All three posters above in this thread raise some very good points.
The problem I have with a term like "dopamine fasting" is that the proponents - although well-meaning - make it sound like dopamine release is the villain. It doesn't ask the question why people, increasingly in my observation, feel the need to consume what is called supernormal stimuli in order to increase their dopamine levels. The current dopamine fasting trend sounds like high dopamine releases are the problem itself and not just a symptom.
OP mentions the anecdote with the kid that gave up computer games after abstaining for 30 days. I know people like that from real life, so it's not just anecdotes. But what happens if you abstain for 30 days and your problems are still the same after those 30 days - whether the problem is hormonal or psychological? Wouldn't you just continue doing the same stuff as before? My guess would be that the kid lost the desire for computer games, because he spent time with friends, maybe playing some sports, spent more time outside, and realized that this is actually better than counter strike.
I remember in one episode of the GE podcast Danny asked Dr. Peat about porn addicts, and Peat said something like "I think they just need a girlfriend". While that may have been a partial joke and is not as easy as it sounds, I think there's also some truth to it. If you have the experience that "the real thing" is better, more fullfilling and less shallow than pixels on a screen, that might abolish your desire for the fake alternative.
I have tried meditation in the past and it helps me to just deal with life and become calmer. I have never looked into any connection to thyroid function, so I don't have any input here. The only thing I know is that experienced meditators have more gray matter in the prefrontal cortex and a better connectivity between certain brain areas.
