#245 Dr. Anna Lembke: Dopamine, Addiction & Freedom

<p><span class="il">Kicking off our addiction series is <a href= "https://www.annalembke.com/">Dr. Anna</a></span><a href= "https://www.annalembke.com/"> </a><span class="il"><a href= "https://www.annalembke.com/">Lembke</a>: a</span> professor of psychiatry at Stanford University and one of the world's leading experts on dopamine. </p> <p> </p> <p>Over the last few years, Anna has appeared in Netflix documentaries like The Social Dilemma and podcasts like The Rich Roll Podcast, The Huberman Lab and The Joe Rogan Experience.</p> <p> </p> <p>Her new book, <a href="https://www.annalembke.com/">Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence</a> was an instant New York Times bestseller and explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this conversation we cover:</p> <p>- What dopamine actually is</p> <p>- How it governs our lives</p> <p>- Why the pursuit of pleasure is actually the pursuit of pain</p> <p>- How a dopamine fast can help reset our brains</p> <p>- And practical tools for overcoming addiction</p> <p> </p> <p>This conversation is probably the most important episode I've shared in my podcasting journey so far (and is probably the one where you will hear me fangirling the most!)</p> <p> </p> <p>Anna's work has made a profound impact on my life in recent months and I'm both incredibly honoured and excited to share some of it with you today.</p> <p> </p> <p>— Matt </p> <p> </p> <p><a href= "https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/anna-lembke-dopamine-nation">https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/anna-lembke-dopamine-nation</a></p>