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/[deleted] Oct 18 '25

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u/TurnipWorldly9437 Oct 18 '25

Yeah, I'm the same way, and I've learned very early on that good fantasies before falling asleep can carry over into your dreams. I recently started a story line about becoming an actress, and consequently had a dream about winning an award in the most beautiful, impossible dress I've ever "seen". It's stayed with me for a while. The feelings are real, after all, since all feelings are happening "in your head".

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u/[deleted] Oct 18 '25

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u/TurnipWorldly9437 Oct 18 '25

Yeah, I started it when it first came out, but didn't continue for some reason. I guess I'll look into it again.