A Practical Guide to Controlling Addiction & Dopamine | Dr. Anna Lembke | Knowledge Project 159

Psychiatrist and author Dr. Anna Lembke discusses dopamine, addictive behaviors, warning signs and treatment for addiction, and how our brains handle all that pleasure and pain in life.
Dr. Lembke is a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. She appeared in the 2020 Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma to discuss the addictive nature of social media, and she is the author of the 2021 New York Times bestseller Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, which explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world.
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00:00 - Intro
01:20 - Dopamine, explained
02:17 - Dopamine and motivation
10:30 - Addiction, explained
13:46 - Pleasure, pain, and withdrawal
24:08 - Early warning signs of addiction
26:39 - Treatment for addiction
36:29 - Stress and addiction
39:40 - Why is AA so successful?
48:26 - Does the time of day impact relapse?
51:34 - Why Lembke studies addiction
54:26 - The hardest thing for fellows to learn
57:39 - Lembke's difficulties with sleeping
01:03:05 - What success looks like for Lembke
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[@buskingkarma2503]

I swapped a 40 year drug and alcohol addiction for a compulsive house cleaning addiction,5 years ago! Best life choice that I've ever made👌

[@buskingkarma2503]

@@billmcdowell1048 when we cut ourselves off from the world with your adictoin for so, the world can seem like a scary place, so we almost continue to live in the same way even when clean! So you need to push your self out of them unhealthy comfort zones and even force your self into a better healthy routine! I hope you get the grip of it soon friend 🙏 take care 👍 💕

[@cymopoleia369]

This comment is so Inspirational and gives me some hope. I have been trying and failing in my battle with addiction for most of my life despite geniuly wanting to quit and being absolutely sick of the loop hole and being disgusted with myself...I have lupus which comes along with chronic pain and when I got prescribed those poisiness d@mn opioid pain killers it was all down hill from there....if anyone reading this has heartfelt advice on how to hop out of the circle of ..unbearable chronic pain that can only be relieved by opiates and when trying to find other options going through the withdrawal process which the only relief offered is trading opiates for another opiate....what the heck can you do!!! Oh and I am absolutely terrified of withdrawals...so hat's off to anyone who has went through this without assistance...you are truly a WARRIOR!!... Ok I know I kind of rambled on here...but I pray that one day ..someone who feels my pain and has empathy with purity of heart provides me with the knowledge that can change my life

[@geo6740]

I've been alcohol dependent from my early teens until well into retirement age. Despite my daily drinking I managed to have a clean driving record, a 25 year marriage, and 28 years with the same employer. But that's all gone now. I went from psychological dependence to full on physical dependence, requiring 8 in patient detoxes over the years. I gave AA a shot, but it had a negative impact on my psyche. I felt like drinking more after meetings than before I went in. I did work the steps with a sponsor and tried different meetings, but the urge to drink only grew stronger. I switched to the SMART Recovery Program and have been sober since Sept 2021.

[@susannaspitalsky7502]

Congrats!!! Any advice what works for you?

[@ansn5108]

👌

[@sabateezy]

Never heard of SMART recovery, about to look it up, but would u still care to share why that worked better than AA ? I personally need/ have tried NA but only went 2 times and I feel like it could maybe work but haven't gave it a chance yet fully. I've managed to get clean for a year on my own but have recently relapsed and so I'm at this point willing to try anything I haven't yet. Which is 3rd party help....like consistent group meetings or counseling....b4 I jump into regular NA meetings I'm curious as to what smart recovery is or why your personal experience felt it to be more effective? 🤔🙏

[@geo6740]

@sabateezy SMART Recovery is an evidenced-informed recovery method grounded in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), that supports people with substance dependencies or problem behaviors. SMART is an acronym for Self Management And Recovery Training. In SMART, we don't label ourselves as our addictions or behaviors. Although I have a strong Christian faith, we don't require a belief in a higher power. We believe we're are not powerless over our addictions and behaviors. Check out an online meeting and see if this is a better fit. There's no charge and you can just listen if you're not comfortable sharing. Hope this helps!

[@geo6740]

@sabateezy SMART works better for me because it scientific and evidenced based therapy. All the tools and techniques are derived from REBT and CBT. We don't use labels or believe we are powerless over our addictions. Although I have a strong Christian faith, believing in a higher power is not required. Check out an online meeting. You can find one every day of the week. Hope this helps!

[@patriciamalt6010]

30 days to reset domaine ….however a lifetime to address the underlying issues that may be causing the drive to stimulate dopamine…needs constant work and vigilance to overcome…there is no quick fix unfortunately.

[@missaomagica2198]

The best addiction expert in my opinion. I watch every video she is in , and i will buy every book she writte.

[@richardclark8656]

This was often a very moving conversation. Dr Lembke’s candor added so much to my ability to comprehend the information she was trying to convey. She was the example that makes the abstract concept comprehensible. And the humility she shows allows me to trust what she has to say, it tells me she is striving to know her own truth, without deception, though it may be inconvenient and uncomfortable, and even painful. And congratulations to the interviewer for bringing out the best in his imterviewee.

[@chevkoch]

Since I've more and more discovered knowledgable people lately who are authentically willing to share information as a service to others in order to help them get better, like Dr. Anna Lembke, I feel I've fallen onto the good side of this video platform for once, which is rare. Thank you for this fantastic interview.

[@solarhydrowind]

Dr. Lembke, Is it true that eating autumn marigold flowers (1 1/2 orange marigold flower tops) 10:40 or Lion's mane can help an addict break an addiction? It is Nov 11, 2023 now. I quit coffee, I quit daily journaling, I quit extreme KZbin viewing, and (after titrating down to 0.25 - 0.5 milligrams of Clonazepam a day with the help of a prescriber) I finally quit that, too, on Sept 3, 2022 a day I also had a spiritual experience ANd I ate 1 1/2 orange homegrown marigold flower tops! I think the eating of 1.5 marigold flowers helped me to not restart the two substance addictions (coffee, klonopin) and two behavioral addictions (journaling and KZbin viewing) that I had prior to eating 1.5 orange marigold flower tops!

[@plops993]

This was the best presentation on addiction I’ve heard, and I’ve heard many

[@Lemoncare]

And you are something special …

[@Helenalaurino]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for the scientific understanding of why our love ones suffer so much throughout addiction. Rip Tim 3/4/23 🕊️🪷🕊️🪷. You are dearly missed.

[@Kwatson855]

We are experiencing stress because of over abundance. Wow! That’s why we need to do hard things and moderate. Great info!

[@aprilhassell1747]

I have her book. And read it a lot.

[@AmandaJYoungs]

This was an extremely interesting interview, and surprisingly easy to watch/listen to. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[@abirmukherjee1016]

Such brilliantly put “success for me is a good day …”❤

[@trydowave]

Great vid. Very informative. Ive given up alcohol for over a month now all on my own and have taken on board the fact that in order to never have another hangover ill never be able to experience the high of being drunk ever again. Im getting used to that fact after a month. Bit depressing that ill have to apply that to my other addictions as its basically the same principle. Looks like im gonna have to abstain from food, sex and social media i guess... :(. hey. At least the latter isnt a great loss.

[@amerlene942]

This is excellent information ℹ️ stay away from your drug of choice for 30 days or more and alleviate 80% of your depression, despair and anxiety ❤it’s not what you’re are eating.. it’s what’s eating you.

[@PodcastsRecapped]

What an incredibly informative podcast - thank you for sharing. We took some notes/key takeaways for the listeners: -Once people begin to use addictive substances in large quantities on a regular basis, it changes their brain, and now they have a secondary problem - addiction -Dopamine is the common pathway for all reinforcing substances and behaviors -Addiction is not so much related to the release of dopamine when they're getting high or experiencing pleasure, but it's actually the decrease in dopamine that leaves people in a state of craving -The universal symptoms of withdrawal from any addictive substance are anxiety, irritability, insomnia, dysphoria, and craving -For every pleasure we pay a price, and that price is pain -Addiction can be broken down and ranked based on four criteria: control, compulsions, cravings, and consequences -In general, the more dopamine a substance or behavior releases in the reward circuit and the faster it releases dopamine, the more likely it is to be addictive. -Growing alcohol tolerance is a marker of a brain that is entering the dopamine deficit state chronically, and therefore at risk of addiction. -For people who have become addicted, 30 days is the bare minimum to begin to reset reward pathways, two weeks is almost never enough. -Stopping alcohol alone can alleviate the stigmata of depression -Addiction patients with the most robust recoveries are the ones who have learned that they have to tell the truth about everything -We have more willpower in the morning than at night -So much of our lives are governed by the prospect of rewards and how we're going to finish this to get to the next thing. But over time, progressive disappointment in those rewards can cause problems -Success for Dr. Lembke is just having a good day - a lot of good days add up to a pretty good life

[@jonr6680]

Wow this is an important conversation with a top expert, compassionate and erudite, absolute gold. Only problem is her insight to reset...

[@liamfoo09]

can you expand on that last part?

[@lemon_717]

Excellent one, just loved it❣️

[@carolynwebb8726]

Gladly watched the whole video, great content. 👍

[@adityaskr]

Great podcast.

[@TBoy1247]

Brilliant!

[@juliam.1567]

Thank you so much for this invaluable information, giving me useful insights into my own behavior, revealing so much about the dynamics of toxic relationships at the same time!

[@imagin64]

Super informative! Very grateful for the added Understanding now., and I'm sharing this video with very benefitable folk

[@bluestrings8829]

Thank you! This ended up being a very helpful video. Makes sense, and gives me a better understanding. It also lets you know, you play you pay for sure! And a lot of times a month isn't enough. It can take up to a year to fully recover from addiction.

[@edenjs1503]

This felt wonderfully incisive and furthered my understanding of myself.

[@christianvelez7295]

Thank you

[@Damo20]

Really good interview

[@Skibbidyboobop]

Not much for the negative labeling in AA, or the loss of individual agency (I will always be powerless without a higher power). New studies have found much better strategies for those of us who want to maintain this. SMART has been great for me personally. Just a thought.

[@tmichelle8794]

Enjoying to read isn’t a addiction. Reading is great for your brain.

[@annieorder4496]

Gabor Mate is/was addicted to classical music, feels big guilt with all the time and money he spent on it

[@sandrashane677]

@@annieorder4496 I dont trust any famous people. They haven't proved themselves to be trust worthy at all.

[@eloiseripley]

not to the music, but to the collection of it@@annieorder4496

[@jonr6680]

32:52 yeah, how? Taper down? Substitutes? She is talking about serious drug rehab, what about lower level challenges? Just tough it out cold turkey? 36:00 do something hard to desensitize, ok. AAA - Remembering the very old skool 12 steps that are still going strong, those people can't touch it EVER again. So what if you HAVE to face your thing again and again?

[@sayhiku]

How do we know what baseline stress or homeostasis is?

[@Digital_Ai_Neuro_Artist]

Wise women

[@gurgurgur]

Lack of religious knowledge depression comes in life then our body senses misguided us that’s why God said keep Faith in heart then souls connect with love and coprate in life. God is our inner beauty. God is in every heart. Cut down desire only grateful. Do little things for others builds up happiness in heart. Be kind be honest be grateful obey souls respect rules. Moody and stubborn behaviour brings lots fear in life. Bad behaviour make is grounded Good behaviour give us freedom. Faith is big pillow. Forgive yourself and forgive others builds up happiness in heart. Past is jail.

[@joeker6220]

This is the best explanation. I noticed every time i give up on something (sugar, porn etc) i replace it with another one

[@wombat1309]

I worked with this lady. Let’s just say she’s a good talker. Unfortunately, she and her dysfunctional team at Stanford are doing nothing to improve addiction care.

[@sandrashane677]

That doesn't surprise me. There's profit to be made in keeping people stuck and sick. Iboga is the best treatment for addiction. If you are interested in helping people get clean do some research into it.

[@ktreedktbug7812]

I'm interested and will research! Thank you very much 💓

[@GregtheGrey6969]

Helped me

[@cymopoleia369]

​@@sandrashane677Wow..will definitely look into Iboga..does this help with a specific type of addiction or any type...I suffer with opiates

[@cymopoleia369]

Thanks for the honesty

[@truekv5]

In this episode you have talked about alcohol, but it is something which can be stopped completely. Either by using medication or by determination. But what social media/phone use, where most of the work or even information is provided and a normal person cannot go by even a day without using phone bcoz his/her work is there?

[@shannonhusk5268]

Checkout Dr. Clifford Sussman about tech addiction

[@rizwansharif6934]

I used to have 5-7hr screen times..now its 1hr 30 - 2hrs max. (It would be even lower if i wasnt a construction supervisor).What did i do? I made my phone black and white all the time(this helps the most)..I do not use social media AT AT ALL. I have all the productive apps i need, word, messaging, gmail, calander etc. i set app timers so i am not overusing apps and the phone in general. Its all about the environment...make your phone experience the most boring and/or productive experience it can be... and No you do NOT need social media. Optimise your phone to be a tool from the moment ytou unlock the screen. use app blockers disable apps, set a passcode for playstore/app store which you dont know. use porn blockers as well, we tend to get a fat dopamine hit by seeing beautiful women in general and that leads to more indulgence. its definetly doable if you try, takes abit of implementing and adjusting before you get it right. hope this helps bro.

[@sandrashane677]

@@rizwansharif6934 Great advice. Thanks.

[@imagin64]

I had I suppose, appointment anxiety thus not sleeping really until 2 hours before the alarm clock is to ring I find pondering the subject of zero or source leads to instant asleep

[@jonr6680]

39:27 the trauma link, echoes Dr Gabor Maté, the pleasure of that state is like LOVE, or maybe GOD, and explained as that it's no surprise it is so difficult to give up. Especially for typical sufferers coming from a life of trauma.

[@666wilf]

You day stop your opiates for 30 days? Do you use Buprenorphine in this time?

[@billsmith3593]

Im trying to get off kratom. It's gotten out of hand. We have a kratom epidemic where I live. This has been extremely helpful. It looks like I have to pay the piper for a couple weeks but I do like the idea of tapering if that's possible.

[@sharkitty]

I'm curious... Say someone stops all their vices, but they are prescribed stimulants for their ADHD. Would they also need to stay off their prescribed medication to get a dopamine reset?

[@TracyMiller-rd6my]

If you have true ADHD which is a chronic life long condition, you need medication everyday forever if you want your brain to function like a normal brain. Please watch KZbin video, Dr. RUSSELL A. BARKLEY who is a world renowned expert regarding ADHD. Similar to type 1 diabetics that need insulin everyday, people with ADHD need a supply of Dopamine everyday to function normally. Granted type 1 diabetes you would die not getting your daily insulin but Longterm affects of people with untreated ADHD do die an average of 10 years earlier than normal people because of their impulsive behavior ,it driving too fast and ecetra. ADHD is an extremely SERIOUS disorder that affects every aspect of a person's life.

[@markdavids2511]

Same with chronic pain & depression they’re the same thing.

[@FoursWithin]

👍❤👍❤👍❤👍❤👍❤👍❤🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Getting a dopamine shot by learning about addiction !!!!

[@TracyMiller-rd6my]

What does the doctor say about ADHD which is a chronic condition of their brains not having enough Dopamine because in utero their brain structures are physically deformed & smaller than normal brains which prevents Dopamine to get to the frontal lobes to wake the brain up in order to have motivation to do anything persistently to accomplish goals & boring tasks everyday, among all the other well known symptoms of ADHD. People with ADHD are like people that have type 1 diabetes in that it is a chronic condition that never goes away. Those diabetics need insulin everyday & those with ADHD need their Dopamine dose via stimulate medication everyday just to function like a normal brain does. Watch KZbin Videos of Dr Russell A. BERKLEY explain this.

[@TracyMiller-rd6my]

Dr Russell A. Barkley

[@TracyMiller-rd6my]

ADHD symptoms can also be caused from head trauma but that is called acquired ADHD and the "real' ADHD is mostly genetically inherited from your family.

[@Stinkwolff83]

80% of the patients that are willing to do that in the first place.

[@elizabethhurtado2829]

Ya, this crap gets dumped on me and olif I'm not watching I'm getting hunted

[@MELOMANIC403]

Am I the only one who found that painting behind creepy

[@sandrashane677]

Yes I found it creepy too.

[@mrgizy]

Those pictures are probably done by patients

[@MELOMANIC403]

@@mrgizy true 😂

[@GregtheGrey6969]

I quit porn, masterbation, and social media all at once not long ago. It's been interesting lol

[@spidermanhomecoming001]

Gold lying here! But very few views. Everyone wanna see entertainment BS.

[@lisatroni677]

Because that’s their addiction, dopamine kick . Pay attention ;)