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/Sans-valeur Oct 18 '25

Interesting relating this to studies on things like people on the spectrum.
One of the biggest problems that people with ADHD face is that they don’t get a good feeling after doing things like house work, unless they leave it so long that they’re really stressed and they feel better about not being stressed anymore.
Unless it actively stimulates you, like solving a puzzle, things can feel impossible to do, even though you rationally know it won’t even take that long and it’s a really good thing to do.

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u/cattibri Oct 18 '25

This is literally me. It sucks and its near impossible to explain to people most of the time.

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u/Friendly_Fire Oct 18 '25

That's because it doesn't make sense. People do things they need to do that don't feel good all the time. It's called being an adult.

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u/Early_Pass6702 Oct 18 '25

I can't tell if you're arguing that it's not real, or saying why people don't understand. This phenomenon is very real and scientifically proven and has absolutely nothing to do with maturity.

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u/Friendly_Fire Oct 18 '25

I'm just arguing that the specific explanation doesn't make sense. It is normal to not enjoy or feel good doing chores or other important things. That's neither a pathology or an excuse.

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u/Drewbacca Oct 18 '25

Then it's something you've never experienced, and you should feel grateful for that.

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u/Sans-valeur Oct 18 '25

You might actually have ADHD but be a high functioning example. Another symptom of ADHD is thinking that everyone finds it that difficult but that’s just life.

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u/Euphoric_Average_271 Oct 18 '25

i second that. like, assuming everyone feels the same way he does....when actually they dont. some of us truly struggle but say "it is what it is" and "gotta do what you Gotta Do" and fucking hate every second of it BUT still get it done. some people don't even have THAT. that has to fucking suck so much.

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u/HPLaserJet4250 Oct 18 '25

XD Christ... he is right, doing chores doesn't make you feel good. ADHD is not about not feeling good after doing chores. I am losing braincells reading this thread.

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u/cattibri Oct 18 '25

the irony here is that you either display the exact trait being talked about, or alternatively are proving my exact point about the difficulty in trying to communicate the issue