This is a time of unprecedented access to high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, Facebooking, Instagramming, YouTubing, tweeting . . . the increased numbers, variety, and potency are staggering. And yet paradoxically we’re less happy, more anxious, and more depressed. In this talk, Professor Anna Lembke provides a practical, science-informed approach to finding balance in a reward-overloaded world. 

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Explain the neuroscience of pleasure and pain and what happens in the brain as we repeatedly consume high-dopamine rewards. (CanMEDS–FM: Scholar 4.1)
• Describe homeostasis and its relationship to mental health. (CanMEDS–FM: Family Medicine Expert – Core Principle 2, Health Advocate 5.1)
• Identify dopamine fasting as a practical, feasible, and effective way to reset reward pathways. (CanMEDS–FM: Health Advocate 5.1, Scholar 4.1)
• Review the science of hormesis: The intentional pursuit of pain/discomfort to improve mood and well-being. (CanMEDS–FM: Scholar 4.1, Professional 6.1)