The Connection Between Lack of Community, Dopamine, and Chronic Disease: Why Our Modern World Is Making Us Sick and Addicted

Nov 10, 2025

Dr. Anders Hansen, a psychiatrist and bestselling author known for his work on brain health, shares insights from living with a Kenyan hunter-gatherer tribe. He highlights their lifestyle habits that promote optimal health, contrasting them with modern excess. The conversation dives into how our environment hijacks our brain's reward system with dopamine-driven distractions, as well as the crucial role of community in combating loneliness and improving mental well-being. Practical steps for a healthier life are also discussed, emphasizing movement, simplicity in eating, and meaningful connections.

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ANECDOTE

Life With Kenyan Hunter-Gatherers

Anders Hansen lived with Kenyan hunter-gatherers who had no electricity, processed food, or modern medicine.
He observed very low rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and apparent depression tied to their lifestyle.

INSIGHT

Lifestyle, Not Genes, Explains Health

When members of the tribe moved to Nairobi they developed Western diseases, showing lifestyle drives health more than genetics.
Key protective factors were high daily activity, modest eating, and close social living.

ADVICE

Emulate Blue Zone Habits Daily

Move more through daily activity like walking instead of formal exercise routines.
Live closely with others and avoid overeating to mirror longevity practices from blue zones.

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This episode is brought to you by Bon Charge, Maui Nui, and Momentous.

Our modern world is overflowing with stimulation from phones, social media, and endless choices, so it’s no wonder we feel distracted, anxious, and hooked on the things that drain our focus. But it’s not our fault. Our brains evolved for a world of scarcity, not the digital overload and excess we live in today.

Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, we’re revisiting one of our most talked-about moments with Dr. Anders Hansen to explore how our modern world is hijacking our biology. Dr. Hansen shares insights from his time with a Kenyan hunter-gatherer tribe and the lifestyle habits that support their optimal health. He also explains why it’s essential to understand what our brains and instincts were initially designed to protect us from and why overcoming these challenges isn’t simply a matter of willpower.

Dr. Anders Hansen is a psychiatrist, speaker, award-winning author, and TV host. His books, The Attention Fix, The Happiness Cure, and The Mind-Body Method, have sold several million copies and topped bestseller lists worldwide.

In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Hansen dive into:

Dr. Hansen’s experience with a hunter-gatherer tribe in Kenya (1:48)
The tribe’s key lifestyle habits for optimal health (4:30)
The “comfort crisis” and how time with your community transforms the brain (10:03
Willpower, temptation, and the impact of ultra-processed foods (15:15)
Why meaningful connection is vital and how loneliness impacts your health (18:55)
The “Roseto Effect:” how strong relationships protect and extend your life (22:32)
Final thoughts and key takeaways (30:23)

Also mentioned:

Full episode with Dr. Anders Hansen

This episode is brought to you by Bon Charge, Maui Nui, and Momentous.

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