Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke_the Pursuit of Pleasure

I haven’t been grateful enough for what I have been given. That is why I’ve pushed myself to do something more. When I am not able to do what I want to finish, I am angry and depressed. Unfulfilled days lead to feelings of guilt and self-doubt. That has caused too much sleep, sugar overconsumption, and meaningless meetings. Paradoxically, I like doing nothing as well. Doing nothing makes me bored. I can reflect on what I want and need when I am bored. Anna Lembke talks about “mindfulness” in a later chapter. Nowadays, I apply mindfulness to boredom. I think it works for me to be healed and energized. As Anna Lembke said, I feel like pursuing constant pleasure puts me in pain. Even enjoyable things for me, like artwork, going somewhere beautiful, reading books, and listening to audiobooks, became dull and futile. The meaning of family and friends disappeared. Am I addicted to making myself happy? Does that make me unhappier? Sometimes, I think I am addicted to my work, so I need to know what to do when overwhelmed with it. I need to be self-disciplined to distinguish what I have been addicted to and what fear I need to overcome.