Addiction is not just about pleasure; it's about wanting and motivation, which is driven by dopamine deficits.

Extending the positive phase of dopamine release while blunting the pain response can lead to greater happiness and motivation in pursuing long-term goals.

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.

To increase dopamine release, one can practice subjective rewards through thoughts, actions, or even certain drugs, but caution is needed with substances like cocaine and methamphetamine due to their addictive nature.

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

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

The brain's reward system can become dominated by super stimuli, such as pornography, which can lead to compulsive behaviors and addiction.

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.

Any high amount of dopamine that comes to you without effort will eventually lead to destruction or bring you close to it.