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: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.

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.

For the full show notes, visit 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

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer