'Her stories have the power to transform your life' Lori Gottlieb, bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

'Radically changes the way we think about mental illness, pleasure, pain, reward and stress' Daniel Levitin, bestselling author of The Organized Mind

'Brilliant . . . riveting, scary, cogent and cleverly argued' Beth Macy, author of Dopesick

We are a wired generation. In these fast-paced times we are constantly bombarded by high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli. From texting to social media, food to drugs, gambling to shopping, we have become addicted to fleeting and distracting pleasures that are making us sick.

In Dopamine Nation, psychiatrist and bestselling author Dr Anna Lembke reveals why our relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain and what we can do about it. Bringing together cutting-edge neuroscience with the gripping real life experiences from her clinical practice, Lembke explores how contentment and connectedness are essential tools in keeping dopamine in check. This is an essential book for anyone wanting to find a balance for a happier life.

Three out of four people addicted to heroin probably started on a prescription opioid, according to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the United States alone, 16,000 people die each year as a result of prescription opioid overdose. But perhaps the most frightening aspect of the prescription drug epidemic is that it’s built on well-meaning doctors treating patients with real problems.

In Drug Dealer, MD, Dr. Anna Lembke uncovers the unseen forces driving opioid addiction nationwide. Combining case studies from her own practice with vital statistics drawn from public policy, cultural anthropology, and neuroscience, she explores the complex relationship between doctors and patients, the science of addiction, and the barriers to successfully addressing drug dependence and addiction. Even when addiction is recognized by doctors and their patients, she argues, many doctors don’t know how to treat it, connections to treatment are lacking, and insurance companies won’t pay for rehab.

Full of extensive interviews—with health care providers, pharmacists, social workers, hospital administrators, insurance company executives, journalists, economists, advocates, and patients and their families— Drug Dealer, MD, is for anyone whose life has been touched in some way by addiction to prescription drugs. Dr. Lembke gives voice to the millions of Americans struggling with prescription drugs while singling out the real culprits behind the rise in opioid addiction: cultural narratives that promote pills as quick fixes, pharmaceutical corporations in cahoots with organized medicine, and a new medical bureaucracy focused on the bottom line that favors pills, procedures, and patient satisfaction over wellness. Dr. Lembke concludes that the prescription drug epidemic is a symptom of a faltering health care system, the solution for which lies in rethinking how health care is delivered.

Was die Suche nach dem Dauer-Kick mit unseren Hormonen macht

In diesem Buch geht es um das Vergnügen – und um Schmerz. Es geht um den schmalen Grat des Gleichgewichts zwischen diesen beiden Zuständen, und warum es heute wichtiger ist denn je, diese Balance zu finden. Denn wir leben in einer Zeit noch nie dagewesener Dopamin-stimulierender Reizüberflutung: Sei es durch Drogen, Essen, soziale Medien, Glücksspiel, Shoppen, Sex oder der ständige Griff zum Smartphone, das zur digitalen Injektionsnadel unserer Zeit geworden ist. Die Vielfalt an Süchten ist überwältigend.
Die Autorin verpackt komplexe Neurowissenschaft in leicht verständliche Metaphern und erklärt, dass echte Zufriedenheit und Verbundenheit nur erreicht werden können, wenn wir die Kontrolle über unser Dopamin behalten. Die Erfahrungen ihrer Patienten sind dabei der fesselnde Stoff ihrer Erzählung. Deren Leidensgeschichten und Wege zur Erlösung machen Mut, unseren eigenen Konsum in den Griff zu bekommen. Dieses Buch zeigt, dass das Geheimnis der Balance darin liegt, Sehnsucht und Heilung miteinander zu verbinden.

Dr. Anna Lembke ist Professorin für Psychiatrie und Suchtmedizin an der Stanford University School of Medicine und Leiterin der Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. Sie wurde mit zahlreichen Preisen für herausragende Forschung im Bereich psychischer Erkrankungen, ihre Lehrtätigkeit und innovative Behandlungsansätze ausgezeichnet.

"Brilliant … fesselnd, verstörend, überzeugend und klug dargelegt." – Beth Macy, Bestseller-Autorin von DOPESICK