Addiction and the pleasure principle: Examining substance abuse motivation

During the 1930s, addiction was believed to be caused by moral flaws or lack of willpower to avoid the addictive substance. Substance abusers were either imprisoned or sent to rehabilitation facilities to break the habit. However, thanks to modern science, addiction is now recognized as a chronic disease that alters brain structure and function, and not just as a moral failure that needs to be punished.

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The disease “hijacks” the brain and forces it into a series of changes, starting with recognition of pleasure and ending with a drive towards compulsive behavior. Researchers found out that certain activities that induce pleasure such as gambling, sex, and shopping can co-opt the brain.

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All pleasures are registered in the same way in the brain through dopamine (a hormone and neurotransmitter) release. Substance abuse, however, sends a powerful surge of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, a region in the brain that is interconnected with several other brain areas.


The likelihood of pursuing the pleasurable activity derived from substance abuse is heightened because addictive drugs release 10 times more the amount of dopamine compared to natural rewards and do it with speed, intensity, and reliability. The brain responds to the frequent introduction of the substance by releasing less dopamine every time, thus making the abuser depend on the rewarding activity that will ultimately lead to addiction.

Image Source: drugabuse.gov

Over time, the motivation to take more drugs for a dopamine “high” is down to drug tolerance—the substance no longer gives satisfying amounts of pleasure as expected by the drug abuser and only serves to increase cravings.


As a strong advocate for addiction recovery, Joe Schrank established the Core Company of NYC to help people plan their road to weaning from substance dependencies. Visit the company’s website to learn more about its programs in aid of addicts.