The Art of Manliness Do You Need to Take a Dopamine Fast?
16 snips
Oct 4, 2021 
Anna Lembke, Chief of Stanford's Addiction Medicine Clinic and author of "Dopamine Nation," discusses the complexities of addiction and its modern manifestations. She explains how both substances and behaviors can lead to addiction, emphasizing a growing issue in our pleasure-driven society. Lembke introduces the concept of dopamine fasting as a way to recalibrate our brain's balance between pleasure and pain, and shares techniques for enduring the discomfort during recovery. Her insights highlight the significant role of self-awareness in tackling addictions.
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Defining Addiction
- Addiction is the continued compulsive use of a substance or behavior despite harm.
- It involves loss of control, compulsion, and negative consequences.
Addiction vs. Enjoyment
- Addictive behavior must have negative consequences to be classified as such.
- Enjoying orange juice daily isn't an addiction unless it negatively impacts your life.
Modern Misery
- Modern comfort and overabundance of pleasure lead to a dopamine deficit state.
- This makes us miserable because we constantly work to avoid discomfort.
