Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

Dr. Anna Lembke is a practicing clinical psychiatrist and a scholar in the field of addiction. A professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, Lembke has authored numerous publications, including peer-reviewed studies and the 2016 book Drug Dealer, MD: How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It’s so Hard to Stop. In addition, Lembke has made numerous appearances in the media, including two documentaries: The Social Dilemma (2020) and Take Your Pills: Xanax (2022).

In Dopamine Nation, Lembke uses numerous patient stories from her clinical practice as anecdotal evidence for the many data-driven, research-backed claims in the book. As someone with a fairly substantial media profile, Lembke’s remains in control of her own personal story and nonprofessional life. She’s a wife and mother, which she mentions in the book as she reflects on her parenting skills in relation to the narrative. She also discloses and reflects on her often troubled, tense relationship with her mother.

Additionally, the book reveals Lembke’s own battle with a compulsive condition and discusses how she diagnosed and overcame it. While the book follows a persuasive rhetorical strategy, with the ultimate aim of encouraging people to consider their own tendencies toward compulsive behavior, Lembke’s narrative persona throughout Is that of a compassionate and empathetic guide rather than a judgmental, pedantic critic.