Dopamine Hacks for ADHD
AKA: how to stop chasing shiny things and maybe finish that one thing you started three weeks ago
Let’s talk about dopamine. If you have ADHD, you’ve probably heard this word more than you’ve heard your own name. And honestly? It deserves the spotlight. Because dopamine, for us, isn’t just about motivation or rewards or the occasional late-night hyperfixation rabbit hole—it’s the whole vibe. It’s how we feel alive, how we focus, how we move toward anything at all.
And it’s also the thing that keeps slipping through our fingers.
Managing our relationship with dopamine when you have ADHD is kind of like trying to feed a gremlin: there’s a right way, a wrong way, and a very chaotic in-between. I’ve been in all three zones, and I’m still learning how to do it without frying my brain or spiraling into guilt every time I pick up my phone “just to check one thing.”
So, let’s walk through a few dopamine hacks—real ones. Not the “just make a to-do list” kind. The kind that actually meet us where we’re at.
What Even Is Dopamine Doing in There?
Alright, mini science detour.
Dopamine is basically a motivational signal. It’s the “go get it!” chemical. The brain says, “Hey, this thing feels good or might be useful—let’s chase it.” For people without ADHD, this system works kinda smoothly. For us? The wires are all crossed.
We often need more stimulation to feel motivated.
Boring stuff (even important boring stuff) barely registers.
We chase dopamine hits like a cat chasing laser pointers.
Which is why we can go from “I can’t start this email” to “I’ve reorganized my entire bookshelf by color, mood, and trauma timeline.”
And that’s not a character flaw. That’s brain wiring.
#1: The Dopamine Menu 🍽️
One of my favorite hacks is having a dopamine menu—aka, a list of things that give you a little boost without completely derailing your day. Think of it like snacks for your brain.
Instead of doomscrolling or watching six hours of skateboarding fails (again), you open your dopamine menu and pick something from it.
Here’s what mine has right now:
Playing one song really loud and dancing like a gremlin
Doing a 2-minute plank (don’t ask me why this works, it just does)
Watching one (1) funny video I’ve bookmarked, not the whole feed
Texting a friend something weird and random
Reorganizing part of my desk
The goal isn’t to avoid dopamine. It’s to choose it on purpose. That tiny shift helps you stay in control.
#2: Make Boring Stuff… Less Boring
I know. This sounds dumb. But it works.
The more boring something is, the more dopamine you need to pull yourself toward it.
So the trick is to attach dopamine to the task. Some ideas:
Body doubling: Do the task with someone on Zoom or in person.
Background hype: Play a movie, podcast, or music while you do it.
Race the clock: Set a timer for 10 minutes and go full speed.
Fake stakes: Pretend you’re a chef in a high-stakes cooking show while cleaning your kitchen. Dramatic inner monologue included.
Sometimes, all it takes is a little added flavor to get your brain on board.
#3: Create Tiny Wins (Seriously, Make It Stupid Easy)
One of the most underrated dopamine hacks for ADHD is… winning.
Our brains love winning. Even fake wins. Especially fake wins. So the smaller and more winnable the task, the more likely you are to start.
Instead of “clean the whole apartment,” try:
“Put one dish in the sink.”
“Throw away the weird crusty napkin I’ve been ignoring.”
“Start the playlist I’ll clean to.”
That one action gives your brain a mini dopamine ping. And often, that’s enough to keep going.
If it’s not? That’s fine too. You still won. One dish is more than zero.
#4: Watch Out for Dopamine Sinkholes
This is the part where I call myself out gently. Because sometimes, my dopamine hacks become dopamine traps.
You know what I mean:
That “one quick YouTube video” becomes an accidental binge
You suddenly know way too much about ancient shipwrecks
TikTok stole three hours of your soul
The goal isn’t to eliminate fun. It’s to notice when your dopamine choices are starting to work against you.
I’ve started asking myself: “Is this giving me energy or draining it?” That question saves me more often than I’d like to admit.
Also, setting literal physical boundaries—like phone in a drawer, apps off the home screen, timers—helps my brain stop choosing the path of least resistance every single time. (Most of the time, anyway.)
#5: Let Yourself Feel Good (Without the Guilt)
This one’s weirdly hard. But probably the most important.
Feeling good isn’t a trap. You don’t have to earn your dopamine.
Sometimes, we guilt-trip ourselves for “chasing dopamine” too much. But if you have ADHD, chasing dopamine is survival. And there’s nothing wrong with needing a little joy or stimulation to feel human.
You don’t have to be a productivity robot. You’re allowed to play, to rest, to scroll, to dance in your room for no reason.
It’s not about controlling dopamine like it’s the enemy—it’s about learning how to coexist with it.
And maybe build a life where the dopamine comes with you, not just at you.
Final Thoughts
Dopamine is weird. ADHD is weird. We are weird. And that’s okay.
There’s no one-size-fits-all hack, but there are ways to stop fighting your brain and start teaming up with it. A little intention, a few tiny wins, and some grace for yourself go a long way.
Got your own dopamine hacks? I’d love to hear them.
Til then—may your brain feel just stimulated enough.