Hidden Brain The Path to Enough
Dec 15, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, psychiatrist Anna Lembke shares her expertise in addiction and behavioral neuroscience. She recounts her personal struggle with compulsive consumption and highlights her innovative recovery techniques. Anna elaborates on dopamine fasting, the impact of self-binding, and the significance of community in overcoming addiction. She addresses listener questions about modern technology's role in addiction and emphasizes the importance of honesty and connection in recovery, making for a riveting conversation about the path to a healthier relationship with pleasure.
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Brain's Pleasure–Pain Seesaw
- The brain keeps pleasure and pain on a neural seesaw to maintain homeostasis.
- Excessive pleasure triggers compensation that produces chronic dopamine deficit and low mood.
Author's Own Romance-Novel Addiction
- Anna Lembke discovered a romance-novel addiction after bingeing Fifty Shades of Grey and losing sleep.
- She removed her Kindle, experienced withdrawal, then committed to longer abstinence to reset her behavior.
Use Dopamine Fasts Carefully
- Do a dopamine fast: abstain from your high-reward substance or behavior for weeks to let the brain reset.
- Seek medical supervision for severe chemical dependencies to avoid dangerous withdrawal.
