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The Dopamine Brain: Your Science-Backed Guide to Balancing Pleasure and Purpose
Have you ever felt like you're lacking control over certain habits?
Are you curious about the neuroscience behind addictive behaviours?
What if you could understand how the brain works, and use that knowledge to regain control over your habits and lead a more fulfilling life?
Sex, shopping, eating, social media, drugs and gambling are just some of the things that can trigger a release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that is involved in the brain's reward system. The overindulgence of certain pursuits can disrupt the level of dopamine in our brain, which can steer us towards habits that do not align with our core values.
Fortunately, The Dopamine Brain offers a clear and practical way to help people find balance and harmony in their lives. The book is divided into three parts that weaves in the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, case studies and reflective questions.
> The first part helps you understand how dopamine works and identify activities that dopamine might have you hooked on.
> The next part encourages you to explore and reflect on your core values and building a life that is meaningful, enduring and satisfying.
> The last part will help you to make the change via sound psychological techniques.
By the end of this guide, Dr Hronis will help you feel empowered to make both pleasurable and purposeful choices, leading to a full, rich and meaningful life.
Are you curious about the neuroscience behind addictive behaviours?
What if you could understand how the brain works, and use that knowledge to regain control over your habits and lead a more fulfilling life?
Sex, shopping, eating, social media, drugs and gambling are just some of the things that can trigger a release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that is involved in the brain's reward system. The overindulgence of certain pursuits can disrupt the level of dopamine in our brain, which can steer us towards habits that do not align with our core values.
Fortunately, The Dopamine Brain offers a clear and practical way to help people find balance and harmony in their lives. The book is divided into three parts that weaves in the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, case studies and reflective questions.
> The first part helps you understand how dopamine works and identify activities that dopamine might have you hooked on.
> The next part encourages you to explore and reflect on your core values and building a life that is meaningful, enduring and satisfying.
> The last part will help you to make the change via sound psychological techniques.
By the end of this guide, Dr Hronis will help you feel empowered to make both pleasurable and purposeful choices, leading to a full, rich and meaningful life.
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Published September 3, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 26, 2025
"The ‘dopamine drive’ is typically quick, automatic and unconscious. It raises questions about how much choice and free will over our behaviours we really have. Are we truly as in control of our actions as we think we are?
And what can we do to resist the pull of dopamine, which can be a very primal force?"
The Dopamine Brain was a mixed bag for me. I am very interested in neurobiology and psychology, so I put this one on my list when I came across it. Although I enjoyed some of the book, I had a few gripes. From the books' title, I was expecting a scientific examination of dopamine in the body. That's not really what this book is. More below.
Author Anastasia Hronis is a clinical psychologist and founder of the Australian Institute for Human Wellness in Sydney, Australia. Her main areas of clinical work and research is in addictions, with a specific focus on gambling.
Anastasia Hronis:
Hronis opens the book with an engaging intro. She then provides a bit of background, by telling the reader about a few common neurotransmitters, and their relevant roles in the brain.
In this short quote, she tells the reader about the ubiquity of dopamine in the natural world:
In Chapter 2, she examines some common myths about dopamine, including dopamine "detox," and "anti-dopamine parenting" being an effective way to raise children.
The book has a summary at the end of every chapter, which is a literary tool I find helpful in retaining the information. Too bad more books don't include these, as I feel they are conducive to effective learning.
Ok, so now on to my gripes. She says early on: "We understand neurogenetics and the ways in which specific genes are associated with neurological disorders. We understand neuroplasticity and the brain’s ability to repair and rewire itself." I don't know why a science book would use language like this. Saying we "understand neurogenetics" implies that science fully understands the intricate relationship between genetics and mental pathology. This is not true.
Science has a very limited and narrow view of how genetics and brain disorders relate. For example, there is still no current consensus on the biological mechanisms of action responsible for most mental pathologies: Schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety; to name a few. Science only "understands" the causality of single-gene disorders like Huntington's, cystic fibrosis, hemochromatosis, Tay-Sachs, and sickle cell anemia. But many diseases are multifactorial, and have both a genetic and environmental causal component. Not to mention that the genetic components of many diseases are spread out across many genes in the genome, and even the epigenome. These complex interactions are far from "understood."
She also mentions the "chemical imbalance theory" of depression and mental disorders. This theory has been widely discredited years ago, by many of the world's leading psychological associations. See here for more.
The author spends quite a bit of time in the second part of the book walking the reader through some simplistic exercises designed to get them to identify their values. She also talks extensively about delineating goals and values. I felt that this entire chapter was superfluous to this book. I was hoping for a more detailed scientific examination of dopamine in the body, not a book about values and goals. This section was pulled straight out of many other self-help books.
She also devotes a large chunk of the writing in the last half of the book covering case studies of some of the clients from her clinical practice. I was becoming bored. Nothing here is new, or even interesting. From here, she takes a sharp turn into the practice of mindfulness. Although I enjoy mindful practices and have read many books on the topic, I did not expect (or appreciate) the addition of this material to this book.
Finally, as touched on briefly at the start of this review, the title of the book had me expecting a sceitific examination into dopamine. While the science of dopamine is covered here, it takes a backseat to all her talk of self-help and mindfulness.
********************
The Dopamine Brain didn't live up to my expectations; for the reasons above. Thankfully it was not any longer, as I probably would have put it down.
2.5 stars.
And what can we do to resist the pull of dopamine, which can be a very primal force?"
The Dopamine Brain was a mixed bag for me. I am very interested in neurobiology and psychology, so I put this one on my list when I came across it. Although I enjoyed some of the book, I had a few gripes. From the books' title, I was expecting a scientific examination of dopamine in the body. That's not really what this book is. More below.
Author Anastasia Hronis is a clinical psychologist and founder of the Australian Institute for Human Wellness in Sydney, Australia. Her main areas of clinical work and research is in addictions, with a specific focus on gambling.
Anastasia Hronis:
Hronis opens the book with an engaging intro. She then provides a bit of background, by telling the reader about a few common neurotransmitters, and their relevant roles in the brain.
In this short quote, she tells the reader about the ubiquity of dopamine in the natural world:
"Dopamine, like all neurotransmitters, contains the basic building blocks of life: oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen. It exists not only in humans, but in all animals. Primitive lizards and reptiles living tens of millions of years ago had dopamine as part of their neurochemistry. What’s more, dopamine serves a similar role in animals as it does in humans: it modifies behaviours by playing a crucial function in learning and reinforcement from rewards."
In Chapter 2, she examines some common myths about dopamine, including dopamine "detox," and "anti-dopamine parenting" being an effective way to raise children.
The book has a summary at the end of every chapter, which is a literary tool I find helpful in retaining the information. Too bad more books don't include these, as I feel they are conducive to effective learning.
Ok, so now on to my gripes. She says early on: "We understand neurogenetics and the ways in which specific genes are associated with neurological disorders. We understand neuroplasticity and the brain’s ability to repair and rewire itself." I don't know why a science book would use language like this. Saying we "understand neurogenetics" implies that science fully understands the intricate relationship between genetics and mental pathology. This is not true.
Science has a very limited and narrow view of how genetics and brain disorders relate. For example, there is still no current consensus on the biological mechanisms of action responsible for most mental pathologies: Schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety; to name a few. Science only "understands" the causality of single-gene disorders like Huntington's, cystic fibrosis, hemochromatosis, Tay-Sachs, and sickle cell anemia. But many diseases are multifactorial, and have both a genetic and environmental causal component. Not to mention that the genetic components of many diseases are spread out across many genes in the genome, and even the epigenome. These complex interactions are far from "understood."
She also mentions the "chemical imbalance theory" of depression and mental disorders. This theory has been widely discredited years ago, by many of the world's leading psychological associations. See here for more.
The author spends quite a bit of time in the second part of the book walking the reader through some simplistic exercises designed to get them to identify their values. She also talks extensively about delineating goals and values. I felt that this entire chapter was superfluous to this book. I was hoping for a more detailed scientific examination of dopamine in the body, not a book about values and goals. This section was pulled straight out of many other self-help books.
She also devotes a large chunk of the writing in the last half of the book covering case studies of some of the clients from her clinical practice. I was becoming bored. Nothing here is new, or even interesting. From here, she takes a sharp turn into the practice of mindfulness. Although I enjoy mindful practices and have read many books on the topic, I did not expect (or appreciate) the addition of this material to this book.
Finally, as touched on briefly at the start of this review, the title of the book had me expecting a sceitific examination into dopamine. While the science of dopamine is covered here, it takes a backseat to all her talk of self-help and mindfulness.
********************
The Dopamine Brain didn't live up to my expectations; for the reasons above. Thankfully it was not any longer, as I probably would have put it down.
2.5 stars.
January 2, 2026
An interesting and well-explained exploration of the science (and pseudoscience) of dopamine, habits, addiction and behavior change.
This informative book is written by Australian clinical psychologist, Dr Anastasia Hronis and offers plenty of suggestions and practical psychological strategies to align habits and daily choices, with personal values.
If you have any interest in understanding the psychology and neuroscience of habits, or wish to make more intentional and purposeful choices, then give this one a go.
This informative book is written by Australian clinical psychologist, Dr Anastasia Hronis and offers plenty of suggestions and practical psychological strategies to align habits and daily choices, with personal values.
If you have any interest in understanding the psychology and neuroscience of habits, or wish to make more intentional and purposeful choices, then give this one a go.
November 27, 2024
This was a great book that unfortunately didn't offer much for me. I already knew all the science around dopamine and the associated pseudoscience around it, so there wasn't much I learned on that topic.
The latter two parts discussing how to reevaluate your perspective of negative habits and the tools to break and form new ones were superbly done. However, I'm lucky enough to know which actions work for me. So while the one tool I have a positive experience with (mindfulness) was briefly discussed, it wasn't done in a deep enough manner where I thought someone trying it for the first time would actually be able to use it effectively.
There were also some other minor gripes I had like the poor use of philosophical concepts and shallow justifications for some of the recommendations.
Take away those very subjective critiques, however, and you actually have an easy 5-star here for the average person struggling with negative habits.
The scientific discussions were nicely simplified while retaining the nuance often lacking around the topic. A significant part of the book's focus was helping the reader understand why they might want to change their behaviours, then outlined multiple, achievable ways to go about changing them.
So if that sounds like something you'd like to try, then absolutely ignore the rating and give this a serious go.
The latter two parts discussing how to reevaluate your perspective of negative habits and the tools to break and form new ones were superbly done. However, I'm lucky enough to know which actions work for me. So while the one tool I have a positive experience with (mindfulness) was briefly discussed, it wasn't done in a deep enough manner where I thought someone trying it for the first time would actually be able to use it effectively.
There were also some other minor gripes I had like the poor use of philosophical concepts and shallow justifications for some of the recommendations.
Take away those very subjective critiques, however, and you actually have an easy 5-star here for the average person struggling with negative habits.
The scientific discussions were nicely simplified while retaining the nuance often lacking around the topic. A significant part of the book's focus was helping the reader understand why they might want to change their behaviours, then outlined multiple, achievable ways to go about changing them.
So if that sounds like something you'd like to try, then absolutely ignore the rating and give this a serious go.
October 22, 2024
3.75
Started off really interesting and was easy to digest, but I think I got a bit disengaged closer to the end. (Probably didn't help that I was listening to this at the same period of time I'm studying for a Psych exam lol.)
Started off really interesting and was easy to digest, but I think I got a bit disengaged closer to the end. (Probably didn't help that I was listening to this at the same period of time I'm studying for a Psych exam lol.)
April 15, 2025
A really nice exploration of the what, why, when, where, how of dopamine dependency and how to rewire our brains. Looking forward to putting some of that rewiring into practice.
August 7, 2025
pretty chill book. alot of fluff and self help, but not too much scientific stuff, which can be good
September 8, 2024
Dr. Anastasia Hronis's The Dopamine Brain is an insightful guide that explores the role of dopamine in shaping our habits and behaviors. Divided into three sections, the book first explains the neuroscience of dopamine, offering accessible insights into how it drives our actions. The second section encourages self-reflection, helping readers examine how dopamine-fueled habits align with their core values. In the final section, Dr. Hronis provides practical tools, from goal-setting to mindfulness, to help readers take control of their behavior for a more balanced life. A must-read for anyone looking to align actions with long-term values.
June 16, 2025
I went into this book expecting a much narrower exploration of a topic I was broadly interested in, so I was pleasantly surprised when the book covered more than I anticipated, and a lot of it resonated with me. I have a list of things to try and techniques I want to use so I'm glad I read this.
November 30, 2024
I should have known what I was letting myself in for when I read the phrase "Science-Backed" in the subtitle. Anything using that phrase post-Covid has an agenda baked into it, and the same is true here.
I'm quickly learning that it isn't a phrase that ever held much meaning because science is a process, not a conclusion, and the "science-backed" facts one side uses to support their arguments are no less valid than the "science-backed" facts that the other side uses to support theirs. The devil, as always, is in the details, so don't gloss over those details with the phrase "Science-Backed" and expect to get away with it in 2024.
Sure enough, within the opening chapters, the author points to so-called "misinformation" about COVID-19, cherry-picking the most extreme and obviously lunatic examples to prove her point. She throws out a blanket statement about vaccines and autism as though the fact that she is correct is self-evident, without ever going into details about why that is the correct point of view. She talks about people speaking out against climate change when there is so much evidence that it is real, while ignoring that evidence exists that brings such a conclusion either into doubt, or at least tempers the extremities that pro climate change arguments are taken to. She references bodies like the World Health Organisation as though anything coming out of them was self-evidently factual and above reproach when we all know that's far from true.
To be clear, I am not an expert in these topics, nor do I necessarily say that any of her assertions are wrong. I am just saying that if there is one thing I have learnt over the last few years, it's that you should never trust someone just because they are a so-called expert. If they are right, they should be able to explain why they are right. The old phrase "Trust me, I'm a doctor" just doesn't fly anymore. Throwing out these statements as self-evident fact without any support reeks of ideological thinking and political propaganda in 2024, and it quickly turned me off this book.
Where I had enough, though, was when she started making semantic arguments rather than substantive ones. No one I've ever heard promote the dopamine detox has ever claimed that you are cutting dopamine out of your life. Instead, they are trying to get you to reduce the toxic activities that produce high dopamine rewards so you can re-sensitise yourself to the dopamine response you get from positive activities. The phrase "Dopamine Detox" is a catchy title, not a scientific description. The same is true for her example about parents not letting their children play video games and calling it something to do with anti-dopamine (I forget the actual name). The fact that it isn't actually an anti-dopamine movement is a distinction without a point.
I came to this book hoping to understand dopamine better so that I could balance pleasure and purpose to become a better person, but I could only get 25% of the way through the book before the author lost all credibility in my mind and I couldn't read any further.
I'm quickly learning that it isn't a phrase that ever held much meaning because science is a process, not a conclusion, and the "science-backed" facts one side uses to support their arguments are no less valid than the "science-backed" facts that the other side uses to support theirs. The devil, as always, is in the details, so don't gloss over those details with the phrase "Science-Backed" and expect to get away with it in 2024.
Sure enough, within the opening chapters, the author points to so-called "misinformation" about COVID-19, cherry-picking the most extreme and obviously lunatic examples to prove her point. She throws out a blanket statement about vaccines and autism as though the fact that she is correct is self-evident, without ever going into details about why that is the correct point of view. She talks about people speaking out against climate change when there is so much evidence that it is real, while ignoring that evidence exists that brings such a conclusion either into doubt, or at least tempers the extremities that pro climate change arguments are taken to. She references bodies like the World Health Organisation as though anything coming out of them was self-evidently factual and above reproach when we all know that's far from true.
To be clear, I am not an expert in these topics, nor do I necessarily say that any of her assertions are wrong. I am just saying that if there is one thing I have learnt over the last few years, it's that you should never trust someone just because they are a so-called expert. If they are right, they should be able to explain why they are right. The old phrase "Trust me, I'm a doctor" just doesn't fly anymore. Throwing out these statements as self-evident fact without any support reeks of ideological thinking and political propaganda in 2024, and it quickly turned me off this book.
Where I had enough, though, was when she started making semantic arguments rather than substantive ones. No one I've ever heard promote the dopamine detox has ever claimed that you are cutting dopamine out of your life. Instead, they are trying to get you to reduce the toxic activities that produce high dopamine rewards so you can re-sensitise yourself to the dopamine response you get from positive activities. The phrase "Dopamine Detox" is a catchy title, not a scientific description. The same is true for her example about parents not letting their children play video games and calling it something to do with anti-dopamine (I forget the actual name). The fact that it isn't actually an anti-dopamine movement is a distinction without a point.
I came to this book hoping to understand dopamine better so that I could balance pleasure and purpose to become a better person, but I could only get 25% of the way through the book before the author lost all credibility in my mind and I couldn't read any further.
November 2, 2025
The written language used is simple for high school graduates to understand, which makes it a great book to pick up if you do not have a science background and want a very basic understanding of how neurotransmitters work in our brains.
I personally found her approaches to addressing the clients' cases more of a replacement therapy approach rather than dissecting the root cause of the addictive behaviours. However, the Author is young in her field and maybe writing to simply publish a book to gain more credibility in her field.
With my professional background in health and medical research, I have read more detailed and complex works in journals and books by leaders of neuroscience and psychology like Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Maté, Eric Kendall, Norman Doidge, Jennifer Freyd and Pamela Birrell. These authors definitely provide much richer, deeper insights that I highly recommend.
I personally found her approaches to addressing the clients' cases more of a replacement therapy approach rather than dissecting the root cause of the addictive behaviours. However, the Author is young in her field and maybe writing to simply publish a book to gain more credibility in her field.
With my professional background in health and medical research, I have read more detailed and complex works in journals and books by leaders of neuroscience and psychology like Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Maté, Eric Kendall, Norman Doidge, Jennifer Freyd and Pamela Birrell. These authors definitely provide much richer, deeper insights that I highly recommend.
November 25, 2024
Read it and loved it. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand the neuroscientific underpinnings of the brain, and to known how dopamine can play a role in getting hooked with certain behaviours and actions. It was a great guide to help me reflect on my on life and the things I do on a day to day basis without even realising.
There's some interesting info in there about how dopamine relates to gambling, pornography, video games, and even social media and apps like dating apps.
Chapter 12 was my favourite - navigating the fork in the road. Really interesting concepts about choice points.
I feel like this is a book I will revisit in the future if I want to make changes.
There's some interesting info in there about how dopamine relates to gambling, pornography, video games, and even social media and apps like dating apps.
Chapter 12 was my favourite - navigating the fork in the road. Really interesting concepts about choice points.
I feel like this is a book I will revisit in the future if I want to make changes.
December 16, 2024
I finished this book a while ago, but have just decided to write a review about it. The book is written in a way that even a person with zero knowledge about psychology, medicine or psychotherapy will read with ease. And if you are a licensed therapist (a psychologist, social worker or a clinical counsellor like myself), this book would be absolutely invaluable not only in your desire to get a better understanding of basic biochemical reactions in our brain and their impact on our everyday lives, but also a source of some potentially great approaches with present and future clients.
Thank you, Dr Anastasia Hronis, for this amazing book!
Thank you, Dr Anastasia Hronis, for this amazing book!
September 3, 2024
Wow, read it within the day! This was an easy read for me. A great source of reflection and contemplation over my own values and how these are impacted by small day to day behaviours that I previously haven't given much thought or attention to. Now I will. The values reflections were great. Sometimes a little hard and confronting to do but definitely useful to actually pause and do the suggestions. Highly recommended this book by Dr Hronis
October 6, 2024
I loved this book! There were lots of lightbulb or "ah-ha" moments for me, and so many takeaways. I've already adjusted my behaviours with social media (that is, the endless scrolling of reels at night) and feel I can recognise and change my behaviours now. A great toolkit and lots of relevant real-life examples.
Congratulations, Dr. Hronis! Not only a wonderful, brilliant author and practitioner, but a lovely and impressive person. Highly recommend this read.
Congratulations, Dr. Hronis! Not only a wonderful, brilliant author and practitioner, but a lovely and impressive person. Highly recommend this read.
November 24, 2024
The Dopamine Brain is a must-read in this field.
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It has an incredible, easy to engage approach to a much-needed deep dive into this largely unexplored realm of psychology AND science.
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The author has done an incredible job of migrating popular and even misconstrued principles to a coherent and logical demonstration of her genius and expertise.
.
I am hoping to see this book migrating into the education system to open up a much larger dialogue on how to evolve this subject.
.
It has an incredible, easy to engage approach to a much-needed deep dive into this largely unexplored realm of psychology AND science.
.
The author has done an incredible job of migrating popular and even misconstrued principles to a coherent and logical demonstration of her genius and expertise.
.
I am hoping to see this book migrating into the education system to open up a much larger dialogue on how to evolve this subject.
December 16, 2024
Doing my end of year Christmas review. First time on Good Reads but I wanted to say that this was my favourite book of 2024. It helped me make some really positive changes to my life and I am proud to say that so far I have been able to maintain them!
So eye opening to think about all the ways we can get hooked on things an d how tech and tech companies play such a role in this!
Really cool book. Loved the neuroscience understanding underneath it all.
Highly recommend it :)
So eye opening to think about all the ways we can get hooked on things an d how tech and tech companies play such a role in this!
Really cool book. Loved the neuroscience understanding underneath it all.
Highly recommend it :)
July 8, 2025
I loved this book so much! I'd give it 6 stars if I could. An excellent read. I read it twice over. Lots and lots of practical strategies that feel very doable and easy to implement. The author clearly has a great way of explaining scientific concepts in a digestible way. The book is in three parts - first part is about neuroscience, second part delves into values and third part really explores practical strategies. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy!!
May 12, 2025
A lovely merging of the typical neuroscience hacking (a la 'Atomic Habits') and value crafting (a la 'Your Money or Your Life'). The short-lived nature of the inspiration from these sorts of books is probably more due to my forgetfulness than any of the author's faults. The notes I made during this read will outlive my memory of them and I will be a better person because of them.
September 10, 2024
Nice, short little read about dopamine, habit forming, and mindfulness. Nothing particularly groundbreaking in here, but well presented and useful info.
Easy to get through, and quite practical with its suggestions.
Easy to get through, and quite practical with its suggestions.
November 11, 2024
This started off really well but I don't think I realised I was signing up to a self help book, I was expecting more of a science review? So a bit of a miss for me but my own fault. Still very interesting though.
December 16, 2024
Hi-5 to the author. This was a cool read. Made the science easy to understand and comprehend. Great practical strategies. Lots of advice I can put into my own life. Really great values reflection exercises
March 9, 2025
I thought it would focus more on how dopamine affects our brain; however, it is more about how to shift our behavior based on dopamine to better serve our life’s purpose.
The only good thing that I found was, it helped me identify the three most important values in my life.
The only good thing that I found was, it helped me identify the three most important values in my life.
April 23, 2025
Part 1 was decent. It’s basically just a pop psychology book. Part 2 felt off track from what I expected the book to be. Part 3 was less practical than I thought. There’s other books that cover similar content that are more helpful
September 6, 2025
Very few pages dedicated to the hormone. Feels a bit like a privilege person checking a box on their bucket list (“write a book”). Still can help reflects on one’s own addiction to screens for example.
December 23, 2025
This is essentially a summary of how Hronis counselors her clients, and she said that in the book. There is little new that she says about dopamine other then she connects the importance of articulating your values and living by them.
September 3, 2024
Super interesting. Love the science but it's not TOO science-y. Still super digestible. Great stories throughout. Practical and useful. Great book would recommend it.
September 3, 2024
Loved it! Easy to read science and lots of good tips
September 17, 2024
DOPE book on DOPAMINE!
October 23, 2024
I felt that Dr Hronis conveyed quite a complex and easily misconstrued topic in a way that allows the reader to relate to it and understand it. I very much enjoyed this book.
November 30, 2024
Great book and easy to understand 👍🏻
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews