TJ Power: How Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin & Endorphins Drive Happiness and Longevity | TUH #209

Dopamine and Modern Addictions

TJ Power begins by recounting how dopamine has been a fundamental driver of motivation, focus, and reward throughout human evolution. In ancient times, dopamine motivated humans to hunt, build fires, and gather food—essential survival activities that required effort and persistence. The slow but steady elevation of dopamine fueled this drive and gave a sense of accomplishment when tasks, however challenging, were completed.

Modern society, however, has radically altered dopamine dynamics. Instead of earning dopamine through hard work and connection with nature, we now frequently trigger dopamine from artificial, immediate sources such as social media scrolling, video feeds, and addictive behaviors like substance use or thrill-seeking. TJ recounts extreme examples like wing-suit fliers who chase dopamine rushes but still describe this as "normal," highlighting the emptiness that comes from constant dopamine stimulation. This excessive dopamine dumping into the brain's reward centers creates cycles of craving without true satisfaction, leading to addictive behaviors and reduced motivation for meaningful effort.

TJ's own history echoes this trajectory. As a young man, he describes himself as a dopamine addict, drawn to partying, substances, and instant gratification. It was only through studying neuroscience and deliberately experimenting with the hunter-gatherer lifestyle—living in nature, reconnecting with his roots—that he discovered alternative, more fulfilling ways to engage the brain's neurochemistry. This journey led him to formulate the Dose Effect framework.

Oxytocin

While dopamine propels us outward to achieve, oxytocin serves the crucial complementary role of fostering belonging, bonding, and community. TJ emphasizes that oxytocin evolved to ensure tribes functioned cohesively, with members feeling connected, supported, and committed to mutual survival. In this sense, oxytocin represents the inner glue of relationships and social cohesion that ancient humans depended upon.

Unfortunately, modern life often prioritizes dopamine-driven success and busyness at the expense of nurturing oxytocin pathways. TJ and Gary discuss how social media can create illusions of connection without providing the genuine, slow-building intimacy that oxytocin rewards. These superficial interactions interfere with our biological need for deep, vulnerable conversations and meaningful communal experiences.

A poignant moment in the podcast centers around the contrast between dopamine-driven behaviors, like scrolling videos before bed, and oxytocin-driven moments such as lying quietly with a partner or holding a newborn child. The latter brings profound calm and satisfaction, illustrating that real contentment arises not from quantity or intensity of stimulation but from slow, mindful connection.

TJ highlights the role of oxytocin in longevity as well, pointing to data from longevity "blue zones" around the world where elder care, community, and family bonds contribute significantly to extended, healthy life spans. In these cultures, elders live with families rather than being isolated, indicating a natural behavioral expression of oxytocin's importance. TJ acknowledges the challenging choices many face in modern society regarding elder care but encourages prioritizing oxytocin relationships for deeper fulfillment and well-being.

Serotonin

Serotonin is discussed as the neurotransmitter most closely tied to mood stability, emotional well-being, and a sense of satisfaction rooted in harmonious living with the environment. Unlike dopamine's chase for distinct rewards or oxytocin's social bonding, serotonin reflects a steady, balanced state often lacking in contemporary urbanized life.

TJ references groundbreaking research from Japan and the therapeutic practice of "forest bathing" (Shinrin-yoku), where spending time in nature significantly elevates serotonin levels, reducing anxiety and depression symptoms. This highlights serotonin's evolutionary role in linking our mood to natural environments—which humans inhabited for hundreds of thousands of years, allowing the nervous system to thrive in consistent, rhythmical, sensory-rich settings.

The podcast delves into TJ's personal experience with contrasting environments—from high-tech, biohacking-equipped urban condos to rustic log cabins deep in the Colorado wilderness where nature immersion and simple living create profound well-being. These experiences underline the importance of aligning lifestyle with the serotonin system's needs by cultivating natural, low-stimulus environments.

Endorphins

Endorphins, often associated with the "runner's high" and natural pain relief, play a vital role in the brain's response to stress and physical challenge. TJ elucidates how endorphins evolved as a survival tool for acute physical threats: flooding the body to dull pain and anxiety so that the person could escape danger or endure hardship.

In modern contexts, this system often becomes underutilized or misapplied. Chronic low-level stress from daily screens and responsibilities does not trigger the robust endorphin release that intense physical exertion or environmental challenges would. Instead, many people use low-level dopamine fixes—such as mindless screen time, sugar, or alcohol—to cope with stress, which ultimately does not satisfy the nervous system's deeper needs.

TJ stresses the importance of physically active stress release to engage endorphins meaningfully. Exercise, cold plunges, sauna sessions, and other physical stressors mimic the demands of ancestral environments and act as potent triggers for positive endorphin responses. This contrasts sharply with passive stress coping and encourages more dynamic engagement with the body to maintain balance.

Reclaiming Human Balance

Throughout the episode, TJ Power reflects on the paradox of modern life: while technological advancement and digital connectivity have transformed society, they also threaten to unbalance the neurochemical systems that shaped our evolution. Dopamine-centric sources dominate, leaving oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphin pathways undernourished.

One key practical insight TJ shares is the concept of "phone fasting," a behavioral approach to regain control over dopamine-driven smartphone addiction. By increasing dopamine through effortful, meaningful activities first thing in the morning (brushing teeth, cold splash, making the bed) and delaying phone use, the brain learns to seek healthier dopamine sources rather than defaulting to rapid, low-effort digital hits. This method has been applied successfully with thousands of youth and adults to reduce screen time by several hours daily.

TJ further embraces the idea of "low-stim" states—what might traditionally be called boredom but reframed as necessary downtime for the brain's default mode network to engage. This time enables imagination, future planning, and self-reflection, crucial for mental health and goal achievement. Constant distraction from social media or entertainment short-circuits this process, undermining psychological growth and contentment.

The Dose Effect

TJ's framework, The Dose Effect, is designed to demystify and operationalize the interplay of dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins to optimize happiness and longevity. Rather than relying on pharmaceuticals or quick fixes, the Dose Method encourages alignment with evolutionary biology through habit formation, nature connection, social bonding, stress management, and carefully measured use of technology.

The goal is to restore natural balance, enabling motivation, connection, emotional stability, and resilience. TJ's passion arises from personal losses and the realization that life's preciousness demands intentional living in tune with our brain's biology.

He envisions the ultimate human life as one marked by calm presence, deep love, meaningful legacy, and thriving longevity—not merely success or fame. By fostering awareness and practical behavioral shifts, TJ aims to help individuals break free from dopamine traps and rediscover the profound joy found in connection and purpose.