What does science say about compassion?
Specifically: 0. What's your favorite scientific model of compassion & how it works? 1. How does cultivating compassion benefit the individual who's doing it? 2. How does cultivating compassion benefit groups & society? 3. Which science-supported tools are available for cultivating compassion? Thanks in advance for these and a million thanks for the great work you're doing! 🙏🏼
Techniques for Managing Addictive Cravings and Reducing Sensitivity to Triggers
Two questions: 1. What are some effective techniques for managing and extinguishing addictive cravings/urges? 2. How can sensitivity/reactivity to stimuli-related cues that induce craving/urges be reduced? I ask these questions particularly in the context of porn/masturbation addiction, and I'd prefer if you focus on that, but I also wanted to word it more generally so more people could benefit. However, I wonder if impulsive/compulsive porn/masturbation has components unique to sexuality/sexual arousal beyond the "dopamine pool" and/or mental health pillars? Moreover, even though you talked about intrusive addictive thoughts and highlighted the difference between repetitive thoughts versus disturbing thoughts, I felt like your answer didn't actually "answer" the category of addictive thoughts. To me, and I'm sure anyone who struggles with any kind of addiction could relate, addictive thoughts aren't disturbing in the way you described disturbing thoughts. I've had intrusive disturbing thoughts; they feel very different from addictive thoughts/urges/cravings. With addictive thoughts/urges/cravings, in one sense they feel very pleasureful, yet they are disturbing not necessarily because of how scary or evil or disgusting or aversive they are, but rather they feel disturbing because you know they conflict with your "rational" goals, values, relationships, etc. (they feel disturbing because of cognitive dissonance), and because they feel powerful, like they could cause you to loose control at any minute. On the other hand, they're not just a "repetitive" thought. If I have a repetitive thought like a song stuck in my head, I actually don't mind listening to said song, I just don't want to think about it all the time, whereas with an addictive thought, I truly never want to engage in my addiction ever again. So I feel like there's a big difference there, leaving the original question about addictive thoughts unanswered.
Diabetes type 1
I would love to hear a podcast and studies about injecting insulin and the effect to our brain and bodies. As a type 1 diabetic myself since many years, I still fill lost in all the information coming and contradicting. I must admit that I take for granted everything that you say so it would be just amazing to listen to a podcast about this. And in general, about missing a hormon or autoimune diseases. Many many thanks for everything you share with us!