Your brain’s pleasure system is fried. You’re chasing highs but feeling nothing.

In this episode, Emily breaks down dopamine overload — how constant scrolling, caffeine, and chaos dull your motivation and numb your joy. Learn why “dopamine fasting” isn’t about quitting fun, but about reclaiming balance and clarity. Then stick around for her fiery Fix Your Chemistry rant: five ways to reset your dopamine and finally feel alive again.

Sources & Notes (Episode 4)

• Volkow N. D. et al., Biological Psychiatry (2010): Chronic stimulation lowers D2 receptor availability.

• Schultz W., Neuron (2016): Reward prediction error and contrast response.

• Harvard Health Publishing (2023): “How Modern Tech Hijacks Dopamine and Attention.”

• Grinspoon P., Harvard Health Blog (2021): “Dopamine fasting: Why it doesn’t work — and why it might.”

• Goldman B., Stanford Medicine News Center (2021): “‘Dopamine Nation’ author Anna Lembke discusses pleasure, pain, and balance.”

• UCLA Neuroscience Lab (2021): Natural rewards and dopamine regulation.

• Cognitive Brain Research (2018): Multitasking reduces dopaminergic efficiency.