Dr. Anna Lembke

So people will have their drug of choice, whether it's shopping or social media or video games or pornography or what have you. But if that's not available, they'll switch to something else.

So people will have their drug of choice, whether it's shopping or social media or video games or pornography or what have you. But if that's not available, they'll switch to something else.

So addiction is the continued compulsive use of a substance or a behavior despite harm to self and or others. Importantly, there is no brain scan or blood test to diagnose addiction, and there won't be for a very long time, if ever.

So addiction is the continued compulsive use of a substance or a behavior despite harm to self and or others. Importantly, there is no brain scan or blood test to diagnose addiction, and there won't be for a very long time, if ever.

We still base our diagnosis on what we call phenomenology, which is patterns of behavior that repeat themselves across individuals, temperaments, cultures, time periods, etc.

We still base our diagnosis on what we call phenomenology, which is patterns of behavior that repeat themselves across individuals, temperaments, cultures, time periods, etc.

Oh, interesting.

Oh, interesting.

Well, I mean, I think these issues are debatable, and the use of language is important. When I use the term addiction, I am talking about a form of psychopathology, which is a spectrum disorder. So there is mild, moderate, and severe addiction. When we see severe addiction, we all recognize it. Like, it's obvious, right?

Well, I mean, I think these issues are debatable, and the use of language is important. When I use the term addiction, I am talking about a form of psychopathology, which is a spectrum disorder. So there is mild, moderate, and severe addiction. When we see severe addiction, we all recognize it. Like, it's obvious, right?

They're struggling, they're suffering, there's incredible consequences as a result of their use, and yet they can't stop using without significant help. On the less severe end, you know, it's much harder to tell when we might cross over from healthy, recreational, and adaptive use of a substance or a behavior into unhealthy, maladaptive use.

They're struggling, they're suffering, there's incredible consequences as a result of their use, and yet they can't stop using without significant help. On the less severe end, you know, it's much harder to tell when we might cross over from healthy, recreational, and adaptive use of a substance or a behavior into unhealthy, maladaptive use.

And often that's a judgment call, and it's also culturally informed. So, for example, when we think about something like work addiction, right, we live in a culture that absolutely celebrates workaholism. So we're not really going to identify that as a problem, typically.

And often that's a judgment call, and it's also culturally informed. So, for example, when we think about something like work addiction, right, we live in a culture that absolutely celebrates workaholism. So we're not really going to identify that as a problem, typically.

It is both, right? So sometimes... an outside observer might say, hey, this is clearly a problem. But, you know, a part of the addiction process is that we ourselves don't necessarily recognize a problem, even when it's obvious to others. This is why people talk about denial as an important part of the addictive process. People end up with this kind of double life phenomenon where

It is both, right? So sometimes... an outside observer might say, hey, this is clearly a problem. But, you know, a part of the addiction process is that we ourselves don't necessarily recognize a problem, even when it's obvious to others. This is why people talk about denial as an important part of the addictive process. People end up with this kind of double life phenomenon where

They have this secret life where they're engaging in their addictive behaviors, and then they have this other life that other people see. And the lives are so separated and the addictive life is so covert that we can actually convince ourselves that it's not really happening or it's not happening to the extent that it is or that it's not causing problems, even if it is happening.

They have this secret life where they're engaging in their addictive behaviors, and then they have this other life that other people see. And the lives are so separated and the addictive life is so covert that we can actually convince ourselves that it's not really happening or it's not happening to the extent that it is or that it's not causing problems, even if it is happening.

I agree 100%. This is a collective problem. I see it as part of the Anthropocene, which is a term that's been coined to describe the age we live in now, when human action is changing the face of the planet for the first time in history. You know, climate change is often included in this idea of the Anthropocene.

I agree 100%. This is a collective problem. I see it as part of the Anthropocene, which is a term that's been coined to describe the age we live in now, when human action is changing the face of the planet for the first time in history. You know, climate change is often included in this idea of the Anthropocene.