We live in a time of unprecedented access to high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli: drugs, food, news, shopping, gaming, gambling, texting, tweeting. As a result, we’ve become vulnerable to compulsive overconsumption and the average smartphone has become a modern-day hypodermic needle delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation.
In this New York Times Bestseller, Anna Lembke, M.D, author, psychiatrist, and Medical Director of Stanford Addiction Medicine, explains why the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain and, more importantly, how to find the delicate balance between the two. Merging powerful stories from her clinical practice, personal vulnerability, and insights from current psychology research, Dr. Lembke lays out why we over consume, how it impacts us, and what we can do about it.
Condensing complex neuroscience into easy-to-understand metaphors, Lembke illustrates how finding contentment and connectedness means keeping dopamine in check. The lived experiences of her patients are the gripping fabric of her narrative. Their riveting stories of suffering and redemption give us all hope for managing our consumption and transforming our lives. In essence, Dopamine Nation shows that the secret to finding balance is combining the science of desire with the wisdom of recovery.