This excerpt from Anna Lembke’s "Dopamine Nation" discusses the modern-day struggle with compulsive overconsumption in a world saturated with high-reward, high-potency stimuli. Lembke argues that our brains are wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain, but that the modern world provides easy access to potent rewards that can easily tip this balance, leading to addiction. The book explores various forms of self-binding, such as dopamine fasting, physical limitations, and radical honesty, as potential strategies for managing compulsive behaviors. Lembke also examines the complex relationship between shame and addiction, suggesting that prosocial shame, which involves honesty, acceptance, and a plan for redemption, can be more effective in combating addiction than destructive shame, which leads to isolation and further consumption.