I feel flat

1. The question

   Why do I feel flat?

2. The simple answer

   Feeling flat — nothing seems very rewarding — is common and has many causes: poor sleep, stress, loneliness, low mood, illness. Dopamine is linked to drive and interest, but you cannot tell from how you feel that your dopamine is low, and topping it up is not how recovery works.

3. Try this

   Who should I talk to? →

   A simple guide to GPs, talking therapies and other support.

4. The insight

   If you have felt low, flat or lost interest in things most days for more than two weeks, talk to a GP. You don’t need to work out the cause first.

5. Want the science?
   • Does low dopamine cause depression?
   • What are the signs of low dopamine?
   • Is dopamine the motivation molecule?
6. Next question

   I can’t switch off →

Educational information, not diagnosis. If something is affecting your daily life, find the right kind of help.