Huberman Lab Essentials: Understanding & Treating Addiction | Dr. Anna Lembke
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Jun 26, 2025 
Dr. Anna Lembke, Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, sheds light on the neurobiology of addiction. The discussion dives into the dopamine dynamics that drive pleasure and motivation, revealing how addiction forms through a pleasure-pain balance. Lembke talks about the challenges of recovery, including withdrawal and relapse, and discusses the potential of psychedelics as therapeutic tools. The conversation also touches on the addiction of social media, emphasizing the need for intentional usage to forge meaningful connections.
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Dopamine Baseline & Experience
- Dopamine is released at a tonic baseline, and changes from this baseline signal pleasure or pain.
- Pleasure increases dopamine above baseline; pain reflects dopamine dropping below baseline.
Pleasure-Pain Balance
- Pleasure and pain use the same brain areas and balance like a seesaw to maintain homeostasis.
- The brain resists staying tipped toward pleasure or pain, creating a come down after pleasure.
30-Day Dopamine Reset
- Abstain from addictive substances or behaviors for 30 days to reset brain dopamine pathways.
- This reset helps the brain regain its natural dopamine balance and enjoy other rewards.