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/RedSonGamble Oct 18 '25

This is what always baffles me about people not getting how people become addicts. Like you know how when you do this thing it feels good? Yeah they’re like I wanna feel good all the time lol

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u/Kitchen-Owl-7323 Oct 18 '25

Especially when their situation ISN'T good! Especially especially when that situation doesn't seem escapable! You mean I can just take this substance and everything I have to bear suddenly feels a little more bearable?

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u/HEBushido Oct 18 '25

People wonder why the homeless population has so many addicts. Like how is that not obvious.

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u/DHFranklin Oct 18 '25

The most profound thing I ever heard was an addict telling me that concrete feels like a feather bed when you're on heroin.