{"id":1081,"date":"2026-08-15T17:44:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T17:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/?p=1081"},"modified":"2026-08-15T17:44:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T17:44:32","slug":"5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/2026\/08\/15\/5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao\/","title":{"rendered":"5 effects of \u201ctoxic dopamine\u201d on the brain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You may have heard the phrase \u201ctoxic dopamine\u201d a lot online, especially when people talk about TikTok, gaming, social media, or short-form content. People often say that we\u2019re \u201cflooding our brains with dopamine,\u201d causing us to lose our ability to focus, lose motivation, and need stronger and stronger stimulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1052\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png 700w, https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1-9x12.png 9w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But there\u2019s something important to clear up from the start: dopamine is not a toxin, and there is no simple scientific concept called \u201ctoxic dopamine.\u201d Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in many brain functions.\n\nWhat matters more is that constantly seeking quick rewards may affect the way we pay attention, form habits, and seek rewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what can happen when we become too used to constant stimulation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Causes of Brain Rot<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/2026\/08\/15\/5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao\/#Kho_tap_trung_vao_nhung_viec_cham_va_it_kich_thich\" >Having trouble focusing on slow, less stimulating activities<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/2026\/08\/15\/5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao\/#Nhung_viec_binh_thuong_de_tro_nen_nham_chan\" >Ordinary things start to feel boring<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/2026\/08\/15\/5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao\/#Kho_bat_dau_nhung_viec_can_nhieu_thoi_gian_moi_co_phan_thuong\" >Finding it harder to start things that take time to pay off<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/2026\/08\/15\/5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao\/#De_hinh_thanh_nhung_vong_lap_hanh_vi_kho_kiem_soat\" >Developing behavior loops that are hard to control<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/2026\/08\/15\/5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao\/#Luon_muon_tim_thu_moi_hon_thu_vi_hon\" >Always wanting something newer and more exciting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/2026\/08\/15\/5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao\/#Ket\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Kho_tap_trung_vao_nhung_viec_cham_va_it_kich_thich\"><\/span>Having trouble focusing on slow, less stimulating activities<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You open a short video and it only takes a few seconds to get something new. Swipe to another video, and there\u2019s something new again. Then you swipe again.\n\nMeanwhile, a book might take several minutes before it becomes interesting. A lesson takes time to understand. A difficult task might take hours before you see any results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you become used to having something new appear constantly, slower activities can start to feel uncomfortable.\n\nYou read a few pages and already want to check your phone. You work for 15 minutes and feel like opening social media.\n\nThis doesn\u2019t mean dopamine has \u201cdestroyed\u201d your ability to focus.\n\nIt\u2019s more accurate to say that your brain may have developed a habit: whenever there\u2019s an empty moment or you feel bored, you look for something new to stimulate you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nhung_viec_binh_thuong_de_tro_nen_nham_chan\"><\/span>Ordinary things start to feel boring<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"474\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-16.png 474w, https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-16-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-16-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A meal without your phone. A bus ride without watching videos. A coffee date where you simply sit and talk. An afternoon when nothing particularly interesting happens.\n\nThese things are completely normal, but if you\u2019re used to a screen constantly giving you something new, they can start to feel \u201cboring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might feel like you need music while doing housework, YouTube while eating, or TikTok while waiting for the elevator.\n\nNot because there\u2019s anything wrong with these activities, but because your brain has gotten used to always having something to focus on.\n\nAnd when everything around you becomes quiet, you start to feel like something is missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Kho_bat_dau_nhung_viec_can_nhieu_thoi_gian_moi_co_phan_thuong\"><\/span>Finding it harder to start things that take time to pay off<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"605\" height=\"403\" src=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-17.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-17.png 605w, https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-17-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-17-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This is one of the most noticeable effects.\n\nSocial media can give you a reward almost instantly. You open an app, and just a few seconds later, there\u2019s an interesting video waiting for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the important things in life usually don\u2019t work that way.\n\nLearning English takes months. Getting fit takes weeks. Building a career takes years.\n\nWhen you become used to quick rewards, you may become less patient with things that take longer to pay off.\n\nNot because you don\u2019t want to succeed, but because the process of getting there simply isn\u2019t stimulating enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s also why someone can spend two hours scrolling through TikTok but find 20 minutes of reading surprisingly difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"De_hinh_thanh_nhung_vong_lap_hanh_vi_kho_kiem_soat\"><\/span>Developing behavior loops that are hard to control<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re bored \u2192 pick up your phone. You\u2019re working on something difficult \u2192 pick up your phone. You\u2019re waiting for someone \u2192 pick up your phone. You just woke up \u2192 pick up your phone. Before going to sleep \u2192 pick up your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At first, it\u2019s just a small action. But when you repeat it often enough, your brain starts to connect a feeling with a behavior.\n\nFeeling bored \u2192 reach for your phone.\nFeeling stressed \u2192 look for a video.\nDon\u2019t know what to do \u2192 open social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually, you don\u2019t even have to think before doing it.\n\nThat\u2019s what makes some habits so hard to break: they slowly change from a conscious choice into an almost automatic reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Luon_muon_tim_thu_moi_hon_thu_vi_hon\"><\/span>Always wanting something newer and more exciting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One video ends, and another one appears. One post is over, and there\u2019s a new one waiting. One notification disappears, and a few minutes later, another one might pop up.\n\nSocial media creates an endless stream of content with almost no clear stopping point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This makes it very easy to fall into a state where you\u2019re always looking for the next thing: the next video, the next story, the next piece of news, the next notification.\n\nYou\u2019re not necessarily looking for anything specific.\n\nYou\u2019re just looking for the next feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that\u2019s when scrolling can last much longer than you planned.\n\nYou don\u2019t stop because there\u2019s nothing left to watch. You keep going because you think the next thing might be more interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ket\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dopamine isn\u2019t a toxin, and dopamine itself isn\u2019t \u201caddictive.\u201d\n\nThe bigger concern is that when we constantly seek quick rewards like short videos, games, notifications, or social media, our brains can gradually learn and reinforce those behavior loops.\n\nThe more we repeat them, the more automatic and harder to control they can become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"626\" height=\"351\" src=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-3.png\" alt=\"6 c\u01a1 ch\u1ebf t\u00e2m l\u00fd khi\u1ebfn m\u1ea1ng x\u00e3 h\u1ed9i kh\u00f3 b\u1ecf h\u01a1n ch\u00fang ta t\u01b0\u1edfng\" class=\"wp-image-1054\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-3.png 626w, https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-3-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/linkachu.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-3-18x10.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, focusing on slower activities, tolerating boredom, or sticking with a long-term goal can become more difficult.\n\nYour brain isn\u2019t \u201cbroken\u201d just because you watch TikTok or use social media. But the way you use these platforms over time can influence how your brain directs attention and seeks rewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the real issue isn\u2019t \u201cdopamine is destroying our brains.\u201d\n\nIt\u2019s how we\u2019re training our brains every day.\n\nQuick rewards can create a very easy-to-get-stuck-in loop:\n\nthe more you watch \u2192 the more you want to keep watching \u2192 the harder it becomes to stop.\n\nAnd it\u2019s this behavior loop that can become increasingly addictive over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Linkachu \u2014 someone who battled weight issues for nearly 20 years and successfully experimented with a method of eating fully and nutritiously while still losing weight, without exercising.<br>Ready to accompany and support career orientation and development positioning for people aged 18\u201333.<\/em>.<br>This is my Facebook!&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/linh.do.984014\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em><strong><mark>LinkachuMC<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about me at<a href=\"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/\"><em><strong><mark>&nbsp;Linkachu.net<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>B\u1ea1n c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 \u0111\u00e3 nghe c\u1ee5m t\u1eeb \u201cdopamine \u0111\u1ed9c h\u1ea1i\u201d r\u1ea5t nhi\u1ec1u tr\u00ean m\u1ea1ng, \u0111\u1eb7c bi\u1ec7t khi n\u00f3i v\u1ec1 TikTok, game, m\u1ea1ng x\u00e3 h\u1ed9i hay nh\u1eefng n\u1ed9i dung ng\u1eafn. Ng\u01b0\u1eddi ta th\u01b0\u1eddng n\u00f3i r\u1eb1ng ch\u00fang ta \u0111ang \u201cl\u00e0m n\u00e3o ng\u1eadp dopamine\u201d, khi\u1ebfn n\u00e3o m\u1ea5t kh\u1ea3 n\u0103ng t\u1eadp trung, m\u1ea5t \u0111\u1ed9ng l\u1ef1c v\u00e0 ng\u00e0y c\u00e0ng c\u1ea7n [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,16],"tags":[108],"class_list":["post-1081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hanh-trinh-thay-doi-ban-than","category-meo-vat-cuoc-song","tag-5-anh-huong-cua-dopamine-doc-hai-den-nao-bo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1081"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1087,"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1081\/revisions\/1087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linkachu.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}