Dopamine Nation

Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

By: Dr. Anna Lembke

Narrated by: Dr. Anna Lembke

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES and LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER

“Brilliant . . . riveting, scary, cogent, and cleverly argued.”—Beth Macy, author of Dopesick, as heard on Fresh Air

This book is about pleasure. It’s also about pain. Most important, it’s about how to find the delicate balance between the two, and why now more than ever finding balance is essential. We’re living in a time of unprecedented access to high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, Facebooking, Instagramming, YouTubing, tweeting . . . The increased numbers, variety, and potency is staggering. The smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation. As such we’ve all become vulnerable to compulsive overconsumption.

In Dopamine Nation, Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and author, explores the exciting new scientific discoveries that explain why the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain . . . and what to 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.

©2021 Dr. Anna Lembke (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Anna Lembke deeply understands an experience I hear about often in the therapy room at the nexus between our modern addictions and our primal brains. Her stories of guiding people to find a healthy balance between pleasure and pain have the power to transform your life.” (Lori Gottlieb, “Dear Therapist” columnist at The Atlantic, New York Times best-selling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone)

“Just when you thought you knew all you needed to know about the addiction crisis, along comes Dr. Anna Lembke with her second brilliant book on the topic—this one not about a drug but about the most powerful chemical of all: the dopamine that rules the pain and pleasure centers of our minds. In an era of overconsumption and instant gratification, Dopamine Nation explains the personal and societal price of being ruled by the next fix—and how to manage it. No matter what you might find yourself over-indulging in—from the internet to food to work to sex—you’ll find this book riveting, scary, cogent, and cleverly argued. Lembke weaves patient stories with research, in a voice that’s as empathetic as it is clear-eyed.” (Beth Macy, author of Washington Post Best Book of the Year, New York Times Notable Book of 2018, and best seller Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America)

“We all desire a break from our routines and those parts of life that upset us. What if, instead of trying to escape these things, we learn to turn toward them, to reach a peaceful harmony with our selves and the people we share our lives with? Lembke has written a book that radically changes the way we think about mental illness, pleasure, pain, reward, and stress. Turn toward it. You’ll be happy you did.” (Daniel Levitin, New York Times best-selling author of The Organized Mind and Successful Aging)

"Explore[s] the dichotomy between seeking a readily accessible hit of dopamine—from our phones, gambling, or a bag of Fritos—and maintaining healthy, productive, stable lives.” (The New York Times, Inside the Best-Seller List)

Pure bliss

Lady Dr. Lembke is definitely an awesome person. Listening to Dopamine Nation was a ride. Once You've attune to Dr. Lembke's slightly italian capo voice, it's a fluent ride. Very good narration and narrative, I really like story based books, and will tell You a lot about people today, and why it's kind of challenging for people to live in the age of afluence...

Necessary reading

As a massage therapist I’ve yet to know why some of my clients handle abnormal deviance from their correct anatomical position and some feel healthier then most but complain of the most pain.

This book answers that and allows me to help others so much more. Absolutely 5 star learning and the world is a better place because the author: Dr. Lembke, exists!!

Very applicable to anyone... We're all addicted...

Not a very long listen, but filled with very valuable real life stories of her patients, as well as well researched scientific proof regarding addiction. It's easy to see how we're all addicted to something, especially in this age where your any drug of choise is so easily attainable.

Hands Down One of the Best Books Out There

I struggle from what the doctor calls cross addiction, and knowing now the underlying issue being that I abuse whichever drug I swing to in the attempt to stop using another is an extremely huge step forward. I realize I'm afraid to face the pain of sobriety because I haven't actually been sober for years now despite being able to claim I haven't used the other drug for quite sometime. The truth is my drug of choice is dopamine and I chase it to the point that I eventually have to deal with the pain and depression that comes as a result of overconsumption.

Needed this

Great info that everyone should know and understand. That our entire western world needs to understand the different for. of addiction and we are all susceptible.

Game changing.

I bought this book after listening to the author on “The Joe Rogan Experience”. I enjoyed her interview but the book tells a much more honest & nuanced story. Even if you are not worried about being “addicted”, there is a lot of practical points to draw from this publication.

Life changing

This book is a remind of all the thing our society has beaten out of us and is are review beautiful reviews of life’s axioms that is bound to effect lives

Not for the faint of heart!

Good book but be prepared for graphic and disturbing sexual content. Pretty sure I could have done without the endless talk of self pleasuring.
The book makes a ton of good points but perhaps the author forgot that we are not all trained to deal with such graphically disturbed sexual content.

it's a must

Very good book for the ordinary people. life-changing knowledg in the way we live and walk through life . I would want it more scientific but the way they made up the book it's an easy and nice way to approach and help any person. I recommend to everyone who liked this book , the book "In the realm of hungry ghost's" by Gabor Mate

Yes yes and yes

Feeling overwhelming convicted but completely inspired through the whole book, must listen or must read!!!!