This is your brain on dopamine

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#Society #Higher Education #Podcasting Education #Self-Improvement #Washington Post

33:19

What’s the secret to lasting friendships? How does queer community show up through the ebbs and flows of life? And what’s the REAL story behind the “YMCA” song? In the first episode of Silver Linings, The Old Gays dive into an essential part of queer life: chosen family. They discuss the vital love, support, and sense of belonging that community provides, especially during life's toughest moments. They open up about what “queer” means to them, how chosen family has impacted their lives, and how to maintain close bonds over time–including their love for each other! “We’ve come a long way, baby.” Family isn’t just what you’re born with; it’s the people who show up, shape you, and stick around. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

about a year ago 9:39

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Anna explains how our devices keep us hooked by triggering dopamine surges — and why, over time, this actually leaves us feeling worse. She breaks down the “plenty paradox,” the idea that having unlimited access to pleasure might be making us more anxious and less happy.

But the good news? We can reset our dopamine levels and regain control of our attention. This episode lays the groundwork for understanding the science behind our tech habits — so we can start making intentional changes.

Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

27 episodes

This is your brain on dopamine

Try This

57 subscribers

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

27 episodes

#Society #Higher Education #Podcasting Education #Self-Improvement #Washington Post

All episodes

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1
Become someone everyone wants to talk to 30:52

4 weeks ago30:52

30:52

Want to be a better conversationalist, listener, and all-around great company? In this special episode, host Cristina Quinn talks with Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and author Charles Duhigg (" Supercommunicators " and " The Power of Habit ") about the science of effective communication. Duhigg breaks down why some conversations feel effortless while others leave us frustrated — and how simple skills like asking deeper questions, practicing active listening, and matching emotional tones can make a difference. They discuss the concept of “neural entrainment” — how our brains sync up during great conversations — and why feeling understood is more important than agreeing. You’ll walk away with three easy tips to practice right away, plus a new mindset that could transform how you connect with friends, colleagues, and even strangers. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
Limits that last 14:04

8 weeks ago14:04

14:04

It’s not only about digital boundaries. Washington Post tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler, in conversation with host Cristina Quinn, shares insights on physical and social boundaries we need to put in place to reclaim our focus. He offers tips like setting expectations at work and designating screen-free hours with family. And addiction psychiatrist Anna Lembke reminds us why breaking free from digital distractions isn’t just an individual effort, but a collective one. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a full tool kit of strategies to reclaim your focus, build healthier habits and create a more intentional relationship with your devices. Geoff recommends using Common Sense Media as a source guide for creating rules and boundaries around phone use for kids. They also offer a handy family contract which you can access right here . Watch the full conversation between Geoffrey and Cristina on YouTube . Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
Let’s set some boundaries 14:35

9 weeks ago14:35

14:35

If you're ready to take back control of your attention, here’s where to start. Host Cristina Quinn chats with Washington Post tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler about self-binding — creating intentional boundaries with your devices to reduce distractions and reclaim your focus. Geoffrey shares his own experiments and practical strategies, such as reorganizing a home screen and resetting algorithms. They also grapple with why traditional time limits on apps often backfire and how something as simple as moving an app off your home screen can shift your relationship with your phone. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
How to reset your brain’s reward system 15:45

10 weeks ago15:45

15:45

Many of us are caught in a loop of instant gratification, driven by the brain’s reward system. In this episode, host Cristina Quinn talks with psychiatrist and addiction expert Anna Lembke about how to break free from compulsive digital habits and reset our dopamine levels. Anna explains how our brains become desensitized to pleasure over time, making us crave more and more stimulation. The good news? A 30-day “abstinence trial” can help reset our baseline and bring our dopamine levels back into balance. But quitting isn’t easy — temporary withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, irritability and boredom often surface before things improve. Through her own experience overcoming an unexpected addiction, Anna shares strategies to resist temptation, set up barriers to consumption and replace addictive behaviors with more fulfilling activities. Reclaiming our attention isn’t just about cutting back — it’s about learning to be present, engage with the world around us and rediscover what truly brings us joy. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
This is your brain on dopamine 9:39

11 weeks ago9:39

9:39

Ever wonder why you can’t stop scrolling, even when you know you should? It probably comes down to dopamine, a key neurotransmitter that drives pleasure and motivation. In this episode, host Cristina Quinn talks to psychiatrist Anna Lembke, author of “Dopamine Nation,” about the neuroscience behind digital addiction. Anna explains how our devices keep us hooked by triggering dopamine surges — and why, over time, this actually leaves us feeling worse. She breaks down the “plenty paradox,” the idea that having unlimited access to pleasure might be making us more anxious and less happy. But the good news? We can reset our dopamine levels and regain control of our attention . This episode lays the groundwork for understanding the science behind our tech habits — so we can start making intentional changes. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
Why doing good feels great 11:30

23 weeks ago11:30

11:30

In the third and final episode of our three-part course on cultivating joy, host Cristina Quinn dives into the connection between spreading kindness and experiencing happiness. Steven Petrow , author of “ The Joy You Make ,” shares compelling research on the “ helper’s high ” and how you can bring joy to others and yourself — whether it’s through volunteering, helping a neighbor or even sharing a simple moment with a stranger. Steven also challenges listeners to reconnect with lost traditions, such as handwriting letters, and shows how something as simple as picking up the phone can deepen relationships and spread joy. For more on spreading joy, read about “ kindness contagion ” and how to build connections in adult life . Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
Get lost. And play a little. 9:29

23 weeks ago9:29

9:29

In this second class in our course on finding joy, host Cristina Quinn explores practical exercises to help you embrace joy in everyday life. Steven Petrow , author of “ The Joy You Make ” and a contributing columnist for The Post, shares how things like wandering without a destination and rediscovering play can open the door to more joy, even during life’s toughest moments. Steven helps you learn how to cultivate joy through presence and curiosity, the transformative power of “getting lost” to create unexpected moments of connection, and how to embrace play — without the pressure to win. For more of Steven’s work on joy, read about how he found joy during the most difficult times in his life and how he learned to build play into his life . Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
Some happiness is predetermined. The rest is up to you. 12:53

24 weeks ago12:53

12:53

Happiness, it turns out, comes down to a science — even though what makes each of us happy can vary pretty widely. Host Cristina Quinn talks to happiness scientist Emiliana Simon-Thomas, science director at UC-Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center , about exactly what makes us happy and how much of our sense of joy is within our control. Drawing from the science of happiness, Emiliana explains that happiness isn’t about chasing fleeting positive emotions, but rather it’s about fostering an overarching sense of contentment, belonging and resilience. She also lays out how much of happiness is influenced by genetics, external circumstances and the choices we make. This course reminds us that happiness isn’t out of reach — it’s something we can cultivate every day. Emiliana and her colleagues at the Greater Good Science Center have been collecting data on happiness through the Big Joy Project, a seven-day online study where participants are assigned a micro-act of joy every day. Learn more about the project here . For some extra happiness tips, read about trying new things for joy and embracing “joy snacks .” Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
Should we change the way we elect presidents? Can we? 11:45

32 weeks ago11:45

11:45

The electoral college has served as the system to elect U.S. presidents since the earliest days of the country. And while it has evolved over the years, Americans still use this complex representative system to choose their country’s leaders. The system, however, is not without its flaws — and many have pushed for alternatives over the years. In the third class about how the electoral college works, host Cristina Quinn talks with historian Alex Keyssar about potential alternatives to the way the United States elects presidents. The class explores the merits and flaws of the current system, and lays out the challenges to putting a different one in place. Here are resources to help you learn more about attempts to overhaul the electoral college: National Popular Vote plan challenges undemocratic electoral college One almost-successful attempt to reform the electoral college And don’t forget to vote! You can check the status of your 2024 voter registration here . Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
How we ended up with the electoral college system 12:10

32 weeks ago12:10

12:10

In the second class in our series about how the electoral college works, host Cristina Quinn talks to historian Alex Keyssar of the Harvard Kennedy School about the compromises that drove the Founding Fathers to land on a complex, winner-takes-all system rather than a straightforward popular vote. Keyssar walks listeners through the evolution of our voting system in the years following the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, and how things like electoral vote ties, the introduction of political parties and the end of slavery eventually led to the version of the voting system we have today. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
How the electoral college works 13:33

32 weeks ago13:33

13:33

Remembering all the complex details of how the electoral college works is not exactly easy. And just when you’ve mastered how it all adds up, you probably won’t need to think about it again for another four years — hardly a formula for cementing something in your brain. “Try This” host Cristina Quinn is here to help. The first class in our three-part series on the electoral college explains how the system works, the complicated way electoral votes are assigned and awarded, and what happens between Election Day and Inauguration Day. Washington Post politics reporters Aaron Blake and Amy Gardner join Cristina to make the whole thing so accessible that your high school civics teacher would be proud. Here are some resources if you’d like to dive deeper into the electoral college: An explainer on how the electoral college votes How the electoral college works, in visuals How fair is the electoral college? Mapping paths to victory in 2024 Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
Post Reports: How to make sense of political polls 28:13

33 weeks ago28:13

28:13

The team behind “Try This” is dedicated to helping listeners learn new things, in ways that feel doable. So we're sharing a recent “Post Reports” episode about how polling works. On this episode of The Washington Post’s daily news podcast, “Post Reports,” Martine Powers speaks with The Post’s deputy polling director, Emily Guskin. Emily explains how a poll comes to be, details what to look for when trying to understand whether a poll is trustworthy, and breaks down once and for all what “margin of error” really means. As the U.S. presidential election gets closer, “Try This” will release a new audio course dedicated to bettering ourselves through civic engagement. Stick to this feed to find that course soon. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

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1
From ‘I want to be’ to ... ‘I am’ 13:20

37 weeks ago13:20

13:20

Humans have a tendency to interpret information and experiences in ways that support our existing beliefs. Host Cristina Quinn returns to clinical psychologist Natalie Dattilo-Ryan to understand how you can change long-held beliefs by using confirmation bias in your favor. Datillo-Ryan explains how to identify a belief about the type of person you want to be and then figure out steps you can take to support that goal. For more on how to make affirmations work for you, read this from The Post’s Allyson Chiu. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
Let your beliefs do the work 15:17

38 weeks ago15:17

15:17

Affirmations help buffer stress and can make you emotionally and mentally stronger. Host Cristina Quinn talks to clinical psychologist Natalie Dattilo-Ryan about what kinds of affirmations are most effective. She lays out an exercise to help get you started with identifying the right kinds of statements to shore up your sense of self. Next, Cristina dives into research on affirmations and stress levels with Carnegie Mellon University psychology and neuroscience professor David Creswell. Creswell’s work reveals how affirmations can activate the brain's reward system. For more on how to make affirmations work for you, read this from The Post’s Allyson Chiu. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .…

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1
The kitchen sink 11:20

45 weeks ago11:20