The dopamine generation

This book is about pleasure. It is also about pain. Most importantly, it is about how we find the delicate balance between the two, and why we need this balance more than ever today. We live in an era of unprecedented access to stimuli that cause a massive release of dopamine: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, video games, texting, sexting, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter... The quantity, variety, and addictiveness of these stimuli are dizzying. The smartphone is the modern hypodermic injection that continuously delivers digital dopamine to a digital generation. We are all prone to compulsive overconsumption. In this book, psychiatrist Dr. Anna Lembke dissects all the new scientific data that explain, on the one hand, why the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain, and on the other, what we can do about it. Lembke analyzes complex neuroscientific knowledge in simple, understandable language and shows us how controlling dopamine leads to a more meaningful, truly good life. Her patients' experiences shape the compelling texture of her narrative; their shocking stories of suffering and redemption give us all hope that we can manage our own addictive tendencies and transform our lives. "Anna Lembke deeply understands an experience that arises from the coexistence of our ancient brains and our modern addictions. Her narratives, about people who, with her guidance, found a healthy balance between pleasure and pain, can transform your life." Lori Gottlieb "Just when you thought you knew everything about addiction crises, Dr. Lembke comes along with a book that talks not about a drug, but about the most powerful chemical, dopamine, the substance that controls the pain and pleasure centers in our brain. Whatever your addiction – from the internet and food to work and sex – you will find this book gripping, terrifying, convincing, and ingeniously well-researched. Lembke weaves patient stories with research studies, demonstrating empathy and clear judgment." Beth Macy, author of the Washington Post's Best Book of the Year, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company That Addicted America "Lembke has written a book that profoundly changes the way we think about mental illness, pleasure, pain, satisfaction, and stress." Daniel Levitin, author of The Organized Mind and Successful Aging