In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re exploring some of the most common, yet least understood, mental health challenges.

This week, Leah speaks with Dr. Anna Lembke, author of “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.” Anna shares the science behind compulsive overconsumption and explains how the brain’s pleasure-pain balance can lead us into addictive loops — even when it comes to seemingly harmless behaviors.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: The Number One Predictor of a Long and Happy Life with Dr. Robert Waldinger