The Dopamine Fiend Podcast

Emily Fierro
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

The podcast that spikes your dopamine and rewires your habits. Backed by neuroscience. Delivered with sass. This is your fix for today 🎧💥

  1. 12/13/2025

    Editing Your Internal Habit Code: Why Willpower Keeps Failing You

    Your life isn’t chaotic — your habit code is outdated. In this episode, we break down how habits are not a matter of discipline or motivation, but dopamine-driven loops your brain learned to repeat because they were familiar, predictable, and easy to access. You’ll learn why your brain clings to habits that no longer serve you, how anticipation—not reward—keeps you stuck, and why trying to “just stop” a habit almost never works. In this episode, we cover: 🧠 How cue–routine–reward loops actually work 🧠 Why dopamine spikes before the habit, not after 🧠 How anticipation hijacks your behavior 🧠 Why willpower fails when habit design succeeds 🧠 How to edit your habit code without burning yourself out You don’t need a personality overhaul — you need a system update. ⸻ Sources Mentioned: ​ Duhigg, C. (2012) — The Power of Habit (cue–routine–reward framework)​ Schultz, W. (1997) — Dopamine reward-prediction error research​ Wood, W. & Neal, D. (2007) — Habit formation and automaticity​ Merzenich, M. (2014) — Neuroplasticity and behavioral rewiring

    16 min

  2. 12/09/2025

    Your Personality Is Programmable

    This episode is your permission slip to stop dragging around an identity you outgrew five years ago. Most people walk through life defending personality traits they didn’t choose — traits they practiced. And today, we’re breaking down the truth: your personality isn’t permanent… it’s programmable. In this episode, we dig into: 🧠 How neuroplasticity allows your personality to evolve at any age 🧠 Why repeated thoughts and reactions turn into “traits” 🧠 How dopamine reinforces the identity you practice the most 🧠 Why feeling “fake” or “cringe” is actually a sign your brain is rewiring 🧠 How to intentionally build the personality of your future self Your personality is not a prison — it’s a playlist. And you get to change the tracks. ⸻ Sources Mentioned: ​ Merzenich, M. (2014) — Neuroplasticity and behavioral change​ Schultz, W. (1997) — Dopamine reinforcement and reward prediction​ Mischel, W. (2004) — Personality as adaptive behavior rather than fixed traits

    17 min

  3. 12/05/2025

    Autopilot You vs. The Real You: Why Familiarity Is Keeping You On The Sidelines

    In this episode, we’re confronting the quiet force that’s been running your life behind your back: familiarity. Autopilot You isn’t the real you — she’s just the version your brain has rehearsed the longest. The version built from old habits, old fears, old routines, and old assumptions your brain refuses to update. And here’s the bone-chilling part: Your brain would rather keep you stuck in the familiar than risk the discomfort of becoming the person you actually want to be. Today, we break down: 🧠 How the striatum turns repeated behaviors into “identity” 🧠 Why your brain chooses the same actions even when they sabotage you 🧠 How the Default Mode Network (DMN) loops old insecurities and stories 🧠 Why familiarity feels safer — even when it’s ruining your potential 🧠 How to interrupt autopilot and put Real You back in control This episode is a reminder that you’re not stuck — you’re sidelined by patterns your brain hasn’t been taught to outgrow. And once you understand the mechanics? You stop choosing comfort and start choosing transformation. Sources Mentioned: ​ Yin, H., & Knowlton, B. (2006) — Research on the striatum, habit formation, and automatic behavior​ Raichle, M. E. (2001) — Discovery and function of the Default Mode Network (DMN)​ Schultz, W. (1997) — Dopamine reward-prediction error and behavioral reinforcement​ Merzenich, M. (2014) — Neuroplasticity and behavioral rewiring

    13 min

  4. 12/02/2025

    The Self Is A Dopamine Illusion

    In the Season 2 opener, we’re starting with the truth most people never question: what if the “you” you think you are… isn’t actually you? In this episode, we break down how your identity is not fixed — it’s a dopamine-backed prediction loop your brain has been recycling for years. You’ll learn why you repeat the same habits, why “this is just who I am” is a lie, and how your brain builds identity based on familiarity, not fate. We dig into: 🧠 Why your brain prioritizes prediction over truth 🧠 How dopamine locks in identity loops 🧠 Why the “self” is actually an illusion your brain constructs 🧠 How to interrupt old identity coding 🧠 And how to start rewriting the version of you your brain expects If you’ve ever felt stuck, inconsistent, or trapped by the “old you,” this episode will make everything finally make sense. Your identity isn’t permanent — it’s programmable. Let’s rewrite the script. Sources Mentioned: • Friston, K. (2010) — The Free-Energy Principle / Predictive Processing Model • Metzinger, T. (2003) — Being No One: The Self-Model Theory of Subjectivity • Schultz, W. (1997) — Dopamine reward-prediction error research • Merzenich, M. (2014) — Neuroplasticity research on identity and behavior change

    10 min

  5. 11/25/2025

    The Reset Ritual: Dopamine Discipline for Real Life

    Your dopamine doesn’t need intensity — it needs direction. In this powerful episode, Emily shows you how to build a daily ritual that supports your focus, motivation, and emotional balance. You’ll learn how structure regulates your reward system, why small wins matter more than big breakthroughs, and how consistency reprograms your dopamine for long-term success. And yes — she drops The Dopamine Reset Workbook, built as your step-by-step blueprint to put everything from Season 1 into action. This is dopamine discipline made doable. Sources & Notes (Episode 10) • Harvard Medical School (2023): Structured routines and dopamine stability. • Stanford Behavior Design Lab (2022): Cue + reward systems and motivation. • Frontiers in Psychology (2020): Sustained dopamine from consistent habits. • UC Berkeley Neuroscience (2021): Morning movement and dopamine activation. • Neurobiology of Stress (2022): Effort-rest balance and baseline recovery. • Schultz W., Neuron (2016): Dopamine and reward prediction. • Harvard Health Publishing (2022): Tech rest and receptor sensitivity. • Emmons R., UC Davis (2019): Gratitude and neurochemical reward.

    10 min

  6. 11/21/2025

    The Comparison Trap: When Dopamine Meets Validation

    Social media doesn’t just affect your mood — it rewires your dopamine. In this sharp and relatable episode, Emily breaks down how comparison, likes, and online validation hijack your reward system. You’ll learn why scrolling feels addictive, why external approval hits so hard, and how to break the cycle before it drains your motivation. Stick around for her fiery Fix Your Chemistry rant on rewiring your validation loop, curating your mental environment, and building self-worth from the inside out. This one hits where it stings — and where it frees you. Sources & Notes (Episode 9) • Sharot T., University College London (2019): Social comparison and reward-processing. • Harvard Health Publishing (2023): Social media feedback and dopamine activation. • Lembke A., Dopamine Nation (2021): External validation and dopamine dysregulation. • Stanford University Department of Communication (2023): Social feedback and motivation. • UCLA Neuroscience Lab (2020): Environment-driven reward cues. • Johns Hopkins University (2022): Digital vs. natural dopamine response. • Emmons R., UC Davis (2019): Gratitude and reward circuitry.

    17 min

  7. 11/18/2025

    Optimize Your Dopamine Life: Boundaries, Tools, & Real Gains

    Dopamine doesn’t just need balance — it needs structure. In this episode, Emily breaks down how routines, boundaries, and intentional recovery keep your dopamine stable and your motivation strong. You’ll learn why predictability matters, how novelty boosts your drive, and what it takes to create a lifestyle that supports your brain instead of draining it. Stay for the Fix Your Chemistry rant, where Emily gives real-world tools to help you stay focused, grounded, and energetically aligned. This is where dopamine discipline gets practical. Sources & Notes (Episode 8) • Harvard Medical School (2023): Rhythmic routines and dopamine regulation. • Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2020): Meaningful effort and dopamine activation. • University College London Behavioral Science Lab (2021): Novelty and VTA response. • Sleep Foundation (2022): Circadian consistency and dopaminergic balance. • American Psychological Association (2021): Boundaries and attention management.

    18 min

  8. 11/14/2025

    When Dopamine Betrays You — Stress, Trauma, & Mis-Wiring

    When life hits hard, your dopamine doesn’t disappear — it shifts. In this raw and eye-opening episode, Emily breaks down how stress, trauma, and constant chaos can rewire your reward system. You’ll learn why peace feels uncomfortable, why drama feels addictive, and how your brain confuses survival mode for motivation. Then in her powerful Fix Your Chemistry rant, Emily shows you how to regulate your nervous system, rebuild healthy dopamine pathways, and finally make calm feel good again. This one hits deep — and it hits home. Sources & Notes (Episode 7) • Loeb, J., Lone Star Neurology (2023): “How Chronic Stress Affects Dopamine and Mental Health.” • Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2010): Dopamine and chronic stress mechanisms. • McGill University (2020): “Understanding the Brain’s Reward System and Addiction Mechanisms.” • Lembke A., Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence (2021). • Harvard Medical School (2022): Vagus nerve activation and stress regulation. • American Psychological Association (2021): Sensory overstimulation and dopamine regulation. • Sapolsky R. M., Stanford University Lectures (2019): Micro-reward cycles and motivation.

    18 min
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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

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The podcast that spikes your dopamine and rewires your habits. Backed by neuroscience. Delivered with sass. This is your fix for today 🎧💥

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