Do we have less dopamine than neurotypicals

Post Reply New Topic

I remember even as an adolescent I was sure I had less dopamine than is normal for teenagers. I was less impulsive and more thoughtful. Has any science researched this throughly?

It's not that aspies have less dopamine than NTs, it's that we have fewer opportunities to feel a pleasure rush. Not the peaceful, cerebral rush---that's serotonin. But the pure, base, bodily rush, the kind only dopamine can produce. Both of those chemicals can be drowned out by fear and stress, controlled by adrenaline and cortisol, respectively. And if there are two things aspies get plenty of, it's fear and stress. Not only that, we lack the resources to avoid those things.

When we're little, we often have unusual phobias of harmless objects in our own homes: chandeliers, radiator pipes, heating vents, etc. When we start school, we get bullied. Parents also tend to be much stricter with aspie kids and hold them to a higher standard than NT kids. If our parents put us in therapy, most therapists are morons who have no clue about AS, and always make things worse for us. It's a continuous bombardment of fear and stress for years on end.

As a result, our brains don't come in contact with a lot of dopamine, because most of it gets drowned out by adrenaline and cortisol. Therefore, it can feel like "we have less dopamine". At least until we reach adulthood, and find our own ways to give ourselves dopamine rushes. Be it through extreme sports, alcohol, or actually learning to make friends. That's why things like meditation don't work for me; it's too serotonin-like. I need dopamine in order to feel pleasure.

I tried SNRI and it made me extremely sick, but I can take SSRI.
I think the difference is that SNRI has dopamine, so maybe I wasn't deficient. I'm not sure.

The explanation by Aspie1 is brilliant. I agree with that. It makes perfect sense. My primary emotions have always been fear and shame, so dopamine doesn't stand a chance.