Life Examined
Dopamine Nation: Living in an addicted world
Nov 23, 2023
Dr. Anna Lembke, director of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, discusses the role of dopamine in the brain and the addictive world we live in. She highlights the impact of the internet, explores the connection between addiction and mental health, and explores physical movement and dopamine neurotransmitters. She also emphasizes the power of radical truth-telling in recovery and decision-making, the effectiveness of support groups, and delves into the dangers of fentanyl in the drug epidemic.
53:30
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Quick takeaways
- The excessive pursuit of pleasure and the easy accessibility of addictive substances and behaviors in today's society have led to a rise in addiction rates across various demographic groups.
- The relationship between addiction and mental illness is complex, with each having its own complexities and pathways, indicating that treating mental illness may not necessarily address addiction fully.
Deep dives
The Role of Dopamine in Addiction
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is released in the brain's reward pathway, and it is involved in experiencing pleasure, reward, and motivation. Addictive substances and behaviors release more dopamine in this pathway, leading to feelings of pleasure and reinforcing the behavior. With repeated exposure to addictive substances, the initial dopamine spike weakens, but the brain experiences a stronger and longer-lasting dopamine deficit state. This chronic dopamine deficit state leads to addiction, as individuals need to use the drug or engage in the behavior to bring dopamine levels back to baseline.
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