I read “Dopamine Addiction” (Shincho Shinsho) by psychiatrist Anna Lembke with great interest. Simply put, the brain has a seesaw-like function that maintains a balance between pleasure and pain. The more the seesaw tilts toward the side of pleasure, the faster it tilts, the stronger the pleasure we feel.

On the other hand, the seesaw tries to stay horizontal. If you lean into pleasure, pain will try to pull you back to the horizontal. Alcohol and drugs are quick and strong and lean towards pleasure. So the pain becomes stronger. Seeking more alcohol or drugs to relieve the pain.

According to the book, long-term and heavy use of alcohol and drugs eventually leads to the pain side. It reduces the ability to feel pleasure and increases the sensitivity to pain. What is interesting about this book is the point of view that the seesaw relationship between pleasure and pain can occur in any event, not just alcohol and drugs. In Lembke’s case, romance novels were a kind of drug. For her, the number of “likes” on SNS is probably a drug for many people.

The book claims: “All pleasures are sacrificed. The pain that comes after pleasure is more lasting and intense than the pleasure itself.” Human beings now pursue pleasure by all means in order to avoid pain. “We are drowning in dopamine, as if placed in a cactus rainforest adapted to a dry climate,” the book says.

In a world so embarrassingly material, we are weary of pleasure and pain. I needed more reward to feel pleasure, and I felt more pain from small wounds. Many of the current global turmoil and social issues may be caused by such impulsive overdose by modern people. What we should do now is to realize that we are addicted, reflect on it, and build a lifestyle that balances pleasure and pain without relying on overdose. (Kei Kitajima)