Mathias Hallberg is the expert in new addiction podcast Hallberg och Nyberg

What is the definition of addiction and who is most at risk of developing it? In the podcast Hallberg och Nyberg, Mathias Hallberg, Professor of Molecular Addiction Research, answers questions about why we allow ourselves to get stuck in (bad) habits even when we know they are harmful to us.

“In a time where traditional drugs have been joined by gambling, screens and numerous other things in the fight for our dopamine, the road to addiction is more complex than ever. Achieving balance and our full potential without harmful habits requires knowledge. That is why we have developed this podcast series, in which, in each episode, we highlight new and relevant issues,” says Mathias Hallberg.

The podcast is hosted by Linda Nyberg, with a solid CV as a journalist, news anchor and science reporter for SVT, TV4, and international TV channels BBC and Al Jazeera. Together they welcome several of Sweden's leading addiction experts, and already in episode 3 we meet Erik Nylander, a researcher at Uppsala University, who will discuss the possible risks of white snus.

“We will address addiction from a number of different perspectives. From the more general questions in the premiere episode to specific substances and available treatments. We will also focus on topics such as family classification, comorbidity, decriminalisation and legalisation. Our goal is to contribute to fact-based general education, and we hope to achieve this via an easy-going level free from unnecessary nagging advice.”

A current challenge is evident in the reports that show that almost every second Swedish boy is at risk of developing a computer game addiction. At the same time, we read that an increasing number of girls struggle with anxiety and body image issues, often as a result of comparing themselves to social media content. Not surprisingly, 73 percent of all adolescents feel that they spend too much time online. But when does the habit turn into an addiction? And what does it take to log out before it's too late?

“The World Health Organization specifies six criteria for an addiction. This includes withdrawal symptoms when the use is interrupted, and since no one has yet had the shivers from pausing TikTok, it is not an addiction in the clinical sense. Having said that, we still see how everything is connected, where a lot of computer gaming can gradually lead to an increased risk of substance addiction. So later in Hallberg and Nyberg we will definitely highlight the challenges that come with gaming and social media,” says Mathias Hallberg.

text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt a o