Dr. Anna Lembke

But I do think that this, the stressors of overabundance should also be included in that. In the richest countries in the world, we have more leisure time, more disposable income, more access to leisure goods than ever before. And I think that, you know, as a result, we are all struggling to know what to do with all that extra time and money.

But I do think that this, the stressors of overabundance should also be included in that. In the richest countries in the world, we have more leisure time, more disposable income, more access to leisure goods than ever before. And I think that, you know, as a result, we are all struggling to know what to do with all that extra time and money.

And one would hope and think that we would be like engaging in deep philosophical discussions, helping each other, cleaning up the garbage. Sorry, I'm laughing, of course. Yeah. But instead, what we're doing is spending a whole lot of time masturbating, shopping and, you know, watching other people do things online.

And one would hope and think that we would be like engaging in deep philosophical discussions, helping each other, cleaning up the garbage. Sorry, I'm laughing, of course. Yeah. But instead, what we're doing is spending a whole lot of time masturbating, shopping and, you know, watching other people do things online.

And essentially what's happened is we're spending more and more time of our energy and creativity investing in this online world. which means that we are actually leeching our real-life existence of our energy and creativity. So when we try to get off out of the metaverse and reenter the real world, it actually is more boring, right? Because there's less going on because there's nobody there.

And essentially what's happened is we're spending more and more time of our energy and creativity investing in this online world. which means that we are actually leeching our real-life existence of our energy and creativity. So when we try to get off out of the metaverse and reenter the real world, it actually is more boring, right? Because there's less going on because there's nobody there.

Yes, exactly. And it seems to me we've kind of crossed over some kind of abundance set point where we went beyond meeting our basic survival needs and now have so much access to so many pleasure-inducing substances and behaviors. that we may actually be changing our brain chemistry such that we're in a dopamine deficit state.

Yes, exactly. And it seems to me we've kind of crossed over some kind of abundance set point where we went beyond meeting our basic survival needs and now have so much access to so many pleasure-inducing substances and behaviors. that we may actually be changing our brain chemistry such that we're in a dopamine deficit state.

Now we need to keep using these highly stimulating drugs and behaviors not to get high and feel good, but just to level the balance and feel normal. And, you know, interestingly, even more recently, I'm part of a state of the nation project.

Now we need to keep using these highly stimulating drugs and behaviors not to get high and feel good, but just to level the balance and feel normal. And, you know, interestingly, even more recently, I'm part of a state of the nation project.

And some of the findings that we're seeing for the United States are that despite the fact that a lot of parameters would suggest the nation is doing better, from a mental health perspective, we're doing worse. And that's true around the world. Rates of depression, anxiety and suicide are going up in countries all over the world. And they're going up fastest in the richest nations of the world.

And some of the findings that we're seeing for the United States are that despite the fact that a lot of parameters would suggest the nation is doing better, from a mental health perspective, we're doing worse. And that's true around the world. Rates of depression, anxiety and suicide are going up in countries all over the world. And they're going up fastest in the richest nations of the world.

So there's some kind of phenomenon where this overwhelming overabundance has reached a tipping point such that now we're actually dealing with the stress of overabundance, which our ancient reward pathways were not really evolved for.

So there's some kind of phenomenon where this overwhelming overabundance has reached a tipping point such that now we're actually dealing with the stress of overabundance, which our ancient reward pathways were not really evolved for.

No, I don't. I mean, I think we all struggle with appetitive control in the modern world. But I do think it's important to use this term addiction, or as the DSM defines it, a use disorder, as when we've crossed that threshold into self and other harm that is on some level out of our control.

No, I don't. I mean, I think we all struggle with appetitive control in the modern world. But I do think it's important to use this term addiction, or as the DSM defines it, a use disorder, as when we've crossed that threshold into self and other harm that is on some level out of our control.

So I don't want to just say like everybody's addicted, but I do think that the problem of compulsive overconsumption has become something that all of us are probably struggling with in one form or another.

So I don't want to just say like everybody's addicted, but I do think that the problem of compulsive overconsumption has become something that all of us are probably struggling with in one form or another.

And, you know, although I've been treating addiction for, gosh, going on 30 years and thought that I personally was somewhat immune to the problem of addiction, it wasn't until I got addicted to romance novels that I was like, oh, wait a minute, like, even I can get addicted to something. Right.

And, you know, although I've been treating addiction for, gosh, going on 30 years and thought that I personally was somewhat immune to the problem of addiction, it wasn't until I got addicted to romance novels that I was like, oh, wait a minute, like, even I can get addicted to something. Right.