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As Americans look for a fresh start in 2026, Dr. Drew Pinsky says the country’s approach to addiction is drifting further from what actually works.
Every January, many Americans look to reset their lives with enough discipline and a plan. For people who repeatedly promise themselves this will be the year they quit whatever they might be addicted to — and keep falling short — Dr. Drew said during an interview with Fox News Digital that the issue is often the belief that willpower alone is enough.
“With addiction, you have to surrender,” he explained. “If you actually have addiction, you have to be sure you’re ready, and then you have to surrender to some process.”
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Dr. Drew Pinsky told Fox News Digital that surrender is a big part of overcoming addiction. (Getty Images)
The host of “Health Uncensored with Dr. Drew” continued to say that the process doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.
“There are free programs out there… mutual-aid societies, or 12-step programs,” Dr. Drew said. “If you merely surrender to that process and do what people tell you, follow direction, you will get better.”
For many people, that foundation is essential. However, Dr. Drew suggested that others may also need additional help — and may lean toward therapy, medication or a medical evaluation.
The common thread, he said, is accepting help instead of trying to manage everything alone.
The celebrity doctor warned that addiction isn’t something people can manage alone. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, at a time when Americans are encouraged to “reset” everything from their diets to their dopamine, Dr. Drew shared a warning: addiction doesn’t reset on a calendar.
With trendy resets like “Dry January” or “dopamine detoxes,” the celebrity physician told Fox News Digital that although some Americans may see these practices as a responsible first step, they can also mask a much bigger problem.
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“If you’re having to make deals with yourself because of your relationship with a substance, you have a problem,” he said. “So, if you want a Dry January or Dry October or you just want to do a dopamine reset, there’s already a problem.”
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That doesn’t mean everyone who tries a reset is addicted — but Dr. Drew suggested that when control requires constant negotiation, it’s often a sign that things are already slipping.
“Alcoholism or addiction… they progress, always,” he said.
Dr. Drew Pinksy cautioned against the trend of “dopamine detox” and said the concept may oversimplify how the brain actually works. (Getty Images)
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“The more serious things like stimulants and opioids progress to death. Alcohol, people can trundle along for long periods of time, but the consequences of your life can be quite considerable.”
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He also cautioned against the trend of “dopamine detox” and said the concept may oversimplify how the brain actually works.
Dr. Drew Pinsky married his wife, Susan, in July 1991. (Vincent Sandoval/WireImage)
“I want to point out that people have grave misconceptions about dopamine. You don’t feel anything when your dopamine system is activated, except the desire to do that again,” Dr. Drew explained to Fox News Digital. “It’s the ‘do that again’ system.”
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If stopping feels impossible, he said, it’s not a personal failure. It’s a signal that the brain may need support — not another challenge.
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Despite the calendar pressure to “start fresh,” Dr. Drew said he doesn’t make New Year’s resolutions himself — not because change doesn’t matter, but because he believes sudden change rarely lasts.
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“I don’t adhere to New Year’s resolutions. I think they’re just a recipe for a letdown. I try to do things on a daily basis and not all of a sudden, because that’s not how people change. It really isn’t,” he told Fox News Digital.
“It can be useful from the standpoint of readiness. In other words, preparing yourself for change. If you’re going to make a big change in your life — whether it’s a diet or quitting smoking or stopping alcohol — you have to really be ready and make sure you’re ready. And if that’s New Year’s, and that’s the point you’re aiming toward, fine — but you’ve got to maintain it after that. It’s very, very important.”
Episodes of “Health Uncensored with Dr. Drew” are available to stream on HealthUncensoredTV.com and YouTube.