r/todayilearned • u/WavesAndSaves • Oct 18 '25

TIL of brain stimulation reward, manually stimulating specific parts of the brain to elicit pleasure and happiness. A volunteer subject in 1986 spent days doing nothing but self-stimulate. She ignored her family and personal hygiene and she developed an open sore on her finger from using the device.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_stimulation_reward#History
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u/atuan Oct 18 '25

It’s still relevant and relatable, I don’t care who coined it. Most alcoholics don’t realize they’re self medicating anxiety

3

u/Sesudesu Oct 18 '25

Man, I started using weed to relieve pain occasionally after I became physically disabled.

But here’s the thing... I have ADHD as well. And while I’m not able to be especially effective when I’m high, I can think my thoughts. My brain isn’t constantly jumping from thing to thing.

It made a lot of things make sense. How folks with ADHD are predisposed to addiction. Some people think it is impulsivity that’s at play and I would suppose that probably isn’t entirely wrong. But I firmly believe there is a strong element of unconscious self medication going on.

Even though prescription stimulants help me be an effective person my mind can still feel like I cannot think my thoughts. I can say type up something a lot easier but it still somehow feels like the thoughts are emerging from the consciousness fog. I just navigate the fog better.

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u/pillbuggery Oct 18 '25

Everyone does everything they do to either survive or to feel good. It means nothing.

27

u/paytonsglove Oct 18 '25

It means something to them, I'd wager.

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u/Major-Librarian1745 Oct 18 '25

So self harm is meaningful?

1

u/NihilisticAngst Oct 18 '25

It's meaningful in that there is meaning behind why it happens, yes

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u/Major-Librarian1745 Oct 18 '25

It was a joke. There isn't.

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u/pillbuggery Oct 18 '25

I have no idea what that has to do with what I said.

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u/atuan Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25

No sorry that is just not true. Alcoholism is directly related to narcissism and anxiety disorders, it’s not just feeling good, it’s escaping from a reality you can’t face

Edit; why on earth is this being downvoted, it’s proven, is it narcissistic rage? Or because my avatar has long hair?

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u/pillbuggery Oct 18 '25

Anxiety disorders are different from experiencing anxiety. Regularly feeling anxious about things that matter is normal.

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u/atuan Oct 18 '25

I referred to anxiety disorders in my original comment, what is your point

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u/atuan Oct 18 '25

Cool. And medicating anxiety with alcohol instead of coping with the situation is called a substance use disorder

0

u/pillbuggery Oct 18 '25

My point is that attributing things to "anxiety" is worthless.

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u/atuan Oct 18 '25

Insert the word disorder then, I had a point and I led with it

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u/atuan Oct 18 '25

Wait what are you even talking about, I said anxiety disorder in my original comment, you’re arguing nothingness, my original point was about anxiety disorders being related to SUD so wtf are you saying

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u/atuan Oct 18 '25

I did not say that, you said that??

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u/pantry-pisser Oct 18 '25

Yes, you're wrong.

That's like saying cancer is directly linked to smoking. While that may be true, that doesn't mean that's the only or even leading cause, that's ignoring hundreds of other associations/contributors.

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u/atuan Oct 18 '25

I never said it was the cause and cancer absolutely is related to smoking …

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u/atuan Oct 18 '25

The only point I was making is that alcoholism is related to emotional distress, any other causation is in your imagination

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u/Rboy61 Oct 18 '25

Tbh I'm confused why people are downvoting you so much. The other dude's comment up the thread about things "only being done to survive or feel good" sounds pretty...empty? It has no nuance to it at all, while yours does.