All right, so today we are taking a look at dopamine nation Finding balance in the age of indulgence right by Anna Lembke. Yeah, this is a book that a lot of people have been talking about And I feel like this is a topic especially in our world today. That is so relevant.
It really is. Yeah It's a you know, it's been here. Dr. Lembke is Psychiatrist at Stanford.
Yeah, and She heads up their addiction medicine dual diagnosis clinic, okay, so she's really in the trenches seeing what's going on Some people may be familiar with some of her previous work drug dealer MD, right which was focused on the opioid crisis yeah, so she really has a deep understanding of compulsive behavior and This book is all about that and kind of the the pleasure pain balance Yes in this like world of the indulgence. Yeah, and I think that's what we're gonna really get into today Yeah, yeah, it's just trying to figure out like, how do we find that balance? Yeah, like how can we live in this world? and and be healthy and happy well, and it's so Difficult, right because I mean she she starts out by talking about This this idea of a dopamine flooded world. Okay, right? I mean we are just Yeah inundated Constantly with things that like everywhere you turn it's something else.
That's exactly it like it's your phone Oh, it's yeah, you know, it's the my phone is my biggest culprit, right? Like it's like, you know You get a notification you get a like oh, it's the work. It's you know, you can order food You can buy whatever you want online. Yeah, so there's just constant opportunities for instant gratification Yeah, and she talks about how like all this pleasure You would think that that would make us happier right logically But she's actually saying that it might be having kind of the opposite effect.
Yeah that it might be making us less happy like overall It's really counterintuitive and You know, she talks about like the rise in addiction And not just to substances but to behaviors, right, you know to like gaming scrolling gaming I mean all sorts of things. Yeah. Yeah, and also she talks about anxiety depression Yeah, chronic pain and then like it makes it harder to enjoy the simple things, right? Yeah, like if you're used to exactly huge like Dopamine rushes from whatever it is, right all these things and I I think a lot of people find that when they know if they Step away from those things for a bit.
It's almost like this initial boredom this discomfort, you know is actually revealing Oh, yeah, it's like what what is it that we're trying to avoid right? We're you know constantly looking at our phones or yeah watching TV or whatever it is So basically what she's saying is all this easy access is actually making it harder for us to delay gratification Which I mean, I know I know you know, that's like crucial for reaching goals. Yeah, it's so important Yeah, yeah, and I think that really gets to the heart of yeah Her book which is really about the brain and This pleasure pain balance. Okay, right so it turns out that our brains actually process Pleasure and pain.
Okay in overlapping neural circuits. Oh, wow, and she uses this analogy of a balance scale Okay So when we experience pleasure, mm-hmm Dopamine surges right right and it tips that scale to one side Oh, and it really visualize it now. Yeah.
Okay. So yeah, yeah Yeah, and that's that's really what happens and that actually aligns with this, you know theory in psychology Called the opponent process theory. Okay, we're basically, you know Your brain reacts to pleasure with this opposing process that that eventually will lead to mm-hmm pain or craving Oh, okay.
So pleasure and pain are like really connected. They are connected. Yeah.
Yeah, and the brain wants to be Mm-hmm in homeostasis, right? Okay. It wants to be balanced. Okay, so it's like it's like that seesaw exactly, right? Yeah, it's balanced.
Yep, something pleasurable happens dopamine. Boom It tilts it goes up and then like to get back to get back to balance your brain has to pull it back It kind of overshoots a little bit over correct. Yeah, and that's when we feel You know, maybe a little bit of discomfort or unease.
Mm-hmm or that craving for Whatever it was, okay, so that's why we you know, that means sometimes we feel kind of blah after Indulging. Yeah. Yeah, I get it.
And this is where those concepts. Mm-hmm tolerance. It's droll Neuroadaptation.
Yes come into play. Those are big ones. So tolerance Okay.
Yeah, you know, we all know what tolerance is, right? Well, yeah It's it's that, you know over time Mm-hmm, you need more. Yeah that Thing right to get the same effect. Yes, you know your brains kind of it's like desensitized desensitized Yeah, yeah, exactly and then withdrawal You know, that's that's basically Like the bad feelings you get the the the unpleasant.
Yeah. Yeah, well, you don't have it when you don't have that thing anymore Yeah, yeah, or you you know significantly reduce it, right? And then finally I'm a neuro adaptation That one's big that's a big one so neuro adaptation is It's it's not just like a temporary thing. No, it's it's it's really like the brain is changing Yeah, yeah, like rewiring itself exactly and it's harder to feel Yeah, it pleasure from normal things.
It can be harder. Yeah, it can actually you know and didn't like You just want make it more difficult more yeah to experience pleasure, you know, yeah just Normal natural reward. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, so that's why it's so important to understand all this Yeah, because you know, yeah, that's kind of what's driving these addictive behaviors, but she doesn't just like, you know Talk about the problem. No, no, no, she gives us some solution.
Absolutely, which is nice Yeah, I mean, that's what we want, right? We want some solutions Exactly and and she calls the first thing she calls is self binding self binding. Yes Okay, so this is not so not like right picture tying yourself up. It's just like tying myself up.
Yeah No, no. Okay, so it's not that so what is it? It's it's more about proactive prevention Okay, it's so like taking steps Recognizing that willpower. Yeah isn't always enough.
Yeah, you know Yeah, we all have moments of weakness Yeah, so so she she's saying, you know, we need to actually think about this beforehand, okay, yeah, right and Set up these obstacles. Okay, so between ourselves and those behaviors, I guess it's like almost making it harder Yeah, making it harder to do the bad things. Yeah, exactly and then like easier to do the good things Exactly making the healthy choice Easy choice.
Yeah, or the only choice and there's different like types of self-binding, right? Yeah, she talks about Physical self-binding. Okay, which is like literally removing the sources of temptation. Oh, okay You know, so that's like deleting like deleting.
Yeah Yeah off your phone or you know not having junk food in the house and like that Yeah, and then there's temporal self-binding which is all about setting time limits strict Time limit. Yeah for Engaging. Yeah for those things in certain activities.
Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
Yeah. Yeah, and then categorical self-binding Categorical this is that's like this is basically saying. Oh, I'm just not gonna do this at all like the whole category Yeah, the whole category, you know, I'm not gonna drink.
Mm-hmm. I'm not gonna you know, whatever it is Yeah gamble and and and you know, so she gives us a lot of really. Oh, yeah Practical Practical like things we can do.
Yeah things you can actually do website blockers. Yes. Yes.
Yeah. Yeah Yeah, automatic savings transfers like yeah all kinds of things all sorts of yeah. Yeah, it's about making it So self-binding is like a good good first step.
Yes. That's like a good starting point. I think so Yeah, okay, and then she also talks about the dopamine fast to the dopamine fast, which okay Now that sounds a little bit.
It sounds extreme extreme. Yeah Yeah, but it's it's basically You're just giving your you're giving your brain brain a break a break Yeah, like a reset a Reese from all the dopamine exactly. Yeah, but it's it's not just like yeah No, it's not just yeah, it's not like I'm gonna eat chocolate today, right? It's not just chocolate It's a lot of things it's all those, you know much high dopamine trigger, yeah, I'll look at like all the good stuff Yeah, pretty much.
Yeah for a while trial. Yeah, and and how long does she say? Well, she usually recommends about four weeks. Okay for optimal results.
Okay, but wasn't that be hard? It can be challenging. Yeah, definitely. I think for me it'd be really hard yeah, and and You know, she yeah, she does say that You know, it's it's important to Like you have to you have to really be mindful be mindful and and also like have support Yeah have support.
Yeah, you know whether it's from friends or family or a therapist. Yeah, I mean, yeah, especially nowadays Yeah, like if you're really gonna I mean it's hard to get away. Yeah to get away from all of it Yeah from all the stimulation, but she says there's benefits right? There are there are some potential benefits.
Yeah You know like, you know better focus, okay, you know less anxiety You know less and and like that appreciation for Compulsive urges for like the small things. It's a smaller thing. Yeah, the little things exactly Okay, and then she also talks about this idea of like embracing pain Embracing pain which sounds a little it does doesn't it's a little crazy a little crazy.
Yeah, okay It's uh, it's called hormesis hormesis. Okay. Yeah, so this is like basically Intentionally, we're seeking putting yourself through some discomfort discomfort.
Yeah, and it sounds kind of crazy. But okay Yeah, give me some examples. Okay, so so think about like cold exposure like ice baths ice cold showers cold showers Okay.
Yeah, I've heard of those. Yeah, those are those are intense exercise intense exercise. I can get behind that one.
Yeah Intermittent fasting, okay, you know things like that even you know Like brain teasers or something. Yeah challenging mental tasks. Oh and the idea is that all these things are like Stressors.
Yeah, they're stressors. Yeah. Yeah, but they're you know, they're moderate, right? You don't overdo it So but but the idea is like the idea is your body like it's almost like a workout it is it is Yeah, but but for but for like your mind in your body.
Yeah, okay, it actually can yeah So it makes you stronger in the long run. Yeah, it can make you stronger. I can improve your mood.
Okay your energy levels Okay, so it's like you're it's it's like your body's natural way. It's a natural way to to like deal with these stressors Yeah, it's it's adapting. Okay.
Okay, and and then Radical honesty radical. This is another one. Another.
This is a big one. It is a big one So this is so this is this is not just not just telling the truth. I'm just telling the truth.
It's it's like Next-level truth-telling next level. Yeah. Yeah being truthful like all the time every aspect Okay, so so this whole time like we've been talking about pleasure And like how how we're we're constantly seeking it out Yeah, and that's that's kind of what creates this cycle, right? Yeah, we need more and more you need more and more and and and radical honesty is like another way to to kind of To get out of that to break that cycle and she talks about like how it can okay Yeah, help you, you know become more self-aware Build stronger relationships.
Yeah, because you're being honest, right? Right, it can even reduce Okay, like you're you're cognitive You know because you're not right yeah keeping track of all these lies or deceptions, yeah Okay, so so it's hard it can be hard yeah to be radically on absolutely So she says like you have to she she recommends starting small Okay. Yeah, you may be steps baby steps. Yeah.
Yeah, just just be more truthful Yeah, you know like in your everyday life in your everyday interactions and and and be kind to yourself Oh, yeah, you know like be patient be patient Yeah, and you know, like it's it's it's not gonna happen overnight. No, okay to process and then the last thing That she talks about is pro-social shame Which I mean shame is usually like not a good thing. No, it's it's usually it's it's a bad thing seen as very negative Right, but she's actually saying like it can be used for good.
Yes She's saying that, you know within it's like within a safe space within a supportive. Yeah. Yeah community a community.
Yeah Yeah, it can be it can be helpful. Okay, so it's it's not so it's not like, you know, like public humiliation No, no shame No, it's more like accountability without you know judgment without judgment without rejection and and it's about Like and making amends growth growth Learning from mistakes and support support is huge. Yeah.
Yeah, and you know, she she gives examples like 12 step programs. Okay restorative justice You know family interventions things like that where people can actually Come together and and and be accountable and move forward So so I guess like to wrap up our book bites on on dopamine nation Yeah, like what what are the like big? Takeaways. Well, I think you know, yeah, one of the biggest takeaways.
It's just that we're living in this We are dopamine rich. I mean, come on world and it is everywhere brains are wired To seek out pleasure and avoid cane. So it's like it's not our fault.
It's it's not our fault It's it's how we're made. Yeah, but we have to be aware of it. Yeah, and we have to yeah intentional So it's all about like being intentional.
Yeah about about finding that balance and finding that balance Yeah, and I I think that's what all of these strategies are really about right? Yeah, I mean, you know, whether it's self-binding or Dopamine fast or yeah embracing discomfort or radical honesty or pro-social shame pro-social shame like they're all ways to Like be more in control that balance. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah now it's it's also Important right to mention that that this book has gotten, you know, it's gotten some criticism some criticism Yeah, because I mean not everyone's gonna agree with everything not everyone's gonna get in and she does like she does kind of She does simplify oversimplify some things some complex issue and and and a lot of it is based on Anecdotal anecdotal evidence evidence. Yeah, which you know, it's it's it's it's one thing But one thing but it's not you know, it's not yeah, it's not, you know hard science It's not hard science and and and some people have have kind of felt like it's a little bit like preachy or something moralizing Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know and and and that she doesn't really take into account You know all the the bigger picture stuff the socio-economic factors, yeah, yeah that can really contribute to Addiction and then also like using using people's stories. Yeah, that's that's my patient stories a point of contention which I Mean I can see both sides.
Yeah, I mean like on the one hand it's it's It makes it more relatable. It's relatable. Yeah, you know, but then on the other hand, it's like it's Maybe not the best, you know, not everyone's gonna Relate to those stories and and you know, it's just one person's perspective.
It's one perspective Yeah, I think you know, yeah, so it's it's it's it's a good book. It's a good book. But but but it's important host speaker
