The Truth About Dopamine and Depression | Andy West on Mental Health Recovery
- Travis White
- Jun 20
- 1 min read
Struggling with depression, brain fog, or burnout? Author Andy West reveals how dopamine resets, mindset shifts, and small daily challenges helped her recover from anhedonia, addiction, and chronic fatigue—without relying on medication.
In this episode of Overcome: A Mental Health Podcast, host Travis White sits down with Andy West, author of Dopamine Mountain and Anhedonia Wastelands, to explore the powerful link between dopamine, mental health, and recovery. Andy opens up about her raw journey through childhood trauma, addiction, a drug-induced psychosis, and the years-long battle with anhedonia—a form of depression where nothing brings pleasure.
She shares how she rebuilt her brain from the ground up using dopamine-focused lifestyle changes, including cold showers, exercise, mindset shifts, and deliberate discomfort. Andy explains how to rewire the brain’s reward system and gives practical tips on overcoming depression, fatigue, and addiction—without relying on quick fixes or medication.
This episode is packed with actionable advice, neuroscience-backed insights, and inspiration for anyone battling anxiety, depression, addiction, or looking to better understand the role of dopamine in everyday motivation and joy.
Topics Covered:
What is anhedonia and how it differs from typical depression
How dopamine works and how to reset your reward system
Breaking addiction through behavior-based dopamine resets
How daily challenges can rewire the brain for resilience
Natural strategies for chronic fatigue and low motivation
The danger of ease and the power of discomfort
Together, we fight stigma with every episode.
📘 Connect with Andy West:Visit dopaminemountain.com to find her books.
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Have you noticed a loss of pleasure or interest in activities you used to enjoy? This feeling is known as anhedonia and can be a symptom of various conditions. To better understand what you're experiencing, taking a free anhedonia test online can provide some much-needed clarity.