This episode I interview Dr. Anna Lembke, M.D., Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Lembke is a psychiatrist expert in treating addictions of all kinds: drugs, alcohol, food, sex, video games, gambling, food, medication, etc. Dr. Lembke is also an expert in the opioid crisis, and the author of Dopamine Nation.

We discuss the biology and psychology of why people become addicted to certain substances and behaviors and the key role that our "dopamine balance" plays in creating addiction. We also discuss the science and practice of how to conquer addictions, why people relapse and how to avoid relapsing. Dr. Lembke also shares her expertise on topics closely related to addiction such as community, shame and lying and she explains why telling the truth—even about the most basic things in daily life, adjusts dopamine levels in our brain.

This episode is an important one for anyone struggling with addictions of any kind, for their friends and families and for health care professionals. It is also for anyone who has defeated addiction and is determined to stay clean. Last but not least, it helps explain why all humans do what we do, and how we can all maintain a healthy sense of pleasure seeking in life.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Dr. Anna Lembke, Addiction Expert  

00:02:42 Disclaimer & Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:07:00 Dopamine, Happiness & Impulsivity  

00:15:56 What Is Pleasure?  

00:18:20 Addiction, Boredom & Passion for Life  

00:24:00 Pain-Pleasure Balance Controls Addiction  

00:29:10 Dopamine Deficits, Anhedonia  

00:30:47 Are All Addictions the Same?  

00:35:38 Boredom & Anxiety Lead to Creativity  

00:40:35 Finding Your Passion Starts with Boredom & Action Steps  

00:50:05 How to Break an Addiction  

00:55:25 Relapse, Craving & Triggers  

01:07:40 Can People Get Addicted To “Sobriety”?  

01:11:45 Are We All Wired for Addiction?  

01:15:57 Bizarre Addiction  

01:18:14 Recovered Addicts Are Heroes  

01:20:10 Lying, Truth Telling, Guilt & Shame  

01:30:40 Clinical Applications of: Ibogaine, Ayahuasca, Psilocybin & MDMA  

01:40:20 Social Media Addiction  

01:51:25 Narcissism  

01:53:30 Goal Seeking, Success & Surprise  

01:58:10 Reciprocity  

02:01:15 Closing Comments, Resources  

Disclaimer & Disclosures