What if the addiction isn’t the problem?
Apr 07, 2026
What if the problem isn’t the thing you keep going back to…
but what it’s doing for you?
In this week’s episode of Master Stress with Dr. S, I reflect on my conversation with Charlie Engle — and explore the deeper science behind why we keep chasing.
Because addiction isn’t always obvious.
It can look like substances.
But it can also look like scrolling, achieving, staying busy, or needing constant validation.
At the centre of it all is dopamine — not just the “pleasure chemical”, but the driver of anticipation and motivation.
And when we’re constantly exposed to high spikes, something subtle begins to happen:
our baseline shifts…
and ordinary life starts to feel flat.
So we chase again.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why addiction is often about attachment, avoidance, and nervous system dysregulation.
- How high performance can mirror addictive patterns.
- The difference between discipline and compulsion.
- How stress, when used wisely, can build resilience — not burnout.
- Simple ways to begin resetting your dopamine baseline.
But perhaps the most important question is this:
What am I actually addicted to?
Because the answer isn’t about judgement —
it’s about honesty.
Listen here
When you understand the pattern, you create space to change it.
With care,
Dr. Safia
Coach | Breathwork Facilitator | Doctor | Speaker
Bsc MBBS DCH DRCOG MRCGP MPH DipOccMed
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