Dr. Anna Lembke

So essentially at age five, we have more neurons and neuronal connections than we have in the rest of our adult lives, about 50% more neuronal connections than we'll have as adults, which is what makes us such good learners when we're kids. Kids can just absorb anything because they're sort of like these totipotent sponges with all these neurons and all these neuronal connections.

So essentially at age five, we have more neurons and neuronal connections than we have in the rest of our adult lives, about 50% more neuronal connections than we'll have as adults, which is what makes us such good learners when we're kids. Kids can just absorb anything because they're sort of like these totipotent sponges with all these neurons and all these neuronal connections.

But as we age through adolescence to about age 25, we cut back or what's called prune the neural circuits that we don't use and we myelinate or make more efficient the neural circuits that we use most often, such that by age 25, we are left with the neurological scaffolding that will serve us for the rest of our adult lives.

But as we age through adolescence to about age 25, we cut back or what's called prune the neural circuits that we don't use and we myelinate or make more efficient the neural circuits that we use most often, such that by age 25, we are left with the neurological scaffolding that will serve us for the rest of our adult lives.

That means that if we're engaging in addictive maladaptive coping at a young age, we're elaborating a neural circuitry based on that maladaptive coping, which is going to set us up for addiction in adulthood. I always like to emphasize, though, that because the child and adolescent brain is so plastic or totipotent or so changeable, that's also a very hopeful message.

That means that if we're engaging in addictive maladaptive coping at a young age, we're elaborating a neural circuitry based on that maladaptive coping, which is going to set us up for addiction in adulthood. I always like to emphasize, though, that because the child and adolescent brain is so plastic or totipotent or so changeable, that's also a very hopeful message.

It means that even a young person exposed at a young age to an addictive substance, if we can get in there early enough while their brain is still plastic enough, we can rewire them. Whereas when I treat people in their 70s and 80s who have been smoking pot their whole lives or drinking alcohol... Mainly it was manageable. Now all of a sudden they retire. They're in their 60s all this time.

It means that even a young person exposed at a young age to an addictive substance, if we can get in there early enough while their brain is still plastic enough, we can rewire them. Whereas when I treat people in their 70s and 80s who have been smoking pot their whole lives or drinking alcohol... Mainly it was manageable. Now all of a sudden they retire. They're in their 60s all this time.

The pot's a lot more potent. They can develop these full-blown addictive disorders late in life and it's very hard to treat them because they've lost a lot of that plasticity that would allow them to regenerate new neural pathways once they abstain.

The pot's a lot more potent. They can develop these full-blown addictive disorders late in life and it's very hard to treat them because they've lost a lot of that plasticity that would allow them to regenerate new neural pathways once they abstain.

Oh my God, we talked about so much. I don't even know. It seems like it was a lot of stuff.

Oh my God, we talked about so much. I don't even know. It seems like it was a lot of stuff.

Talk about. Yeah. Well, I mean, I guess I would emphasize that when I talk about the dopamine fasting, it's an early intervention. It's not an intervention that I would recommend for someone who had repeatedly tried to quit on their own and been unable to. Clearly, that would be an exercise in futility. That person should go and get professional help.

Talk about. Yeah. Well, I mean, I guess I would emphasize that when I talk about the dopamine fasting, it's an early intervention. It's not an intervention that I would recommend for someone who had repeatedly tried to quit on their own and been unable to. Clearly, that would be an exercise in futility. That person should go and get professional help.

Maybe they need to go to a residential treatment center. I also wouldn't recommend dopamine fasting or just quitting your drug of choice if you're at risk for a life-threatening withdrawal. So we could have a life-threatening withdrawal from alcohol and benzodiazepines like Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan. Again, in those cases, go see a professional.

Maybe they need to go to a residential treatment center. I also wouldn't recommend dopamine fasting or just quitting your drug of choice if you're at risk for a life-threatening withdrawal. So we could have a life-threatening withdrawal from alcohol and benzodiazepines like Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan. Again, in those cases, go see a professional.

Get help with a medical detoxification before you try to, you know, sustain abstinence for a period of time. So, you know, I would blanket the whole thing with like the caveat, go see your addiction, go see the addiction medicine specialist near you.

Get help with a medical detoxification before you try to, you know, sustain abstinence for a period of time. So, you know, I would blanket the whole thing with like the caveat, go see your addiction, go see the addiction medicine specialist near you.

I think the most recent piece of information that was very impactful for me was the realization that we are probably going to be cybernetically enhanced in the future and interfacing with technology in a way that's completely seamless and that this is inevitable.

I think the most recent piece of information that was very impactful for me was the realization that we are probably going to be cybernetically enhanced in the future and interfacing with technology in a way that's completely seamless and that this is inevitable.