Anna Lembke

Millions of parents and educators are in an overwhelming struggle to get children and teens to put their smartphones down or stop watching a screen on a tablet. To uncover what is at the root of an issue that is wreaking havoc at home and at school, Oprah sits down with Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. Dr. Lembke, author of the New York Times mega-bestseller Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, explains why smartphones and tablets should be thought of as providing “digital drugs,” while describing the devastating impact these “drugs” are having on the still-developing brains of young people. Dr. Lembke and Oprah answer questions from mothers who are desperate for help managing their children’s screen addictions. Plus - British actress, Royal Family Member and Patron of Close Screens Open Minds Sophie Winkleman joins from London to talk about why she believes tech in schools has been disastrous for students and is destroying the education system from within. 'Dopamine Nation' by Anna Lembke Chapters: 00:00:00 - Welcome Dr. Anna Lembke, author of “Dopamine Nation” 00:03:00 - Reframing digital media as a drug 00:08:30 - Smart phones are modern day hypodermic needles 00:09:15 - Addiction definition 00:12:10 - Kids experiencing craving and withdrawal 00:17:00 - Mom of 2 girls wants to know if they are addicted 00:27:15 - Managing teens devices 00:36:15 - How to help college-aged kids 00:42:00 - Actress Sophie Winkleman on ed tech 00:45:00 - Screens in schools 00:48:00 - Distracted kids don’t know how to learn 00:50:00 - Regulating tech for kids Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@Oprah?sub_confirmation=1 Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks to Cozy Earth for sponsoring this video. Go to cozyearth.com/LOVERS for up to 20% off! —----------------------- In this episode of Lovers , I share something personal: the ways my own social media habit began affecting my presence, my focus, and ultimately my intimacy. Jared joins the conversation to reflect on the intervention he had with me when he realized my relationship with my phone wasn’t just a habit, it was beginning to shape our connection. Then we’re joined by psychiatrist and Dopamine Nation author Dr. Anna Lembke , who explains why addiction today looks different than it did even a generation ago. We live in a world where high-dopamine substances and behaviors, from alcohol and porn to social media, smut, gaming, and endless scrolling, are instantly accessible and socially normalized. Dr. Lembke breaks down how these habits rewire the brain’s reward system, dull pleasure, increase craving, and quietly erode intimacy. We talk about porn addiction, phone addiction, alcoholism, erotic content consumption, and the broader crisis of overconsumption that defines modern life. Most importantly, Dr. Lembke offers practical tools, many of which she teaches in her class on MasterClass and outlines in Dopamine Nation , to help us reset our dopamine systems and reclaim our relationships. This isn’t just an episode about addiction. It’s about presence, connection, and what it takes to love well in the most addictive era in human history. To Watch Dopamine on MasterClass go to http:// masterclass.com/lovers (this link will get you 15% off an annual plan to watch over 200 classes there including mine) Follow Dr. Anna Lembke Dr. Anna Lembke is a Stanford psychiatrist and New York Times bestselling author specializing in addiction, dopamine science, and behavioral health. Official Website → https://www.annalembke.com Bestselling Book → Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781524746728 Stanford Profile → https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/Anna_Lembke Watch her class on MasterClass → http:// masterclass.com/lovers Want more Lover? Receive the weekly Love Letter → http://loversbyshan.com/newsletter Join the Lovers Community → https://www.loversbyshan.com/community Explore quizzes and worksheets → http://loversbyshan.com/quizzes If you haven’t subscribed to Lemonada Premium yet, now’s the perfect time → lemonadapremium.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Future of Medicine, we welcome Anna Lembke, MD, psychiatrist and professor at Stanford School of Medicine, and author of the bestselling book, Dopamine Nation . In this conversation, Dr. Lembke explores how modern life reshapes our brains — from digital media and compulsive overconsumption to addiction, recovery, and the science of pleasure and pain. She explains why “the more pleasure we get, the less happy we are,” and shares insights into how dopamine drives desire in today’s always-on world. She reflects on her clinical work in addiction medicine, the role of radical honesty in recovery, and why the stories we tell ourselves can either support healing or keep us stuck. Dr. Lembke also discusses evidence-based approaches to addiction treatment, the impact of social media on mental health, and why children and adolescents are uniquely vulnerable in the digital age. As part of our series from Stanford’s Department of Medicine — bringing together thought leaders who are reshaping our understanding of health — you won’t want to miss this thoughtful conversation on addiction, balance, and finding real joy in a dopamine-driven world. Thank you for watching! Call to action: If you enjoy The Future of Medicine, subscribe for more conversations with leading scientists shaping the next era of healthcare. Please rate and review the podcast to help others discover these important discussions. Share with friends and colleagues who are curious about how science becomes medicine.

Dopamine: the most famous neurotransmitter that regulates pleasure, motivation, and (perhaps most importantly) addiction. When examining why our society is hooked on consuming more and more of everything – food, clothes, videos, news, vacations – it's imperative to look at how our modern environments hijack our brain's dopamine, sending it into overdrive at nearly every turn. Could taking a closer look at how our societal norms make us more vulnerable to addiction help us transition to more balanced and mindful lifestyles? In this episode, Nate is joined by New York Times bestselling author and professor of psychiatry, Anna Lembke, to explore how modern society has "drugified" our lived experience through digital media, processed foods, and instant gratification, resulting in an environment that propagates addiction. She explains how dopamine works as our brain's reward signal and why our ancient wiring is mismatched for today's level of high-dopamine stimuli in everyday life – leading to tolerance, withdrawal, and even anhedonia. Ultimately, Anna emphasizes that addiction is not a personal failing but a predictable response to an environment designed to take advantage of our brain's neurochemistry. What are the key practices individuals can use to reduce their addictive tendencies, even as our culture continues to prioritize quick dopamine hits and consumption? How long does it take to see the positive effects after moving away from the stimulus related to our addictive behavior? Lastly, if we acknowledge that information alone isn't enough, what cultural shifts can we make to foster more connection, digital mindfulness, and authenticity, in order to return to a slower, lower throughput way of living? (Conversation recorded on November 18th, 2025) About Anna Lembke: Anna Lembke is professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. As a clinician scholar, she has published more than a hundred peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and commentaries. She sits on the board of several state and national addiction-focused organizations, has testified before various committees in the United States House of Representatives and Senate, and maintains a thriving clinical practice. In 2016, she published Drug Dealer, MD – How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It's So Hard to Stop, which was highlighted in the New York Times as one of the top five books to read to understand the opioid epidemic. Dr. Lembke also appeared on the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, an unvarnished look at the impact of social media on our lives. Her most recent book, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world and is a New York Times Bestseller. Show Notes and More Watch this video episode on YouTube Want to learn the broad overview of The Great Simplification in 30 minutes? Watch our Animated Movie. --- Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future Join our Substack newsletter Join our Hylo channel and connect with other listeners

Dopamine Nation: Why our Addiction to Pleasure is Causing us Pain (Dr Anna Lembke) - Amazon Sweden Store: https://www.amazon.se/dp/1472294157?tag=9natreesweden-21 - Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Dopamine-Nation%3A-Why-our-Addiction-to-Pleasure-is-Causing-us-Pain-Dr-Anna-Lembke.html - eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Dopamine+Nation+Why+our+Addiction+to+Pleasure+is+Causing+us+Pain+Dr+Anna+Lembke+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1 - Läs mer: https://swedish.top/read/1472294157/ #dopamin #beroende #skärmtid #belöningssystem #vanor #överstimulans #dopaminfasta #DopamineNation Det här är de viktigaste lärdomarna från den här boken. För det första, Belöningssystemet och balansen mellan njutning och smärta, En kärnidé i boken är att hjärnan strävar efter balans. När vi utsätter oss för starka belöningar får vi en topp av välbehag, men kroppen och hjärnan kompenserar ofta med en nedgång efteråt. Lembke beskriver detta som en slags gungbräda där njutning tenderar att följas av obehag som rastlöshet, irritabilitet eller tomhet. I ett samhälle där belöningar finns överallt och nästan utan friktion kan den här kompensationen bli tydligare: vi behöver mer stimulans för samma effekt och känner oss sämre när vi inte får den. Boken förklarar dopamin som en central signalsubstans kopplad till motivation och begär, inte bara lycka, vilket hjälper läsaren att förstå varför längtan kan bli starkare än själva upplevelsen. Genom att rama in problemet biologiskt, snarare än moraliskt, visar Lembke hur även små vardagsvanor kan driva en cykel av sug och bakslag. Den här modellen blir en grund för att förstå varför återhållsamhet ibland kan kännas oväntat befriande. För det andra, När vardagsnjutning blir beroendelikt beteende, Boken breddar synen på beroende genom att inte enbart fokusera på alkohol eller droger. Lembke beskriver hur många moderna beteenden kan bli tvångsmässiga: skärmtid, sociala medier, sexuell stimulans, datorspel, shopping, arbete eller mat. Det avgörande är inte alltid vad man gör, utan hur relationen till beteendet ser ut och vilka konsekvenser det får. Hon lyfter typiska mönster som tolerans, att man behöver mer för att få samma lindring, abstinensliknande symptom när man försöker sluta och en gradvis förskjutning där aktiviteten går från njutning till ett sätt att dämpa obehag. Ett viktigt budskap är att hög funktion inte utesluter problem. Många kan sköta jobb och relationer men ändå känna att de tappat kontrollen och att livet krymper. Genom kliniska perspektiv och samhällsobservationer visar Lembke hur skam, hemlighetsmakeri och ensamhet ofta förvärrar spiralen. Hon betonar också att själva miljön är designad för att maximera konsumtion, vilket gör det extra svårt att navigera utan tydliga gränser. För det tredje, Överflödets samhälle och hur vi blir triggade, Lembke placerar individens kamp i en större kontext: vi lever i ett överflöd där belönande stimuli är billiga, snabba och ständigt tillgängliga. Boken diskuterar hur teknik, marknadsföring och produktdesign kan utnyttja mänsklig psykologi för att hålla oss kvar i loopar av sökande och klickande. När varje paus fylls med mikrobelöningar blir det svårare att tåla tristess, osäkerhet och långsamma processer som egentligen bygger välmående, som sömn, relationer, rörelse och djup koncentration. Lembke visar hur triggers kan vara både yttre och inre: notiser, rutiner, platser, men också känslor som stress eller ensamhet. Hon betonar vikten av att kartlägga sin egen konsumtionsmiljö och förstå vilka situationer som leder till överdrift. Genom att synliggöra dessa mönster kan man flytta fokus från viljestyrka till systemdesign, alltså att skapa en vardag där frestelser inte konstant ligger på ytan. Boken pekar på att det moderna idealet om maximal bekvämlighet kan ha en baksida

It seems clear to me, that if we are constantly striving to experience only pleasure we will certainly land in a hurting world of pain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (or chemical messenger, which the brain produces) that plays a big role in the experience of pleasure. Instant hits of pleasure can keep us hooked into a cycle of gratification that results in an escalating need for reward, but instead leads to anxiety and a thirst for satisfaction that is never fulfilled. Our brains produce chemical jolts that can be evoked by emoji text messages; Facebook "likes"; shopping excursions we cannot afford; as well as drugs, alcohol and sex. Many of these reward pathways are more accessible than ever, often keeping us constantly seeking more, without a lasting satiety. Listen our conversation with Dr. Anna Lembke, M.D., Psychiatrist, Professor, Author. She is Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. She is also the author of bestseller "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence" as well as "Drug Dealer, MD, How Doctors were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It's So Hard to Stop". Dr. Lembke's books help us to understand that brain chemicals are involved in a potentially dangerous reward pathway, especially where there is ease of access to ever intensifying stimulants/drugs and other activities that reinforce the pleasure cycle. She explores meaningful strategies for withdrawing from pleasure, bringing balance through pain, or the capacity to tolerate discomfort. In her book "Dopamine Nation" she shares her own experience of getting hooked into reading paranormal vampire novels which took her down a pathway of ever intensifying reading content. She is a beacon of hope in understanding the complicated and deep struggles of those ensnared in the path of addiction, whatever the brand. In her Ted Talk on the opioid epidemic and the connection to pain management, she is able to expose some of the drivers to over prescribing opioids, and the dangers related to this. She also goes over some socio-medico alternatives to more opioid prescribing. She offers insight into the pleasure-pain mechanism and how it is wired into our brains. She also brings recognition towards the fact that in an overabundant world, where we are encouraged to incessantly seek pleasures; we reduce our capacity to remain quiet, content or peaceful within ourselves. She explains that the richest countries in the world have the highest rates of addiction, suicide, and pain. Her book covers many examples of those struggling with addictions of various kinds and the dangers of avoiding pain of any kind. She describes dopamine fasting and how profoundly beneficial this can be in resetting an overstimulated system to a greater place of balance. Do you have a question or concern about addiction; a story to share; or a desire to try out Dopamine Fasting? Listen us in the conversation with Dr. Lembke and her important work in finding balance from addiction. Links and Resources: Anna Lembke, MD: https://www.annalembke.com/ Ted Stanford University – Dr. Anna Lembke: https://tedx.stanford.edu/lineup/anna-lembke The Psychology of An Addict Explained by Dr. Anna Lembke: https://youtu.be/2-mWbVNpBMg The Social Dilabout:blankemma: https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81254224 Rich Roll: The Neuroscience of Addiction: https://www.richroll.com/podcast/anna-lembke-623/ Anna Lembke – Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Lembke Daily Motivation – The richest countries have the most misery: <a href= "ht

Anna Lembke, MD, author of the New York Times bestseller Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence , joins Robb and Josh for a discussion about the perils and promise of AI. As a psychiatrist and Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University, Dr. Lembke shares critical insights into the power and nature of behavioral addiction, and how technology and digital media are impacting the dopamine systems in our brains. Drawing from her experience with patients, she shares the concept of radical honesty—a cornerstone of addiction recovery. Together, they explore how radically honest AI could pose less of a threat and help establish healthier boundaries around technology use. In this episode, we mention: Dr. Anna Lemble’s book “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence”: https://www.amazon.com/Dopamine-Nation-Finding-Balance-Indulgence/dp/152474672X The forthcoming revised and updated 2nd edition of Robb Willson and Josh Tyson’s bestselling book, “Age of Invisible Machines: A Practical Guide to Creating a Hyperautomated Ecosystem of Intelligent Digital Workers”: https://www.amazon.com/Age-Invisible-Machines-Orchestrating-Organizations/dp/1394321554 Dr. Anna Lembke’s “The Official Dopamine Nation Workbook: A Practical Guide to Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence”: https://www.amazon.com/Official-Dopamine-Nation-Workbook-Indulgence/dp/0593476212?sr=1-1 Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 conducted Sept. 18-Oct.10, 2024: "Teens, Social Media, and Technology 2024": https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/12/12/teens-social-media-and-technology-2024/ Learn about creating and orchestrating AI agents for your team: https://onereach.ai/ai-agents/?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast_episode_with_anna_lembke&utm_content=1 #AI #AIPodcast #TechPodcast #InvisibleMachines #ArtificialIntelligence <span style="backgrou

In this episode Joe Polish and Dr. Anna Lembke explore the neuroscience of addiction and the role of dopamine in shaping our behavior. They discuss how modern life affects our pleasure-pain balance and explore effective strategies like dopamine fasting for recovery. Gain unique insights from Dr. Lembke’s personal journey and its impact on her understanding of mental health. Here’s a glance at what you’ll discover from Dr. Anna Lembke in this episode: Unlock Neuroscience Secrets: Delve into the neuroscience of addiction and discover how the brain's reward circuit and dopamine play pivotal roles in our behavior and choices. The Dopamine-Movement Connection: Learn how dopamine, essential for movement, reward, and pleasure, is impacted by our modern sedentary lifestyle, leading to various addictions. Pleasure-Pain Balance Explained: Understand the brain's teeter-totter mechanism of processing pleasure and pain and its profound implications for addiction and mental health. Neuroscience of Reward and Craving: Discover how repeated exposure to addictive substances alters our brain's dopamine levels, leading to the craving cycle and addiction. Neuroplasticity and Recovery: Explore the concept of neuroplasticity and how abstaining from addictive behaviors can help restore the brain's balance and overcome addiction. Understanding the 'Dopamine Fast': Learn about the dopamine fast approach for treating addiction and how it can lead to improved mental health and overall well-being. Addiction's Broad Spectrum: Gain insights into the wide range of addictions affecting modern society, from traditional substances to digital media and interpersonal relationships. The Impact of Modern Overabundance: Explore how today's world of overabundance and instant gratification may be contributing to a widespread mental health crisis. Suicide Trends and Mental Health: The alarming trends in suicide rates, especially in wealthier nations, and their potential link to a dopamine deficit state. Digital Media Addiction and Its Consequences: Dive into the alarming statistics of digital media consumption and its addictive nature, highlighting the need for moderation and self-control. Practical Strategies for Addiction Recovery: Discover various strategies to combat addiction, from self-binding techniques to leveraging supportive communities and appropriate medication. Hormesis in Addiction Recovery: Learn about the role of hormesis - exposure to mild stressors - in building resilience and aiding addiction recovery. Community and Governance Roles in Addiction: Understand the importance of community and governance in creating supportive environments for addiction prevention and recovery. Defining Addiction in Today's World: Discover what addiction truly means in our modern society, as Anna Lembke explains the continued compulsive use of substances or behaviors despite harm to oneself or others. Entrepreneurs and the Addiction Threshold: Learn how to recognize when a healthy drive and ambition in entrepreneurship is tipping into addictive behavior, and the key signs to watch for. Communicating Complex Science to a Broad Audience: Understand how Anna Lembke's approach to explaining the complexities of addiction science has evolved, aiming to make it accessible and relatable to a wider audience. <li dir="ltr" role="

Save 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKIPEDIA at www.nuzest.co.nz , www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.com This week on the podcast Mikki speaks to Dr Anna Lembke about dopamine and addiction. We discuss what people get wrong about addiction, is it black and white (are all addictions bad), the potential for food to be addictive - and why this is a contentious issue. The potential for anything to be addictive. Who is most at risk of becoming addicted, the impact of the pandemic (both good and bad) and any other insights that Anna has that weren’t explored in her book that was published in 2021. A fab interview you are going to love. Dr. Anna Lembke received her undergraduate degree in Humanities from Yale University and her medical degree from Stanford University. She is currently Professor and Medical Director of Addiction Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also Program Director of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Fellowship, Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, and a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Addiction Medicine. In 2016, she published "Drug Dealer, MD – How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It’s So Hard to Stop" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016), highlighted in the New York Times as one of the top five books to read to understand the opioid epidemic (Zuger, 2018). Dr. Lembke appeared in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, an unvarnished look at the impact of social media on our lives. Her latest book, "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence" (Dutton/Penguin Random House, August 2021) was an instant New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller and has been translated into 30 languages. It combines the neuroscience of addiction with the wisdom of recovery to explore the problem of compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world. https://www.amazon.com.au/Dopamine-Nation-Finding-Balance-Indulgence/dp/152474672X https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/anna-lembke Contact Mikki: https://mikkiwilliden.com/ https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutrition https://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/ https://linktr.ee/mikkiwilliden Curranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

Bramcast welcomes Dr. Anna Lembke, MD to the show for our first episode of the new semester! Dr. Lembke is a professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford School of Medicine and is chief of the Stanford addiction medicine dual diagnosis clinic. In addition to her academic appointments, Dr. Lembke is also a practicing clinician and a New York Times bestselling author. In 2016, she published Drug Dealer, MD: How Doctors were duped, patients got hooked, and why its so hard to stop . More recently, she released Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence: Today, we discuss addiction. Dr. Lembke explains why, in today’s world, we are all vulnerable to addiction. and how the unprecedented amount of free time in the modern age offers a new risk factor for addiction. We discuss the link between pleasure and pain, how dopamine can dictate the two, the role of abstinence in treating addiction, and Dr. Lembke tells us that it’s normal not to feel great all the time, it’s normal, to feel bad sometimes. We then pivot to a college-oriented discussion. Dr. Lembke speaks to the usage of unprescribed amphetamines for study enhancement, the dangers that brings, and how it may undermine the neurological process of learning. Dr. Lembke talks about the viability of raising ones baseline levels of dopamine, how one can foster mental resilience for hard study tasks. Finally, Dr. Lembke offers a word of caution and skepticism about hallucinogenic drugs, amid recent hype around their potential use in treating addiction. You can learn more about Dr. Lembke on her website, here . Thank you to EY for their sponsorship and support. Introduction Music Credit: Eastern Blokhedz Live at Barbes for WFMU's Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob W Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Anna Lembke is a Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University, a New York Times Bestselling Author, addiction expert, and clinician. There are few people on the planet who know more about dopamine and its role in addiction than Dr Lembke, so it was a real honour to get to sit down and have this conversation with her. I’m growing convinced that understanding how dopamine works in the brain and body is the key not only to breaking addictions, but also to long term flourishing in life, and in this interview, Anna clearly explains why. Expect to learn: — Why rates of depression and anxiety are rising rapidly in affluent societies — Why it’s vital for any mental health professional to understand how dopamine works in the brain — Dr Lembke’s own battle with addiction and what we can learn from it — Anna’s science-based strategies for breaking addictions — The pain/pleasure balance and the role this plays in mental health and wellbeing. And more. You can learn more about Anna’s work at https://www.annalembke.com. --- Dr Anna Lembke is a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. A clinician scholar, she has published more than a hundred peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and commentaries. She sits on the board of several state and national addiction-focused organizations, has testified before various committees in the United States House of Representatives and Senate, keeps an active speaking calendar, and maintains a thriving clinical practice. In 2016, she published Drug Dealer, MD – How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It’s So Hard to Stop (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016), which was highlighted in the New York Times as one of the top five books to read to understand the opioid epidemic (Zuger, 2018). Dr. Lembke recently appeared on the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, an unvarnished look at the impact of social media on our lives. Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence (Dutton/Penguin Random House, August 2021), an instant New York Times Bestseller, explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world. --- Interview Links: Dr Lembke's website: https://www.annalembke.com Dr Lembke's books: https://amzn.to/47nIg8g 3 Books Dr Lembke Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: Thoughts without a Thinker - Mark Epstein: https://amzn.to/3a50Ucw The Big Book of AA: https://amzn.to/3AfoU7z Dying Unto Life - Arthur C. McGill: https://amzn.to/3OP4mrb

Anna Lembke discusses dopamine detox, addiction, and how narratives shape trauma recovery. She examines dopamine‑seeking behavior, the paradox of pain relief, and the role of abstinence, higher power, and storytelling in overcoming addiction. - 00:00:00 - Introduction - 00:02:40 - Anna Lembke's experience with addiction - 00:10:46 - Dopamine-seeking behavior vs coping mechanism - 00:12:35 - The paradox of pain relief - 00:24:21 - The self-perpetuating cycle of addiction - 00:24:00 - Neuroadaptation - 00:29:23 - The power of abstinence - 00:34:04 - Life as an experiment - 00:37:15 - Dopamine reward and misconceptions of the "present moment" - 00:41:06 - Freud, Jung, and mindfulness - 00:45:35 - East vs West in mental health - 00:51:15 - Importance of self-talk and bedside manner - 00:56:00 - Attachment styles in trauma (and intergenerational trauma) - 01:01:00 - Power of stories and a Higher Power in addiction recovery - 01:07:42 - Radical honesty / truth-telling - 01:12:02 - The relevance of free will - 01:23:26 - Love as a catalyst for tough decisions - 01:31:02 - Digital Sabbath (and Curt's coffee abnegation) - 01:42:12 - Methadone for severe opioid use disorder - 01:51:00 - The language of addiction, stigmatization, and identity - 01:57:32 - Rat Park experiments (society's role in addiction) - 02:08:16 - Writing as a therapeutic tool - 02:14:12 - The necessity of a Higher Power SPONSORS: - BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/TOE - Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE - PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs - iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802 - Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e - Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything - TOE Merch: https://tinyurl.com/TOEmerch RESOURCES: - YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKL0Pw3Q6mA - Dopamine Nation (Anna Lembke): https://amzn.to/47euRic - Podcast w/ Karl Friston on TOE: https://youtu.be/SWtFU1Lit3M - Podcast w/ Lilian Dindo: https://youtu.be/L_hI7JNsbt0 - Pure White and Deadly (John Yudkin): https://amzn.to/3snMZHW - Drug Dealer MD (Anna Lembke): https://amzn.to/40G4WOJ Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science. SPONSOR: I personally subscribe to The Economist. TOE listeners get 35% off the annual subscription. No other podcast has this! https://economist.com/TOE FOLLOW: Substack | Spotify | YouTube | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices