Dr. Anna Lembke

Yeah, it's a really fair question, and I think on some level we really are, which then begs the question, what is it about human nature, or I would argue, what is it about modern life that makes us so vulnerable to these addiction problems? I have kind of a, you know, some theories on that, totally, you know, speculative. Hit me. All right. You know, I think that...

Yeah, it's a really fair question, and I think on some level we really are, which then begs the question, what is it about human nature, or I would argue, what is it about modern life that makes us so vulnerable to these addiction problems? I have kind of a, you know, some theories on that, totally, you know, speculative. Hit me. All right. You know, I think that...

We're essentially struggling with endemic narcissism, where our culture is demanding that we focus on ourselves so much that what it's creating is this deep need to escape ourselves. And I think that is what is driving much of our pursuit of intoxicants as a way to just not have to think about ourselves for a blessed hour or two.

We're essentially struggling with endemic narcissism, where our culture is demanding that we focus on ourselves so much that what it's creating is this deep need to escape ourselves. And I think that is what is driving much of our pursuit of intoxicants as a way to just not have to think about ourselves for a blessed hour or two.

Yeah, that's right. And it's not like the whole explanation, because obviously the whole point of dopamine nation is that we also live in this world of abundance with constant access and access alone is a risk factor. So I've already kind of made that point.

Yeah, that's right. And it's not like the whole explanation, because obviously the whole point of dopamine nation is that we also live in this world of abundance with constant access and access alone is a risk factor. So I've already kind of made that point.

But although I think access is important and supply is more important than we have given credit for, we do have to focus on the demand part of this equation. What is it about our lives now that make us so desperate to essentially be intoxicated in one form or another? And I do think it is this sort of obsessive self-focus.

But although I think access is important and supply is more important than we have given credit for, we do have to focus on the demand part of this equation. What is it about our lives now that make us so desperate to essentially be intoxicated in one form or another? And I do think it is this sort of obsessive self-focus.

I think that we can, like most things, take it too far and end up doing harm with all the time that we spend thinking about ourselves. Now, having said that. I think that good therapy gets us to a place where we can mindfully observe ourselves without being self-absorbed. But ultimately, I think the goal is to tune out.

I think that we can, like most things, take it too far and end up doing harm with all the time that we spend thinking about ourselves. Now, having said that. I think that good therapy gets us to a place where we can mindfully observe ourselves without being self-absorbed. But ultimately, I think the goal is to tune out.

That is not to tune out as in not listen to ourselves, but to get out of our own heads ultimately. Yeah.

That is not to tune out as in not listen to ourselves, but to get out of our own heads ultimately. Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, it's a really sad, sad thing when people die of their, you know, mental disorder, addiction or otherwise. You know, there are lots of risk factors for addiction. There are genetic risk factors.

Yeah, I mean, it's a really sad, sad thing when people die of their, you know, mental disorder, addiction or otherwise. You know, there are lots of risk factors for addiction. There are genetic risk factors.

If you have a biological parent or grandparent with alcohol addiction in particular, where the evidence is strongest, you're at increased risk for alcohol addiction, even if raised outside of that alcohol-consuming home. So we know there are genetic vulnerabilities. People don't come into the world. with equal risk.

If you have a biological parent or grandparent with alcohol addiction in particular, where the evidence is strongest, you're at increased risk for alcohol addiction, even if raised outside of that alcohol-consuming home. So we know there are genetic vulnerabilities. People don't come into the world. with equal risk.

Having said that, given all of the different drugs, including drugs that didn't exist before and the increased access, I think even without a genetic risk, we're now all more at risk than we were before. You know, there are social determinants of health that make a big difference in terms of people's ability to

Having said that, given all of the different drugs, including drugs that didn't exist before and the increased access, I think even without a genetic risk, we're now all more at risk than we were before. You know, there are social determinants of health that make a big difference in terms of people's ability to

To get into recovery, we know that poverty is a risk factor, multigenerational trauma, unemployment. These are all enormous risk factors that if we could target, we would improve people's chances of pulling out of the spiral of addiction. Gosh, I mean— There's a whole element, too, I would say, of just unpredictability.

To get into recovery, we know that poverty is a risk factor, multigenerational trauma, unemployment. These are all enormous risk factors that if we could target, we would improve people's chances of pulling out of the spiral of addiction. Gosh, I mean— There's a whole element, too, I would say, of just unpredictability.