Chronic exposure to substances or behaviors that release large amounts of dopamine can lower our tonic baseline over time, leading to a dopamine deficit state.

Excessive dopamine release can lead to habituation, where the brain becomes less responsive to pleasure, while simultaneously increasing the perception of pain, a mechanism that can contribute to addiction.

Dopamine is primarily released in anticipation and craving rather than in response to pleasure, which narrows our focus on what we desire.

Dopamine doesn't just signal pleasure; it provides a hit when something exceeds our expectations, driving us to explore and seek new experiences.

Dopamine raises your baseline level, boosting your confidence, but it also raises the threshold for experiencing dopamine, making it harder to feel the same joy from previous experiences.

The balance between pleasure and pain in the brain is maintained by the same neural pathways, and any deviation from neutrality prompts the brain to restore balance.

The better something feels, the lower you will feel afterwards, and it takes longer to return to your baseline dopamine levels.

When we indulge in pleasurable activities, our brain compensates by down-regulating dopamine receptors, which can lead to a state of anhedonia if indulged repeatedly.

Motivation involves a two-part process of balancing pleasure and pain; when you're inactive, dopamine is released at a low rate, but anticipation can significantly increase this rate, creating a desire to act.