Dopamine and cortisol: why motivation and the joy of life disappear during prolonged stress and how to regain them

Stress has become a common part of life for many Ukrainians. Often, after prolonged emotional tension, people notice that they lose interest in their favorite activities, cannot force themselves to act, and feel joy less and less frequently. Psychologist Mariia Tsanko explained specifically for UNN how dopamine and cortisol are interconnected and why our brain reacts to chronic stress in this particular way.

According to the expert, we are used to considering dopamine a "good happiness hormone" and cortisol a "bad stress hormone." However, in reality, these systems do not oppose each other; on the contrary, they work in close connection, and it is their interaction that largely determines our emotional state.

Cortisol helps us pull ourselves together: to get up in the morning, meet a deadline, or react to something important. And dopamine—and this is the key point—is responsible not so much for pleasure as for motivation and anticipation: it's the one saying "get up, go, it will be good there." When stress is short-lived, they act as a pair: cortisol even enhances dopamine. That is why in acute stress, we can be focused, clear-headed, and capable of acting quickly. This is a healthy reaction. The problem lies elsewhere—when stress has no end, when it drags on for weeks or months without respite. Then the very system that energized us gradually becomes exhausted,

One of the most noticeable consequences of prolonged stress is a loss of motivation, the expert explains. In such cases, a person may understand that a certain activity will bring them pleasure but cannot find the strength even to start it. This is often mistakenly perceived as laziness or indifference.

"Here is what science has discovered: in the brain, 'wanting' and 'getting pleasure' are two different systems. 'Liking' is when it feels good in the moment. 'Wanting' is the drive, the desire, the readiness to get up and go after it. And dopamine is responsible for this 'wanting'.

Under prolonged stress, the first thing to weaken is not the ability to enjoy, but the ability to want. That is, if the person actually ended up on that walk, they would most likely feel good. But the push that should have gotten them up to go there is missing. The dopamine system's charge for 'wanting' has simply run out. This state is called anhedonia—when the taste for life is erased. And this is not laziness or a flawed character. It is tired biology," notes Mariia Tsanko.

According to the psychologist, it is impossible to determine dopamine levels on one's own. Instead, there are behavioral signals that may indicate exhaustion of the nervous system. However, such symptoms can be similar to manifestations of depression.

To be honest: it is impossible to measure your own dopamine at home. If someone promises to "measure" it, that is marketing, not science. You can only rely on signals in behavior and well-being: things that used to bring joy have become flat; it is hard to take on even simple tasks, not because they are difficult, but because there is a lack of internal push to start; habitual joys seem to stop clicking, and you want something brighter, stronger, just to feel something; emotions are muffled, everything is in gray. One thing is important here: these signs almost exactly coincide with the signs of depression. Therefore, this is not a reason to diagnose yourself with 'dopamine issues,' but a reason to look closely at yourself. If the state persists for weeks, it is a signal to consult a specialist,

At the same time, during chronic stress, many people begin to use social media more often, buy unnecessary things, or seek solace in sweets. According to the expert, the reason here lies not in weak willpower, but in the peculiarities of how the brain works.

Stress shifts the balance between two, so to speak, parts of the psyche: it strengthens the impulsive ("I want it now") and muffles the rational one that knows how to wait for something greater. Research shows: under stress, it is harder for us to resist instant gratification; we begin to value "now" more and "later" less. Add to this what has already been mentioned: big, "real" joy has become flat and requires effort. But scrolling, a candy, or a purchase is a quick reward, guaranteed and effortless. A brain lacking charge logically grabs exactly that. This is not a breakdown—it is an attempt to patch oneself up in the cheapest way. Another detail: in chronic stress, we more often act on "autopilot"—by habit, not by choice. Therefore, the hand reaches for the phone even before we have had time to think. And simply noticing this moment is already half the freedom,

However, Mariia Tsanko emphasizes that recovery after prolonged stress is possible, but it requires time and regular actions. Meanwhile, popular methods from social media should be treated very cautiously.

First—what NOT to do. "Dopamine detoxes" and "dopamine resets" are a myth. Dopamine does not accumulate like toxins, and it cannot be "reset" by fasting from pleasures: the brain produces it constantly. If it feels easier after such a "pause," it is not a brain restart, but simply a period without overstimulation, when ordinary joys become noticeable again. There is indeed a healthy core in the detox trend, but it is about new habits, not a magical reset,

The specialist advises trying to focus on simple practices whose effectiveness has already been confirmed by scientific research.

"And now, what really works and has an evidence base:

- Behavioral activation is the most powerful method. The essence is simple and paradoxical: action first, motivation second, not the other way around. Because a tired system might never wait until it 'feels like it.' A small step without desire, a short walk, one page, a call to a loved one—and the action itself gradually revs up the reward system. This is confirmed even on brain scans.

- Movement. One of the most reliable ways to bring back motivation. And it doesn't have to be the gym: a walk, a run, any aerobic exercise. Moreover, 15 minutes every day is better than three hours once a week, because regularity is more important to the nervous system than a heroic feat.

- Sleep. Without normal sleep, the reward system recovers poorly.

- Savoring—meaning not just doing something pleasant, but noticing that it was pleasant.

- Live communication, not via messaging.

Islands of calm. When the source of stress doesn't go anywhere—and that happens more often than we'd like—the main thing is not to remove the stress (which isn't always in our power), but to give the nervous system at least short respites. It cannot recover if it remains in anxiety mode all the time. At least a little space where the body can exhale," the psychologist advises.

Finally, Mariia Tsanko emphasized that if you don't want anything right now and life seems gray, it doesn't mean that you have permanently lost the ability to feel joy. Most often, it is about the exhaustion of the nervous system, which has the ability to recover—independently or with the support of specialists. And asking for this help is absolutely normal.

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