Hidden Brain The Paradox of Pleasure
Dec 8, 2025
Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist from Stanford University and author of "Dopamine Nation," delves into the expansive world of addiction beyond just substances. She highlights how compulsive behaviors like gambling, shopping, and even romance novels can spiral out of control. Lembke explains the neuroscience behind pleasure and pain, revealing how modern society's abundance overwhelms our innate reward systems, leading to anxiety and depression. Discover the complex relationship between addiction and our pursuit of pleasure in a compelling discussion.
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Doctor's Descent Into Sports Betting
- A young physician became addicted to sports betting and gambled away his trust fund and loans within months.
- His smartphone accessibility and secrecy accelerated weekly losses into daily devastation.
Compulsive Online Shopping Spiral
- A patient became a chain online shopper who filled rooms with unwanted items and amassed tens of thousands in credit card debt.
- He resorted to buying cheap items and returning them because the shopping cycle had become irresistible.
Porn Addiction That Escalated To Crisis
- Jacob used pornography increasingly after smartphones arrived, escalating to live shows and dangerous chat-room behavior that destroyed his marriage.
- He contemplated suicide as his life unraveled under compulsive sexual behavior.
