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].
In this book, Kent Dunnington argues that addiction is neither a disease nor a choice, but rather a habit. Drawing from philosophical and theological perspectives, particularly the works of Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, Dunnington suggests that addiction is a pursuit of moral and intellectual goods that are not easily accessible in modern life. He distinguishes addiction from intemperance, noting that while intemperance involves sensory pleasures, addiction seeks deeper goods such as communication, self-ease, and community. The book critiques the dominant disease and choice models of addiction, offering a more nuanced understanding through the concept of habit and its implications for character development and moral training.
The relentless pursuit of pleasure always leads to pain.
As the world evolves from one of scarcity to overabundance, we increasingly orient our lives around the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain—an instinct that has produced a myriad of unprecedented types of addiction, and consequently, the pain we so desperately seek to avoid.
To better understand this conundrum, I’m joined today by one of the world’s leading authorities on the neuroscience of addiction, Anna Lembke, MD.
If that name sounds familiar, it’s likely due to her on screen presence in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma—a must-watch for anyone with a smartphone.
Anna is a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. She is widely published, has testified before Congress, and has authored two important books, Drug Dealer MD and her newest work, Dopamine Nation—a powerful primer on compulsive overconsumption in a world where feeling good has become confused with the highest good.
This is an important and impactful conversation that explores:
- The nature, psychology, and neuroscience of addiction;
- the explosion in addiction in lockstep with technological advances;
- the opioid crisis & the fascinating history behind how we think about and treat pain;
- recovery protocols from 12-step & the latest science on psychedelic treatments; and
- how to manage & avoid addiction.
To read more click here. You can also watch listen to our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Whip-smart and radically empathetic. I can’t underestimate the importance of Dr. Lembke’s work, and this conversation is a must listen for any and all who suffer from some form of addictive compulsivity, or know someone who does (which is pretty much everyone).
Enjoy!
Peace + Plants,
Rich
The Rich Roll Podcast 
