The book explores how the ideas 'what doesn’t kill you makes you weaker,' 'always trust your feelings,' and 'life is a battle between good people and evil people' have become embedded in American culture. These 'Great Untruths' contradict basic psychological principles and ancient wisdom, leading to a culture of safetyism that interferes with young people’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. The authors investigate various social trends, including fearful parenting, the decline of unsupervised play, and the impact of social media, as well as changes on college campuses and the broader context of political polarization in America.
In 'Dopamine Nation,' Dr. Anna Lembke delves into the scientific discoveries that explain why overindulgence in high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli leads to pain. The book combines personal narratives from her clinical practice with the latest psychology research to illustrate how to find contentment and connectedness by keeping dopamine in check. Lembke discusses the impact of modern addictions, such as those related to smartphones, food, and other behaviors, and provides strategies for managing consumption and transforming lives. The book emphasizes the importance of balancing the science of desire with the wisdom of recovery[1][3][5].
From your nervous system's view, our culture is swimming in dopamine. Porn, binging junk food, video games, "retail therapy"—things from the innocent to the insidious light our brains up with dopamine, and we often wind up with more than one addiction. But how does it all work, and how do we detox?
Addiction to anything is never easy to unpack, so I sat down with the amazing Dr. Anna Lembke for a deep dive into dopakine; how our brain balances pleasure and pain, how it relates to trauma, and how we need to acknowledge the fact that we living in a "drugified" world.
Anna Lembke is 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) explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a world where feeling good is the highest good.
Connect with Dr. Lembke
-Website: https://www.annalembke.com/
-Book: Dopamine Nation: https://www.annalembke.com/dopamine-nation
-Book: Drug Dealer, MD: https://www.annalembke.com/drug-dealer-md
Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for.
Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.
Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Editing & Mixing by: Aaron The Tech
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
ManTalks Podcast 
