Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Anna LembkeMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Anna Lembke dives deep into what drives us to take unhealthy decisions, again and again, despite seeing the negative impact it has on us (or how we pretend not to). We learn that all these addictions essentially derive from our need for a hit of dopamine and how that can happen, regardless of the type of addiction, be it drugs, smoking, sex, social media, alcohol, or pretty much anything else. More interestingly, she talks us through her experiences with her patients and how she got them through it. Honesty and positive shaming are mentioned as options to take when you are struggling, as well as pushing on the ''pain'' side, to balance out the ''pleasure'' these addictions cause. The conclusion is that fighting addiction is hard, and more many, it will be a lifelong struggle, always coping, never being fully cured of it. Perhaps a tad bleak, but for many facing any sort of addiction (big or small), being honest about the possibilities is often the first step.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment