About this episode

Dr. Anna Lembke discusses the relationship between dopamine, motivation, and behavior in the context of pleasure and pain.

Host Andrea Samadi welcomes Dr. Anna Lembke to explain how pleasure and pain share the same neural circuitry and how dopamine governs motivation. The episode explores why overconsumption of easy rewards dulls motivation, creates withdrawal-like deficits, and shifts the brain toward pain. Through clear takeaways—delay borrowed rewards, try temporary abstinence, create friction for temptations, and practice purposeful effort—the episode shows how recalibrating the brain’s reward system restores enjoyment in ordinary activities and builds sustainable motivation. Welcome back to Season 15 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast. I'm Andrea Samadi, and on this podcast, we bridge the science behind social and emotional learning, emotional intelligence, and practical neuroscience so we can create measurable improvements in well-being, achievement, productivity, and results. Season 15 Orientation This season, we're exploring what I call: The Brain's Operating System for Human Performance. Instead of looking at neuroscience, health, learning, motivation, and emotional intelligence as separate topics, (like we did for the past 14 seasons) we're exploring how these…

People in this episode

Host: Andrea Samadi

Guest: Dr. Anna Lembke

Topics covered

• dopamine
• motivation
• neural circuitry
• behavior
• reward system

Keywords

• dopamine
• motivation
• behavior
• pleasure
• pain
• reward system
• withdrawal

More episodes of Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning

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• Move to Learn: How Movement Activates the Brain and Fuels Motivation (with Dr. Chuck Hillman and Paul Zientarski) · May 31, 2026 · 35 min
• Theory of Mind: The Missing Link Between Attention, Reward, and Motivation with John Medina · May 17, 2026 · 37 min

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