The Biology of Trauma® With Dr. Aimie The Biology of Dopamine: Why We Can't Stop What Isn't Good for Us
Jan 30, 2026
Explore the biology behind why we repeat harmful behaviors despite knowing better. Learn how dopamine is both low at baseline and spiking with cues, and how drama or conflict can become a dopamine source. Hear how early attachment wires dopamine to safety or danger and how brain inflammation disrupts dopamine, driving escalating craving and compulsive patterns.
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Dopamine Is Low And Reactive
- Dopamine is both low at baseline and spikes with reminders, so behaviors feel driven by craving rather than simple willpower.
- Repeatedly triggering the surge makes each hit smaller, forcing escalation to get the same effect.
Drama Can Be A Dopamine Source
- People use interpersonal drama as a dopamine source when baseline dopamine is low, often without recognizing it.
- The more you push that drama lever, the less dopamine you get, trapping you in escalation.
Dopamine Remembers What Works
- Dopamine's role is remembering what mattered, not just producing pleasure, so it encodes soothing behaviors as future targets.
- Cravings are memory-driven signals: the brain recalls what once soothed intense distress and seeks it again.