Dopamine Fasting and Reclaiming Mental Health with Dr. Anna Lembke

Have you ever wondered how our modern world's overwhelming stimuli impact our mental health and fuel compulsive behaviours? Join us as we sit down with renowned expert Dr. Anna Lembke to uncover the intricacies of compulsive behaviour and addiction. Dr. Lembke's work has profoundly affected our approach to managing substance use, making this conversation a must-listen for anyone seeking insight into this complex issue.

During our discussion, we delve into the importance of understanding addiction's effects on mental health and explore the neuroscience of pleasure and pain. Dr. Lembke shares her eye-opening discoveries through her work with patients and the remarkable changes they experience after abstaining from their drug of choice. As we dive deeper into the world of addiction, we also unpack the concept of dopamine fasting, the science behind hormesis, and the significance of finding balance in our lives to counteract potential harm caused by compulsive behaviours.

Don't miss this enlightening episode as we take control of our lives and improve our mental health by understanding and managing our compulsive behaviours. Listen in to learn more about the "plenty paradox" and how our ancient wiring struggles to cope with today's world, the unique ways addiction manifests in each individual, and the importance of personalizing substance use management. Tune in to this thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Anna Lembke and arm yourself with the knowledge to tackle addiction and compulsive behaviour head-on.

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[talalkhalid]

Loved this. Everytime I listen to Dr Anna, I learn something new. Especially the part where she talks about how we construct stories in our withdrawal period to go back to our drug of choice - super relatable!

[SweetSunrising]

I’ve only gone 25 mins into this and so far she’s focusing on discussing these symptoms being genetically driven but not from effects of trauma or generational trauma. Hopefully she speaks about that as well.

[hillsidefarmer]

39:00 I wonder if the hormesis mechanism is one of the reasons many people enjoy a "homesteading" lifestyle. I am such a person. My day-to-day life entails a lot of physical work. For example: yesterday I moved hundreds of pounds of firewood, today I harvested twenty pounds of tomatoes and prepared them for preservation, tomorrow I will harvest twenty-five pounds of apples and process them for preservation, in the winter I shovel a lot of snow. I've been living this life for seven years. Never have I felt so contented.

[HilaryMadery-yqrr]

You are brilliant and I am just so thankful for your work.

[nbtc]

The problem with the suggestion of moderating of your drug of choice is often this is a gateway to severe and chronic use. If you have a really bad addiction, it’s best to fully abstain for 30 days to reset and reassess then

[alayat-alsayda]

Thank you for having this amazing Dr.
I just don't have answer for this question can we become addicted to sport while we running from our bad addection.

[melbanunez]

If u hv high dopamine hit with No Beer “beer” it will lead to compulsive use. For sure! If ur alcohol compulsive use and dopamine deficiency.

[Xtremzer]

Good interview, but please, an hour line video without timestamp is very, very hard to watch

[goldeneddie]

1:09:59 - so your solution for addiction is abstinence? Well, blow me down, that's just geeenius! I mean, why didn't WE think of that?! C'mon, if we COULD 'just not use' for weeks like that, we wouldn't be addicted!!!

[misspippi]

@oynb This was a great interview, but I have to disagree on your use of specific language regarding addiction. I'm an alcoholic in recovery (7 years). I'm a mom, wasn't living under a bridge or drinking myself into oblivion on a daily basis. Number 1: there is no such thing as moderation. If you are an alcoholic, abstain from the drug. Period. Plans will fall if you have alcoholism.
Number 2: there are no levels of alcoholism (like light, moderate or severe alcholic). Just like there are no levels to being pregnant. You either are or aren't. I also have autism and adhd and for the record, I'm on the high functioning side of the spectrum. That fact does not make me 'a bit' autistic of the fact that I wasn't living under a bridge, doesn't make me a light or moderate alcoholic. If you are an alcoholic: abstain from drinking! One day at the time.