Family Dopamine Hit

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTAXCkgTx/

So I made this video because I really did feel that way at first. But after thinking about it more, I have a theory.

Yes, my medication dose had recently gone up, and that may have played a role. But I think the bigger reason I was feeling on cloud nine was something much deeper.

The day before I recorded the video, my aunt surprised my uncle with a 60th birthday party. It was storming so badly that traffic slowed to a crawl, and he ended up arriving almost an hour late. But that extra hour turned into a gift. I got to spend even more time with my extended family, and I hope everyone gets to experience something like that.

Normally, I would’ve been out of there as soon as I could. But lately I’ve been trying to participate more in life, so I stayed a couple of extra hours. I got to watch all of my younger cousins, who still feel like my babies since I’m one of the oldest cousins, living their adult lives. Some are getting engaged. Some are building careers. Some are just becoming the people they’re meant to be. It was really special to witness.

Afterward, I dropped my sister off at home and spent the drive back letting my memories of childhood mix with daydreams about the future. I found myself imagining where all of us will be in another twenty years and how our family story will keep growing.

So here’s my hypothesis.

I think I felt so good the next day because it wasn’t just the medication. It was the aftereffects of spending an evening surrounded by some of my favorite people.

Maybe the dopamine hit from family was even bigger than the one from the medicine.

At the very least, it reminded me that sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves isn’t another productivity hack or another hour alone. Sometimes it’s simply staying a little longer with the people who make us feel like we’re home.