Cover of Dopamine Nation

Book · 2023 · Psychology

Dopamine Nation

Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

by Anna Lembke · Recommended by 18 people on 17 podcasts

#120 of 16,669 books, ranked by how many different people bring it up on podcasts

mentions
80
people
18
podcasts
17
episodes
47
critical mentions
0

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I want you to read a book called Dopamine Nation by Anna Limkkey. Ell it's a modern masterpiece. Everyone should read it. But in that book, she is a um Stanford Medical School professor uh professor who is a psychiatrist who focuses on addiction. And she details in in brave detail her stone cold addiction to romance novel escapism and.
Dr John Delony · The Dr. John Delony Show · Apr 2025 Listen at 39:45

What they say about it

Grouped from 80 mentions
  • Highly recommended book“an incredible book about addiction and dopamine”
    18
  • Stanford addiction expert author“director of the Dual Diagnosis Addiction Clinic at Stanford”
    6
  • Brain mechanisms and dopamine“describes the underlying biological mechanisms related to dopamine”
    5

The best things said about it

6 of 80 · every mention
Recommended
Ana's book, Dopamine Nation, is also excellent; it elucidates the brain mechanisms at work, providing understanding that addiction is not simply a lack of willpower, but rather a disruption in neurochemical regulation.
Andrew Huberman Huberman Lab · Aug 2024
Discussed
She's also widely published. She's testified before Congress and as authored two important books, Drug Dealer MD, which the New York Times declared, one of the top five books to read to understand the opioid epidemic and her newest called Dopamine Nation right here, which is a powerful primer on how to moderate compulsive over-consumption in a world where unfortunately.
Rich Roll The Rich Roll Podcast · Aug 2021
Recommended
And my colleague at Stanford, Dr. Anna Lembke who's the head of our Dual Diagnosis Addiction Clinic has talked about in her amazing book Dopamine Nation about patients of hers that have really helped themselves along and out of the more depressive phases of working through addiction and in just depression in general through directed cold water therapy.
Andrew Huberman Huberman Lab · Nov 2022
Recommended
One previous guest on the Huberman Lab Podcast, Dr. Anna Lembke, our director at the Dual Diagnosis Addiction Clinic at Stanford, authored the book Dopamine Nation, discussing dopamine's uses and dangers in addiction.
Andrew Huberman Huberman Lab · Jul 2022
Recommended
Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke which is about phone addiction and why it's like other addictions.
Dan Pfeiffer Pod Save America · Nov 2022
Recommended
It is beautifully described in her book Dopamine Nation, by the way. Excellent book I recommend to all people, addicts or not.
Andrew Huberman Huberman Lab · Apr 2022

Where and when it comes up

Mentions per year

Counted mentions by episode date. Our archive is deeper for recent years; 2026 so far.

How it comes up

Recommended means the speaker tells listeners to read it.

Most mentions, by podcast

Top 9 of 17 shows

18 people who brought it up

Most recommendations first

Also: Alex Hutchinson · Andrew Wilkinson · Dr. Michael Bagnell · Jonathan Haidt · Mel Robbins · Neil deGrasse Tyson

Why people recommend it

Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke, MD is a non-fiction book exploring the neuroscience of addiction, dopamine regulation, and how modern society's constant pursuit of pleasure leads to compulsive behaviors and diminished baseline happiness. The book received widespread praise across several podcasts. On The Diary Of A CEO, Steven Bartlett strongly recommended the book and its companion workbook to help listeners gain a deeper understanding of the subject, returning to it in subsequent episodes. On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony repeatedly endorsed the work, describing it as a modern masterpiece and one of the best books of the decade, and recommended it to callers dealing with social media and relationship issues. Andrew Huberman referenced the book on Huberman Lab to explain how rapid dopamine spikes create tolerance and smaller subsequent peaks. Additionally, on ChooseFI, guests Jill and Jen suggested the title as an essential resource for understanding dopamine, fasting, and addiction.

Every mention

80 counted mentions · 13 passing or ad reads below
Andrew Huberman this was discussed in my colleague Dr Anna lemke's book dopamine nation and on this podcast excellent book… 31
Discussed
“Most people, thanks to Analemki's book, Dopamine Nation, now end the book, The Molecule of More, which is also excellent, in my opinion, that dopamine is about craving, wanting, motivation”
Discussed
“Well, you may be encouraged to learn that um the great Anna Lembke, my colleague at Stanford, right an MD and psychiatrist like you who wrote Dopamine Nation has a book”
Discussed
“...right as Dopamine Nation um was published said, 'What what do people who haven't found their passion supposed to do?' and she'll say 'Mow the lawn'...”
Recommended
“thank goodness uh Anna author of Dopamine Nation made so clear that those big fast inflections in dopamine very quickly lead to smaller and smaller peaks in dopamine from the same behavior or substance”
Discussed
“my colleague Anna lmy who wrote dopamine Nation right cited some data that humans have more free time now across socioeconomic groups”
Discussed
“a colleague of mine at Stanford who I um respect tremendously Anna lmy who wrote the book dopamine Nation”
Discussed
“Yeah, so my colleague at Stanford, Dr. Anna Lembke, who runs our dual diagnosis addiction clinic and wrote the wonderful book Dopamine Nation, described this best.”
Discussed
“And this trough below baseline, as Anna Lembke taught us with Dopamine Nation, that trough is a state that can last a long time.”
Recommended
“one of the things that I love so much about Anna's message she wrote the book dopamine Nation but oh I love that”
Recommended
“mainly of an episode that I did with Dr. Anna Lembke, who is our director of the Dual Diagnosis Addiction Clinic at Stanford, the author of Dopamine Nation, and absolute virtuoso in terms of the description of the underlying biological mechanisms mostly surrounding dopamine, but also the approach to treating and getting over addictions.”
Recommended
“Regarding Huberman Lab resources, if you search for addiction on hubermanlab.com, you’ll find specific timestamps, primarily from an episode with Dr. Anna Lembke, the director of the Dual Diagnosis Addiction Clinic at Stanford, who wrote Dopamine Nation and skillfully describes the underlying biological mechanisms related to dopamine and addiction treatment. You can overcome addiction; people achieve sobriety.”
Recommended
“Also, Ana's book, Dopamine Nation, is a wonderful one. It will allow you to see and understand that these are brain mechanisms that are at play.”
Recommended
“Ana’s book, Dopamine Nation, is also excellent; it elucidates the brain mechanisms at work, providing understanding that addiction is not simply a lack of willpower, but rather a disruption in neurochemical regulation. Realizing that can offer some relief, as it highlights that while it may not be your fault, it is your responsibility to address it, and you can do”
Discussed
“and then I know Anna lmy when she came on the podcast author of dopamine nation and obviously head of our dual diagnosis addiction clinic at Stanford talked about”
Recommended
“this was discussed in my colleague Dr Anna lemke's book dopamine nation and on this podcast excellent book by the way I highly recommend it”
Recommended
“Another absolutely critical point is discussed in my colleague Dr. Anna Lemke's book, 'Dopamine Nation.' It's a fascinating exploration into dopamine's relationship with addiction—not just drug addiction but other forms as well. We will provide a link to it in the show notes.”
Recommended
“my colleague at Stanford School of Medicine, Dr. Anna Lembke, who wrote the fabulous book Dopamine Nation. If you're interested in dopamine and addiction, in particular, that's a wonderful clear, and extremely informative read.”
Recommended
“And my colleague at Stanford, Dr. Anna Lembke who's the head of our Dual Diagnosis Addiction Clinic has talked about in her amazing book Dopamine Nation about patients of hers that have really helped themselves along and out of the more depressive phases of working through addiction and in just depression in general through directed cold water therapy.”
Recommended
“Also check out her absolutely phenomenal and indeed important book "Dopamine Nation", which touches on some of this as well.”
Discussed
“And this was described in Dr. Anna Lembke's book, "Dopamine Nation", cold showers can increase dopamine, exercise, positive social interactions.”
Discussed
“There's actually a serious issue that came up in our episode with Anna Lembke, who wrote the book "Dopamine Nation".”
Recommended
“She wrote the incredible book "Dopamine Nation."”
Discussed
“a woman you had on your podcast dr anna lemke dopamine nation she talked about a patient who was in getting off of cocaine”
Discussed
“One of the previous guest on the Huberman Lab Podcast was Dr. Anna Lembke, our director of the Dual Diagnosis Addiction Clinic at Stanford. She has an amazing book called "Dopamine Nation", all about dopamine and both its uses, healthy, and its perils in things like addiction.”
Recommended
“One previous guest on the Huberman Lab Podcast, Dr. Anna Lembke, our director at the Dual Diagnosis Addiction Clinic at Stanford, authored the book 'Dopamine Nation,' discussing dopamine's uses and dangers in addiction. She illustrates the case of a patient who used deliberate cold exposure to maintain dopamine levels while withdrawing from drugs that were heavily increasing his dopamine, leading”
Recommended
“you know the the dopamine you asked earlier about the Arc of dopamine and how long it lasts that the one of the key takeaways from that book dopamine nation that I've Incorporated in my own life is that there are certain activities like cold water that create long lasting arcs of dopamine”
Recommended
“Beautiful work by my colleague at Stanford, Dr. Anna Lembke. She wrote Dopamine Nation, incredible book about dopamine in the context of addiction, but all kinds of addiction.”
Recommended
“It is beautifully described in her book "Dopamine Nation," by the way. Excellent book I recommend to all people, addicts or not.”
Recommended
“One of our previous guests, Dr. Anna Lembke, who's a medical doctor at Stanford University School of Medicine, she's a close colleague of mine, described the use dopamine in her book, Dopamine Nation, an incredible book about addiction and dopamine I should mention.”
Recommended
“And there I'm paraphrasing what Dr. Anna Lembke has said, and has written about in her beautiful book, "Dopamine Nation." If you haven't read that book, I highly recommend it.”
Recommended
“Has this amazing book, "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence".”
Steven Bartlett Your book is the the book to read and your workbook as well is a critical critical to read alongside it on… 8
Discussed
“and I'm wondering how everything you write about in Dopamine Nation is related to and critical to understand if I am going to shake some of these bad habits that I have or pick up some new ones.”
Discussed
“And on on page 64 of your workbook of Defy Nation, there's this really interesting image here, which I I'll throw up on the screen.”
Recommended
“Your book is the the book to read and your workbook as well is a critical critical to read alongside it on this subject if people want to learn more and get an even deeper understanding of everything we've talked about today.”
Discussed
“in your book dopamine Nation you talk about an addiction that you had”
Discussed
“I read in um your book you were talking about how different behaviors and sort of chemicals and substances have different impacts and I was on page 50 of dopamin nation in a study of mice sex increases the release of dopamine by 100%”
Discussed
“on page 40 of dopamine Nation you say we've lost the ability to tolerate even minor forms of discomfort”
Discussed
“um in page 186 of your book you say I've become convinced that the way we tell our personal stories is a marker and predictor of mental health”
Recommended
“I've got the dopamine Nation book which was the original”
Jillian Michaels I would refer everybody to Dr anmy who specializes in this who's an addiction specialist and she wrote a bo… 2
Recommended
“I would refer everybody to Dr anmy who specializes in this who's an addiction specialist and she wrote a book called dopamine nation and she breaks it down better than anybody”
Recommended
“I would refer everybody to Dr. Anna, who specializes in this, who's an addiction specialist, and she wrote a book called 'Dopamine Nation' and she breaks it down better than anybody.”
John Deloney The second thing is is what Anna Limkkey, who is one of the greatest writers of our generation, she wrote a… 2
Recommended
“The second thing is is what Anna Limkkey, who is one of the greatest writers of our generation, she wrote a book called Dopamine Nation that I think everybody should read. But I want you to go check that book out.”
Recommended
“If you want to read an amazing book, read Dopamine Nation. It's one of the best books of the last decade.”
Jordan Harbinger and I feel like she was right now that I read things like dopamine Nation they are trying to figure this ou… 4
Recommended
“and I feel like she was right now that I read things like dopamine Nation they are trying to figure this out so that it's more potent and more access”
Discussed
“In the book, there’s a rats and cocaine example, and calling this a bummer is kind of an understatement because it's really scary.”
Discussed
“In the book, you write that we're cacti in the rainforest and we're drowning in dopamine.”
Discussed
“Addiction distorts our perception of time, which was another interesting aspect of the book.”
Rich Roll In the meantime, everybody pick up "Dopamine Nation." I love this book, I think it's gonna help a lot of pe… 4
Discussed
“She's got this new book out called "Dopamine Nation." that's about to come out. And what's interesting about her thesis in this book, she shows up in that documentary, social dilemma, like the idea that we need to look at addiction more broadly, especially in this technological era where everything is impulsing us in an addictive way. But what I”
Discussed
“She's also widely published. She's testified before Congress and as authored two important books, "Drug Dealer MD", which the New York Times declared, one of the top five books to read to understand the opioid epidemic and her newest called "Dopamine Nation" right here, which is a powerful primer on how to moderate compulsive over-consumption in a world where unfortunately”
Discussed
“And I'm interested in your sense of that because, I feel that your work and in particular this latest book, "Dopamine Nation" which we're gonna talk about, really, you know, is furthering that sensibility and providing that kind of perspective to a broad audience.”
Recommended
“In the meantime, everybody pick up "Dopamine Nation." I love this book, I think it's gonna help a lot of people. So, thank you for the work that you do.”
Dr John Delony I want you to read a book called Dopamine Nation by Anna Limkkey. Ell it's a modern masterpiece. Everyone s… 2
Discussed
“the book that you asked me to read as well as Dopam Nation kind of helped me feel a little less crazy during the first initial um getting getting off of it uh kind of quitting culture. So you read Anna Limkey's what I think is a masterpiece Dopamine Nation. What did you think of that book? It was really”
Recommended
“I want you to read a book called Dopamine Nation by Anna Limkkey. Ell it's a modern masterpiece. Everyone should read it. But in that book, she is a um Stanford Medical School professor uh professor who is a psychiatrist who focuses on addiction. And she details in in brave detail her stone cold addiction to romance novel escapism and”
Chris Williamson there's a great book called dopamine Nation by ANM show awesome and I love this idea that the way the dopam… 1
Recommended
“there's a great book called dopamine Nation by ANM show awesome and I love this idea that the way the dopamine system works”
Dan Pfeiffer dopamine Nation by Anna Lemke which is about phone addiction and why it's like other addictions 1
Recommended
“dopamine Nation by Anna Lemke which is about phone addiction and why it's like other addictions”
Keith Humphreys the second book I would suggest again from a friend who someone I've known since she was a psychiatric resi… 1
Recommended
“the second book I would suggest again from a friend who someone I've known since she was a psychiatric resident and I was an assistant professor and that's Dr Anna lmy here at Stanford and the book is called dobleman nation”
Mike Glover the book Comfort crisis dopamine Nation are great books that talk about these kind of things 1
Recommended
“the book Comfort crisis dopamine Nation are great books that talk about these kind of things”
Anna Lembke And he's been just amazing about "Dopamine Nation" and trying to help me, you know, get the word out and ge… 2
Discussed
“And he's been just amazing about "Dopamine Nation" and trying to help me, you know, get the word out and get it read.”
Discussed
“So, in the book that I think the case of Chris possibly one of the things that happened to him was after so many years of opioids, heroin-”
Alex Hutchinson You know, there's a really interesting book by uh Anna Lumpkkey, Dopamine Nation, which really gets into th… 1
Discussed
“You know, there's a really interesting book by uh Anna Lumpkkey, Dopamine Nation, which really gets into the uh the addictive elements of dopamine.”
Andrew Wilkinson I listened to a really fascinating interview with Dr. Anna Lemi uh that Huberman did. She wrote a book call… 1
Discussed
“I listened to a really fascinating interview with Dr. Anna Lemi uh that Huberman did. She wrote a book called uh Dopamine Nation. And her background is in addiction and recovery.”
Dr. Michael Bagnell there's a great book called dopamine Nation written by a psychiatrist out of Stanford 1
Discussed
“there's a great book called dopamine Nation written by a psychiatrist out of Stanford”
Jonathan Haidt And this is Anna LMK's wonderful book, Dopamine Nation, was television, but you could have a habit, but it… 1
Discussed
“And this is Anna LMK's wonderful book, Dopamine Nation, was television, but you could have a habit, but it wasn't it didn't cause addiction in the same way.”
Mel Robbins So, I think that that leads us to something I saw that you covered very early in your book, which is there… 1
Discussed
“So, I think that that leads us to something I saw that you covered very early in your book, which is there is this pleasure pain system that you were born with.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson so how much of this is covered in your dopamine Nation book which came out just a couple of years ago 1
Discussed
“so how much of this is covered in your dopamine Nation book which came out just a couple of years ago”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker15
Discussed
“I tried to read Dopamine Nation, but I I got triggered, and then I got mad and decided I'm done trying to”
Recommended
“Dr Ann lumpkey wrote a book called dopamine nation and she helps people with all kinds of addictions all involving dopamine”
Discussed
“Anna Lembke wrote a book called "Dopamine Nation," and she helps people with all kinds of addictions involving dopamine.”
Recommended
“I mean I I think dopamine Nation by Ann lumy would be a great resource to look into”
Recommended
“I mean I I think dopamine Nation by Ann lumy would be a great resource to look into we put that in the show notes for sure”
Recommended
“Sure, I mean I think that "Dopamine Nation" by Anna Lembke would be a great resource to look into.”
Recommended
“This book helped me grasp the workings of addiction in a new light, particularly around dopamine's role in our behaviors, which feels increasingly relevant in discussions today.”
Recommended
“This theme has been previously discussed in this podcast, particularly alongside my colleague Dr. Anna Lembke at Stanford School of Medicine, who authored the compelling book 'Dopamine Nation.' If you are interested in dopamine and addiction, I recommend reading it, as it's an elucidating and informative resource.”
Recommended
“Also, check out her phenomenal and indeed important book, 'Dopamine Nation,' which discusses some of these topics as well.”
Discussed
“It’s noteworthy that cold showers can elevate dopamine levels, a concept discussed in Dr. Anna Lembke's book, "Dopamine Nation."”
Recommended
“She wrote the outstanding book, 'Dopamine Nation,' and has been a guest on this podcast, as well as Joe Rogan's podcast, Rich Roll's podcast, and several others.”
Recommended
“We've spoken before about the pleasure-pain balance within the dopamine system, which Dr. Anna Lembke also addressed when she was a guest on this podcast and described beautifully in her book, "Dopamine Nation," a recommended read for everyone.”
Discussed
“Dr. Anna Lembke, a medical doctor at Stanford University School of Medicine and a close colleague of mine, discussed dopamine in her book, 'Dopamine Nation,' which is an incredible read about addiction and dopamine. She referenced one of her patients who achieved sobriety by utilizing deliberate cold exposure to increase dopamine levels—a healthier method of releasing dopamine compared to previous”
Discussed
“The rules are whatever I say they are in the moment, subject to change. Next book, "Dopamine Nation" by Anna Lembke, great book.”
Recommended
“There, I'm paraphrasing what Dr. Anna Lembke has said and has written about in her beautiful book, 'Dopamine Nation.' If you haven't read that book, I highly recommend it.”

Also mentioned in the same episodes

Other mentions (13: passing, ad reads, own books)
Plugged
“and you know, kind of the big idea in Dopamine Nation is that we've essentially drugified everything, whether it's substances or behaviors or work or relationships.”
Plugged
“You wrote this um iconic book about this word dopamine. Why does it matter so much?”
Passing
“we've we've talked about this a little bit on the show with Triston Harris episode 533 and I just had a conversation with Anna lmy dopamine Nation it's like I can't remember episode 901 or something like that about the intermittent variable rewards”
Plugged
“but also as I as I talk about in in my book dopamine Nation a kind of leveraging the shame within the group”
Plugged
“and specifically in terms of what can be done beyond the kinds of individual and family interventions that I talk about in my book”
Passing
“the first is Johns Hopkins University press and the dopamine nation is published by Dutton penguin Random House”
Passing
“This issue was discussed in our episode with Anna Lembke, author of 'Dopamine Nation', where we covered the social context formed by pornography availability and the resultant genuine addiction.”
Passing
“Anna Lembke MD, author of two important books, "Drug Dealer MD" and her newest work "Dopamine Nation", in episode 623, she gave us a powerful primer”
Plugged
“as i talk about in the book i got addicted to romance novels i started with the twilight saga and i eventually you know over time graduated to socially sanctioned pornography for women which is these erotica novels not consistent with my values”
Plugged
“so i just really want to emphasize that we're talking about a spectrum disorder and my book is mainly targeting people who are a little bit addicted”
Plugged
“I'm excited to tell you that she has a new book coming out called "Dopamine Nation, Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence". The book comes out August 24th and is an absolutely fascinating read into addiction and ways to treat various types of addiction.”

Portraits from Wikimedia Commons: Andrew Huberman, Jamesbrianbounds / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0); Rich Roll, Compassion Over Killing / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0); Chris Williamson, CiaPeterson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0); Anna Lembke, EthicsinSociety / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0); Alex Hutchinson, Gladiator-Citizen / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).