From social media to addictive foods and substances, our modern world is flooded with dopamine addictions. How do we break free? Dr Anna Lembke is Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. She is the author of the New York Times best-selling book: Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.
In this conversation, Dr Lembke joins Brian to discuss how our phones have become the modern hypodermic needle, the neuroscience of addiction, how dopamine drives compulsive behaviours, and why change is possible for every single person — even in extreme cases. She also explains why dopamine resets are essential, and how abstinence, therapy, medication, and community support work together to rewire the brain. Anna and Brian also explore why people relapse, whether someone can ever be “fully recovered,” how co-dependency sabotages healing, and what families can actually do to help a loved one struggling with addiction. The episode also tackles youth mental health, the impact of phones and online content on developing brains, and Anna’s powerful advice for parents, teens, and anyone trying to make positive change. If you’re interested in mental health, addiction recovery, dopamine, phone addiction, or personal transformation, this episode is a must-watch.
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Sponsors: The Kyne Foundation
Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.
Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction: Why Change Is Possible
01:12 – Jacob’s Story: Extreme Porn & Tech Addiction
05:08 – How Technology Supercharges Dopamine & Addiction
07:42 – The Neuroscience: Dopamine, Tolerance & Craving
10:55 – Rock Bottom: Despair, Consequences & Suicidal Thought
13:30 – The Road to Recovery: Abstinence & Resetting the Brain
16:45 – Self-Binding Strategies: Removing Triggers & Tools
19:18 – Medication & SSRIs: When Biology Helps Recovery
21:55 – Understanding Addiction Through the Biopsychosocial Model
25:28 – Little Addictions: Phones, Alcohol, Food & Everyday Dopamine
28:40 – Why 30 Days of Abstinence Changes Everything
31:05 – When Recovery Takes Longer: 90 Days, 12 Months & Beyond
34:20 – Addiction + Mental Health: Treating Both or Risk Relapse
37:10 – Is Recovery Possible for Everyone? Anna’s Honest View
40:15 – Why Addiction Is a Real Brain Disease
42:40 – Helping Loved Ones: Facilitating Safe Consequences
45:55 – Codependency & Enabling: The Hidden Addiction Behind Addiction
49:10 – Identity, Awareness & Whether “Recovered” Is Really Possible
52:25 – Values, Triggers & Why Relapse Happens
54:30 – Why Change Is So Hard: Uncertainty & the Human Brain
56:45 – Advice for Young People: Phones, Porn, Social Media & Dopamine
59:00 – Final Thoughts & Closing Message