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277: Why the Relentless Pursuit of Pleasure Leads to Pain, Narcissism, and Dopamine Addiction (feat. Dr. Anna Lembke)

Podcast · January 19, 2022

According to our guest today, the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain. And this isn’t hyperbole, it’s science. This week, we’re joined by Dr. Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. We’re living in a time of unprecedented access to high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, and social media. Dr. Lembke says that “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.” So today, Dr. Lembke is going to explain why the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain…and what to do about it.

If you enjoy this episode with Dr. Lembke, I’m sure you’ll also enjoy:
  • 257: Burnout, Managing Energy, and How to Live at Your Best (feat. Carey Nieuwhof)
  • 260: Self-Defeating Behavior, Living a Lie, and the Path to Inner Peace (feat. John Mark Comer)

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Guest Links

Dr. Lembke’s Website | Buy a copy of “Dopamine Nation” on Amazon

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  • 476: [Formed.] Lisa Bevere on Being Spiritual But Not Religious, What an Exorcist Said About Tarot and Oracle Cards, How the Progressive Movement is Connected to Self-Deification, and Why The Church is Too Comfortable Preaching Catchy Phrases Instead of the Word
  • 475: [Formed.] Are You Suffering? Dr. Craig Keener on The Necessary Theology of Suffering, How to Develop a New Mindset About Affliction, Hurdling Unresolved Disappointment, Why God is Not in a Hurry to Mature Us, and the Pressure That Shapes Us
  • 474: [Formed.] Spiritual Drift is Quiet. Ian Simkins on The Fingerprints of a Disordered Life, Developing Discernment as You Train for Godliness, Why the Crucible of Formation is in the Monotony of Everyday Life, and Restoring the Fire of Discipleship to Jesus
  • 473: [Formed.] Comfort Won’t Mature You. Dr. Joel Tudman on How We Cheat Ourselves in the Wilderness, Why “Finding Yourself” is a Waste of Time, The Beauty of Being Pulled Apart by the Lord, and Fighting to Stay Agile in a Disruptive Life
  • 472: [Formed.] Will You Kill Entitlement and Self-Pity? Kristene DiMarco Unpacks Rekindling Spiritual Hunger, The Danger in Numbing Boredom, Training Your Soul for Godliness, and Laying Down Your “Right” to Be Offended by Life

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