High Dopamine: A Novella

Another book about the mind and a link between drug misuse and mental illness. However, what marks this novella out is that the author bases much of Dylan on his own experiences.
He relies on the calming effect of Tramadol, a prescribed drug from his GP; Tramadol provides him with feelings of warmth and well-being, relaxation and sleepiness. Out of the drug one night and unable to sleep he searches the flat which he shares and found some Lorazepam which he says, 'is an anti-anxiety medication and it works a treat but it's also very good at night for getting you to sleep.'
Within 15 minutes he is asleep and has the strangest set of dreams which unsettle him and which he can recall no significant details other than sense of foreboding and unrest.
He is ambitious and doing well but unable to break into the big time in his chosen profession in San Francisco. However, events seem to conspire together to change his fortunes; in the process his dream is recalled and he feels the outcome is a direct result of his dream where he has almost bargained his life to live well and prosperously but at the cost of dying young.
The story then expands on how he lives with this knowledge as success and wealth come his way but the unease about how his 'happiness' might be short-lived.
To keep his relationship, he seeks out a phycologist who keeps him seeing things more positively but he yearns to understand more a chance encounter with a 'native American influenced dream catcher leads him into a world where he finds others may have experienced similar dreams and outcomes.
It reads quite well and after a wordy start gets into its flow like an expanded diary. It is never boring as bizarre events happen in his life, like people thinking they recognise him.
I found it interesting and much of it seems serious but on the side of humour like when conspiracy theories are mentioned. The voice and reasoning of his therapist is also a good balance to the more chaotic life Dylan holds down.
A great insight into a world of weed, speed and LSD. Paranoia and negative thinking. It affirms being thankful and living for the moment which is common in most religious creed.
I just felt Dylan never consolidated his successes so remained a bit flaky - if anything it shows we cannot rely on a guru or belief structure as each day’s multiple choices are made and our decisions cannot be checked before they are made. We need to live in that moment rather than being overtaken by negative thoughts or fearing the worse and a sense of our own mortality.
Any book can be ultimately about what you take from it; High Dopamine was an enjoyable read and left me feeling quite upbeat.

Dion Farac, the author of this book, tells his readers that a lot of the information in High Dopamine is taken from his real life experiences.This is a very quick and interesing read!

Dylan lives in San Francisco with his partner of 2 years, Eva. Except for Amanda, some 10 years ago, Eva is a long-term live-in girlfriend. Dylan works at a gymnasium as a personal trainer and would like to have a private practice someday. He has trouble falling asleep and generally takes Tramadol for this. Eva is away for the weekend; he has no Tramadol and finds her Lorazepam. He takes two pills. That night, Dylan has nightmares. In the last nightmare a version of his father asks him if he would rather have wealth and die young or just go on as is... Dylan tells him "yes" to the wealth. Finally he wakes up from a series of dreams and soon finds out that his two largest competitors (for private personal training) are no longer available.

Eventually, Dylan gets all of their business. This makes him rather wealthy but not overly so. Eva and Dylan do splurge some, however. However, the "death dream" is slowly ripping Dylan's insides apart, Eva suggests he see a counsellor. He does and she (Helena) promotes positive thinking. Dylan likes her and tries to follow the doctor's suggestions. In the meantime, Dylan meets Ian aka Hawk Moon, who has had the same type of dream but said "no" to the wealth and short life. However, Ian eventually sets up a meeting between Vicky (who had "the dream" and said "yes") and Dylan. Vicky lives in an exquisite house and her advise to Dylan is to live his life. However, Vicky, and her partner, Anabelle, are heavily into marijuana and LSD.

Eva had already moved out on the distant, irritable, annoying Dylan (her words) when Dylan returns to Helena, again. She still advocates looking to the positive side at as many times as possible. Dylan does tell Helena - about Ian and Vicky sans drugs.

Then Dylan gets a phone call that Vicky is in a medically induced coma and is in the hospital. Dylan rushes first to Helena. He doesn't know how to react....

I always try to find something different to read. This is it! Brilliant fast read - yet this novella has the potential to become a full novel. I read this book in an afternoon and must say - read it !


Many thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for a fast, enjoyable read.

The author cleverly reminded me that none of us are given a roadmap at birth. There's no script to follow. As for a chosen way of life, we've simply got to make it up along the way. In this entertaining novella the main character's present state of mind was clearly defined. Muddled at times, he picked through life as it was tossed at him, one challenge at a time. It was an easy read with a storyline that bounced along in synchrony to an ever-intriguing journey into a personal search for truth.

Dylan Forster, a transplant from Connecticut is a struggling personal trainer in San Francisco doing everything he can just to make ends meet. Due to an unfortunate turn of events, one of his competitors was accidentally killed and he inherited all of his upscale clients. For the first time, he was making some serious money. As a result, his life took a change for the better. Now he was able to enjoy the hidden side of his otherwise sullen personality, which he'd always yearned for. His worries about meeting living expenses and being rejected in relationships were now a thing of the past. There was light at the end of the tunnel.

Lately, he had been mysteriously plagued with a recurring dream. In it he was given a choice: either he could choose wealth but die young or endure a debtor's ball and chain for life. Finally, it reached the point where he sought help and saw a psychologist. Initially, the sessions provided welcome relief, though, they could not prepare him for what he was about to embark upon. Ultimately, the truth he sought would lead him down a road never traveled. Destiny could wait no longer.

I offer my thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a beautifully, well written book. It opens the door to what addiction looks like and how it can have a very strong hold on a person. High Dopamine also show the link between addiction and how mental illness starts.

"You're the one that has to die when the time comes, so here's your chance, live the life you want."

#HighDopamineAnovella #NetGalley
Thank you for this ARC!

At the beginning of this novel Dylan is a struggling personal trainer. Transplanted from back East and working hard to make ends meet. The journey he takes to meet his destiny is unusual and at times bizarre. A great look at addiction, psychosis and analysis. Not my usual genre but intriguing and well written.

High dopamine by Dion Farac.
This was a good read. I liked Dylan character. This book was different. 4*.

An interesting book about the effects of prescription drug abuse and its effect on productivity and how it can be a pathway to mental illness.