<p>In this episode with award-winning journalist and author Maia Szalavitz challenges the idea that addiction is simply about pleasure or willpower. Instead, she explains addiction as compulsive behavior that continues despite negative consequences — and shows why withdrawal, dependence, and addiction are not the same thing.</p><p>The conversation explores “wanting” versus “liking,” why dopamine is misunderstood, how social media and AI can exploit reward systems, and why punishment often fails. Ultimately, Szalavitz argues that recovery depends less on tough love and more on connection, purpose, safety, and care.</p><p></p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Understanding Addiction: Definitions and Mechanisms</p><p>10:43 The Role of Dopamine in Addiction</p><p>14:18 Addiction as a Learning Disorder</p><p>16:22 Substance vs. Experience: The Nature of Addiction</p><p>20:13 Evidence-Based Methods for Overcoming Addiction</p><p>25:20 Finding Meaning and Purpose Beyond Addiction</p><p>33:30 The Pursuit of Meaningful Experiences</p><p>34:15 Understanding Dopamine and Pleasure</p><p>39:10 The Complexity of Addiction</p><p>43:00 Social Media and Addiction Dynamics</p><p>50:42 Generational Perspectives on Technology and Addiction</p><p>57:53 Lessons Learned in Addiction Science</p><p>01:02:03 Rethinking Addiction: A New Perspective</p><p>01:03:54 The Compulsive Nature of Addiction</p><p>01:04:14 Understanding Addiction Beyond Pleasure</p><p>01:05:27 The Importance of Connection and Compassion</p><p></p><p>Follow Maia Szalavitz on</p><p>X (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/maiasz">https://x.com/maiasz</a>)</p><p></p><p>Follow Breaking Math on</p><p>Substack (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://breakingmath.substack.com/">https://breakingmath.substack.com/</a>)</p><p>X (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/breakingmathpod">https://x.com/breakingmathpod</a>)</p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/breakingmathmedia/">https://www.instagram.com/breakingmathmedia/</a>)</p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/breakingmath.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/breakingmath.bsky.social</a>)</p><p>Website (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.breakingmath.io/">https://www.breakingmath.io/</a>)</p><p>YouTube (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingMathPod">https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingMathPod</a>)</p><p></p><p>Follow Noah on</p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/profnoahgian/">https://www.instagram.com/profnoahgian/</a>)</p><p>X (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/ProfNoahGian">https://x.com/ProfNoahGian</a>)</p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/profnoahgian.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/profnoahgian.bsky.social</a>)</p><p></p><p>Follow Autumn on</p><p>X (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/1autumn_leaf">https://x.com/1autumn_leaf</a>)</p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/1autumnleaf.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/1autumnleaf.bsky.social</a>)</p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/1autumnleaf/">https://www.instagram.com/1autumnleaf/</a>)</p><p>Substack (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://substack.com/@1autumnleaf">https://substack.com/@1autumnleaf</a>)</p><p>email: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></p>