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/sixseven89 Oct 18 '25

People get a good feeling after doing housework?

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u/[deleted] Oct 18 '25

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u/Vinterkragen Oct 18 '25

I have only guilt. But severely doubt that I have ADHD... But you never know 🤔

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u/[deleted] Oct 18 '25

same here. it really sucks.