Last Minute Lecture

Addiction, Medication, and the Pain Paradox — Opioids, Buprenorphine, and Broken Balance in Dopamine Nation What happens when our solutions to pain create new problems? In Chapter 6 of Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Anna Lembke, MD, we delve into the tangled relationship between addiction, medication, and pain. This chapter draws on the story of Chris—a high-achieving student whose struggles with mental health, opioid use, and treatment with buprenorphine illustrate the difficult realities of modern addiction and the double-edged nature of medical interventions. 🎥 Watch the full podcast-style summary below, and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more deep dives into the science of addiction, mental health, and neuroscience: Chris’s Journey: From Promise to Pain Chris began his college life at Stanford with great promise but soon faced social isolation, mental health struggles, and a devastating suicide attempt. Turning to opioids provided...