Anna Lembke
We live in an age of unprecedented abundance, but our brains are still wired for scarcity. This constant exposure to high-dopamine stimuli is making us more addicted and unhappy than ever before.
Every experience of pleasure triggers an equal and opposite reaction of pain as the brain attempts to restore its natural balance.
Prolonged exposure to addictive substances or digital media builds tolerance, requiring more intense stimulation just to feel normal.
Lembke proposes about four weeks of abstinence from a targeted substance or behavior as a diagnostic trial, but says abruptly stopping alcohol or benzodiazepines can cause life-threatening withdrawal in people physiologically dependent on them.