Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

Addiction, Trauma, Porn, Dopamine Detox | Anna Lembke

Nov 6, 2023

Anna Lembke, an expert in addiction and trauma, discusses dopamine detoxing, the self-perpetuating cycle of addiction, the power of abstinence, Freud vs Jung, intergenerational trauma, treating disorders, gender differences in substance use, quitting coffee, the addictive nature of society, and the role of writing in addiction and trauma recovery.

02:24:55

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Episode guests

Anna Lembke

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Quick takeaways

Recognizing a higher power in addiction recovery can lead to better decision-making.

Intergenerational trauma can contribute to addictive personalities and behaviors.

Attachment styles impacted by trauma can influence forming healthy relationships.

Radical honesty plays a crucial role in addiction recovery and fosters self-awareness and trust.

The environment and promoting healthier alternatives are important in combating addiction.

Deep dives

The Power of Stories

Stories are essential for humans as a way to organize past experiences and make decisions for the future. They help us understand cause and effect and are fundamental in experiencing and understanding time.

Understanding the Role of Neuroadaptation and Allostasis in Mental Health

01:55

Self-assessing addiction and the criteria for mild, moderate, and severe substance abuse

03:45

Dopamine and Behavioral Patterns

01:15

Experimenting with Everyday Behaviors and Habits

01:22

Introduction

2min

Understanding Addiction and Dopamine

23min

The Effects of Addiction on the Brain and Narrowed Focus

4min

Dopamine Fasting and Neuroadaptation for Addiction and Mental Health

11min

Understanding the Painful Tedium of the Present Moment

2min

Precision Engineering and the Impact on Shaving Experience, Psychoanalysis and its Relation to Addiction and Trauma

2min

Freud vs Jung: The Unconscious Mind

17min

Intergenerational Trauma and Addiction

18min

Treating Disorders: Interventions and Challenges

13min

10.

Gender Differences in Substance Use and Digital Content

4min

11.

Quitting Coffee and the Challenges of Addiction

24min

12.

The Addictive Nature of Society and Exercise

10min

13.

The Role of Writing in Addiction and Trauma Recovery

16min

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKL0Pw3Q6mA

Anna Lembke explores dopamine detoxing, addiction, and the influence of narratives in managing trauma. SPONSORS:

- This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/TOE and get on your way to being your best self.

TIMESTAMPS:

- 00:00:00 Introduction

- 00:02:40 Anna Lembke's experience with addiction

- 00:10:46 Dopamine-seeking behavior vs coping mechanism

- 00:12:35 The paradox of pain relief

- 00:24:21 The self-perpetuating cycle of addiction

- 00:24:00 Neuroadaptation

- 00:29:23 The power of abstinence

- 00:34:04 Life as an experiment

- 00:37:15 Dopamine reward and misconceptions of the "present moment"

- 00:41:06 Freud, Jung, and mindfulness

- 00:45:35 East vs West in mental health

- 00:51:15 Importance of self-talk and bedside manner

- 00:56:00 Attachment styles in trauma (and intergenerational trauma)

- 01:01:00 Power of stories and a Higher Power in addiction recovery

- 01:07:42 Radical honesty / truth-telling

- 01:12:02 The relevance of free will

- 01:23:26 Love as a catalyst for tough decisions

- 01:31:02 - A digital Sabbath (and Curt's coffee abnegation)

- 01:42:12 Methadone for severe opioid use disorder

- 01:51:00 The language of addiction, stigmatization, and identity

- 01:57:32 Rat Park experiments (society's role in addiction)

- 02:08:16 Writing as a therapeutic tool

- 02:14:12 The necessity of a Higher Power

THANK YOU: To Mike Duffy, of https://expandingideas.org and https://dailymystic.org for your insight, help, and recommendations on this channel.

- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal (early access to ad-free audio episodes!)

- Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE

- PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt

- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs

- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b9...

- Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeveryt...

- TOE Merch: https://tinyurl.com/TOEmerch

LINKS MENTIONED:

- Dopamine Nation (Anna Lembke): https://amzn.to/47euRic

- Podcast w/ Karl Friston on TOE: https://youtu.be/SWtFU1Lit3M

- Podcast w/ Lilian Dindo: https://youtu.be/L_hI7JNsbt0

- Discord (new community channel Dopamine Detox): https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs

- Pure White and Deadly (John Yudkin): https://amzn.to/3snMZHW

- Drug Dealer MD (Anna Lembke): https://amzn.to/40G4WOJ

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Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

Addiction, Trauma, Porn, Dopamine Detox | Anna Lembke

Episode guests