthinking, fear, anxiety and worry (caused by low serotonin) is holding you back instead of low motivation/low dopamine?
- Low GABA is also not recognized as a trigger of low motivation but since anxiety can cause inability to prioritize and spinning, this could be a factor too
- Low blood sugar could also be a factor since it affects focus and energy
Resources if you are new to using the amino acids as supplements
If you are new to using any of the amino acids as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalances).
If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.
There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, self-medicating with alcohol and more.
The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.
If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA Quickstart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support. There are many moms in the program who are having much success with their kids.
If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.
With much appreciation for these women for sharing their stories and allowing me to provide my insights for them and you. We all have much to learn from each other.
Can you relate to any of this and has endorphin support with the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) used as a supplement) helped?
What about exercise or LDN (low dose naltrexone) or DLPA (dl-phenylalanine)?
What are some examples of your distractions or rewarding/comforting/numbing behaviors?
And do you have a mix of neurotransmitter imbalances to address? Which is the most troubling area for you?
If you have questions please share them here too.
