Navigating the Dopamine Crash: Finding My Why Through Free Writing

Month 1 into my ADHD content creation journey, and I can already feel the familiar crash creeping in. My need for an instant reward has not been met, and the initial surge of motivation, hope, and excitement has quickly been replaced by frustration, withdrawal, and unease. Another project feels like it's slipping through my fingers like sand, and this time it feels even harder because it feels like admitting defeat to this diagnosis.

But I refuse to let it.

So, I take a moment to find solace in my favorite spot—a brightly lit, cozy corner right in front of my double French doors, overlooking a small patch of woods. The rays of sunlight seem to delicately kiss the ground, creating a serene scene that feels like a little reminder form God to pause and breathe.

I let my thoughts race freely, uninterrupted. I let them run their course, allowing frustration and doubt to have their say, until I feel that gentle nudge to ask myself, “Okay, now what?”

I take a deep breath and decide to meditate, giving myself permission to just be. I spend some time in prayer, reconnecting with my "why"—the reason I started this journey in the first place. I remember that I did it to improve my own life and to share what works for me, so that maybe, just maybe, it might help someone else. I hold onto the words others have said before: "Even if it helps one person, it is worth it."

With my purpose now clearly defined again, I turn to a tool I’ve often underestimated but have always known holds immense power: free writing.

The Power of Free Writing: A Forgotten Tool

Free writing—something so simple, so natural, yet so often overlooked. In school, we were taught about it but rarely did we learn its true power. Free writing, without worrying about run-on sentences or grammar, is not just liberating and cathartic; it also gets the creative juices flowing in ways that structured thinking sometimes can't.

There is scientific evidence to back this up. Free writing, or expressive writing, impacts brain activity in a unique way. It engages the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for planning, decision-making, and focus—all areas that are often impaired when dopamine levels drop, especially in ADHD brains.

When we engage in free writing, we're giving the brain a chance to explore thoughts without the constraints of perfectionism or fear of judgment. We're allowing our minds to wander, to connect dots that might not have been visible before, and to process emotions that feel too tangled to unravel.

Studies have shown that free writing can increase dopamine levels, helping to rekindle a sense of motivation and purpose when it feels like the light has dimmed. It activates areas of the brain involved in emotion regulation, creativity, and cognitive processing, providing not just cognitive benefits but also emotional and mental health gains.

Free Writing as a Path Back to Motivation

For me, free writing has become a way to reclaim my motivation from the grip of a dopamine crash. It’s a way to remind myself that even when my brain feels foggy, when focus seems elusive, and when hope feels distant, there is still a way through. Free writing allows me to express what’s weighing me down, release the pressure, and find clarity in the chaos.

So, I write without stopping, without censoring, without worrying about whether it makes sense or fits into a neat little box. I write because it's freeing, because it's mine, because it brings me back to my "why."

And maybe, just maybe, if you’re feeling that familiar crash too—feeling like you’re slipping away from the goals you set—consider picking up a pen or opening a blank document and just letting it all out. Let your thoughts race, let them pour out onto the page, and see where they take you.

Because even when it feels like another project is slipping through your fingers, remember: You’re not defeated. You’re just finding a new way forward.

And if this helps even one person, it's worth it.