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How to Overcome Addiction to Substances or Behaviors | Dr. Keith Humphreys

2026-01-12 Science & Technology
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Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman
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Description

Dr. Keith Humphreys is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine and a leading expert on treating addictions, drug laws and policy. We discuss all the major addictive substances and behaviors, including alcohol, opioids, gambling, stimulants, nicotine, cannabis and more, focusing on how genetics and certain use patterns shape addiction susceptibility. We discuss the best evidence-based tools for recovery, from 12-step programs to emerging treatments such as psychedelics and ibogaine. Anyone interested in making better choices for their health and/or seeking to avoid or overcome addictions ought to benefit from this episode. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/Ir6zQnv *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman *Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://x.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Dr. Keith Humphreys* Stanford academic profile: https://profiles.stanford.edu/keith-humphreys Book: https://amzlink.to/az0Q03kPwfVJb Stanford-Lancet Commission on the North American Opioid Crisis: https://opioids.stanford.edu Stanford Network on Addiction Policy: https://addictionpolicy.stanford.edu The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/keith-humphreys The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/keith-humphreys Publications: https://profiles.stanford.edu/keith-humphreys?tab=publications X: https://x.com/KeithNHumphreys *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Keith Humphreys 00:03:22 Addiction; Genetic Risk 00:09:14 Alcohol Use Disorder & Alcoholism; Genetic Predisposition & Addiction Risk 00:18:03 Sponsors: David & BetterHelp 00:20:37 Women & Alcohol Use; Young Adults; Cannabis Use 00:23:36 Health Benefit to Alcohol?, Red Wine, Cancer Risk; Social Pressure 00:31:47 Alcohol in Social Gatherings, Social Anxiety, Vulnerability, Work & Dates 00:37:41 Old vs New Cannabis & THC Levels; Smoked vs Edible Forms 00:44:38 Cannabis & Psychosis Risk; Cardiac Health; Youth Cannabis Use & Transition to Adulthood 00:52:29 Sponsor: AG1 00:54:13 Industries of Addiction, Regulation; Gambling, Slot Machines, Novelty; Casinos 01:05:28 Decriminalization vs Legalization; Cannabis, Gateway Drug? 01:08:50 Psylocibin or LSD, Addiction Treatment; Microdosing, Clinical Trial Challenges 01:18:58 Sponsor: Helix Sleep 01:20:32 Brain Plasticity & Age; Ketamine, Depression, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) 01:28:10 SSRIs, Mass Shootings, Suicide, Side Effects; Drug Approval; Ibogaine & PTSD 01:36:10 Caffeine Addiction?; Stimulants & Rehab; Prescription Stimulants & ADHD 01:44:04 Nicotine, Mistaking Withdrawal for Benefit 01:47:24 Sponsor: LMNT 01:48:44 Tool: How to Talk to Someone with Addiction 01:55:23 Perception of Addicts, Character Defect, Pain 02:00:58 Overcoming Addiction, Immediate Rewards, AA; Addict & Co-Dependency? 02:09:53 Longterm Drug Use, Dopamine, Cues & Relapse; Social Media 02:16:21 Brain Stimulation, TMS; Homelessness, Substance Use & Rehab 02:26:11 Addiction Treatment Policy, Rehab & Insurance 02:29:08 Tool: 12-Step Programs, AA, Accessibility & Benefits 02:38:08 AA, Higher Power, Cult?; Flexibility, Tool: Open AA Meetings 02:44:38 GLP-1s, Weight Loss, Alcohol Addiction; Pharmaceutical Advertisements 02:52:39 Social Media Addiction, Tool: Avoiding Social Media Strategies 02:58:36 “Failure to Launch”, Youth, Video Games, Social Media; Recovery Pathways 03:04:13 AA as an Action Program, Tool: Try Different AA Meetings 03:08:21 Hospice, Death, Overcoming Fear of Death 03:13:54 Addiction to Escape Death?, Desire for Oblivion 03:18:11 Men vs Women & Addiction; Lying; Relapse; Fentanyl & Addiction Advice 03:24:27 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #Science Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Top Comments (10)

@chrispmar 2026-01-12

I'm addicted to watching Youtube videos. Especially videos on health issues. I'm especially addicted to watching videos about addiction. Maybe this video will help.

408 33 replies
@Androopyful 2026-01-13

Year and 5 months sober of fentanyl it's possible. I did have to have medical intervention and I'm clean off all opioids for that long. Hardest thing I've ever done. Life is great now and I'm very happy 😊

142 3 replies
@YaroslavMarkovych 2026-01-12

We have to admit that addiction is not “love for a substance,” but a habit of running away from discomfort. As long as you treat the symptom (craving) and not the cause (what you’re running from), you’re simply swapping one addiction for another.

116 8 replies
@hubermanlab 2026-01-12

Thank you for watching. Please click the subscribe tab and then the "bell" icon to subscribe to our channel here on YouTube and get notified when new content is posted... And thank you for your interest in science! -- Andrew

67 14 replies
@VYXEN-ROSE88 2026-01-12

Andrew I started w meth at age 15 and heroin at 23. I'm 37 now w 11 months clean. Thank you for helping me understand myself in a new way. If you don't know. Whenever I see your new upload I always choose yours first. Appreciate you!!! Hugs to you

46 3 replies
@ambrosiawilt7401 2026-01-12

At 7 days clean, I couldn't have listened to a better podcast. Thank you both so much.

34 7 replies
@maxwillson 2026-01-12

Drinking alcohol is like playing a video game with cheat codes but you can't save the game, all of your progress is gone the next day. Then when you build up a tolerance for the drug, the cheat code goes away. Now you're just playing the video game without any ability to save and you might go to prison if you lose.

34
@GraceAlone50 2026-01-12

"I was not so far along in my education that I was incapable of learning." Thats my favorite line of this interview.

31
@jim.m.milton 2026-01-13

I've never seen hospice care from the perspective of being the last friend a person makes. It must be a very powerful experience, looking through those lenses.

12
@NoirLoveManhwa 2026-01-12

Addiction is so often misunderstood. Videos like this help people see it as a process that can actually be changed.

10

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