YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKL0Pw3Q6mA

Anna Lembke explores dopamine detoxing, addiction, and the influence of narratives in managing trauma. SPONSORS:

- This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/TOE and get on your way to being your best self.

TIMESTAMPS:

- 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 - A digital Sabbath (and Curt's coffee abnegation)

- 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

THANK YOU: To Mike Duffy, of https://expandingideas.org and https://dailymystic.org for your insight, help, and recommendations on this channel.

- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal (early access to ad-free audio episodes!)

- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs

LINKS MENTIONED:

- Dopamine Nation (Anna Lembke): https://amzn.to/47euRic

- Podcast w/ Karl Friston on TOE: https://youtu.be/SWtFU1Lit3M

- Discord (new community channel Dopamine Detox): https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs

- Pure White and Deadly (John Yudkin): https://amzn.to/3snMZHW

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INTERVIEW - Michael Töngi - 08.05.2025