Episode Synopsis
Dopamine is one of the most important hormones in the human body. It provides a balance in the brain between pain and pleasure and rewards success. This was very useful as hunter-gatherers worked tirelessly to feed themselves and their tribes. In today’s overstimulated world though, our brains are getting constant dopamine hits from the apps on our smartphones, the sugar in our food, and the instant access to any pleasure you could imagine. In this podcast, we examine the science of what this does to our brains and ask how to achieve balance in the age of indulgence.
A teaser of what we learned in this video…
“For the first time in human history, we are surrounded by overwhelming overabundance. We’ve got 24/7 access to all sorts of highly rewarding substances and behaviours. Most of us are struggling with minor or major addiction.”
Anna Lembke M.D.
Watch the full interview…
About Anna Lembke:
Anna Lembke is the Stanford School of Medecine Professor and Medical Director of Addiction Medicine. She was one of the first in the medical community to sound the alarm regarding opioid overprescribing and in 2016 published her best-selling book on the prescription drug epidemic. Her new book, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence explores how we can recover from and avoid addiction, and navigate our stimulant laden world.
Connect with Anna:
Further Resources:
- Buy the book – Dopamine Nation: Finding balance in the age of abundance
- The Guardian Book Review
- How science has revolutionised our understanding of addiction
- How does dopamine affect the body?
Getting help with drug addiction: