The dopamine see-saw: Why a world of constant pleasure is making us miserable

The see-saw of pleasure and pain

Imagine a see-saw. On one side sits pleasure, on the other, pain. 

According to Dr. Anna Lembke, head of Stanford’s Addiction Medicine Clinic, this balancing act is not far off from how our brains operate.

Let me explain: neuroscientists have discovered that the brain regions processing pleasure and pain overlap. In a way, they’re two sides of the same coin. And they work as opposite sides of a balancing scale.  

This balance is governed by the principle of homeostasis: the tendency of living systems to maintain equilibrium. In simpler terms, our brains want to stay neutral. 

When we indulge in something pleasurable — whether it’s scrolling, chocolate cake, nicotine, or sex — dopamine is released, and the see-saw tips towards pleasure.

But this disrupts the balance, and our brain’s automatic systems kick in to bring it back to neutral. How? By pressing down on the pain side to even things out.

Imagine scrolling through Instagram. The first few posts bring a little dopamine rush — maybe it’s a funny video or a handful of likes on your latest photo. But as you keep scrolling, that rush starts to fade. Your brain, working to restore balance, subtly tilts the see-saw back toward pain. 

That’s the subtle discomfort you feel — the craving for “just one more scroll.” And here’s the thing: if you put the phone down and waited, that craving would eventually fade, and the see-saw would level out. But if you keep scrolling, chasing that dopamine, the cycle gets more intense.

Neuroadaptation: Why we crave more and enjoy less

The more we chase dopamine, the more the brain has to adjust. Over time, the feel-good effects from dopamine hits get weaker, while the discomfort afterward gets stronger. This process, known as neuroadaptation, means that over time, we need more dopamine to feel the same pleasure, and the absence of it feels more uncomfortable.

Think about it. The social media videos were fun at first, but over time, they’re no longer as thrilling. Reaching for the phone’s dopamine becomes more about replacing the discomfort of their absence. It’s not that they’re fun, you want to scroll just to avoid feeling bored or restless.

This imbalance is most apparent for heavy drug users. For them, the seesaw can become so severe that the brain is essentially stuck on the painful side of the see-saw. They need the drug just to bring them back to “normal.” Indeed, imaging studies by neuroscientists show that prolonged consumption of high dopamine substances lead to, what Lemke calls, a “dopamine deficit state”.

Here’s the twist: Dr. Lembke believes that most of us today live in a similar chronic “dopamine deficit state,” not because of substance abuse, but because of our environment. We’re swimming in dopamine, with endless entertainment and stimulation right at our fingertips. 

Each dopamine hit leaves us needing more. The result? The modest pleasures of life — a sunset, a good conversation, a warm drink on a cold morning—are no longer enough. And the minor discomforts—moments of boredom, waiting in line, or awkward silences — are too much to bear.

The plenty paradox

It’s ironic really. The abundance of modern life — everything we dreamed of as a sign of progress — is now itself a key source of our stress.

Chasing pleasure and avoiding pain is in our DNA. But our brain’s reward systems evolved for a world of scarcity, where pleasure was hard-earned and pain was a useful signal.

But humans, clever as we are, mastered the art of finding pleasure and avoiding pain. And so we built societies where nearly any discomfort can be erased with a click or a swipe. Hungry? Open an app. Lonely? Connect with the entirety of humanity. Bored? Scroll endlessly. 

Instead of making us happier, this environment seems to have desensitized us. Studies like the World Happiness Report show that overall happiness is dropping in many developed countries, especially among younger generations.

Our brains weren’t built for this level of constant dopamine with so little effort to get it. We’re constantly needing more just to reach the same level of contentment and feel overwhelmed when we don’t get it.

It’s as if we’re “cacti planted in a rainforest” — drowning in a flood of dopamine.

This article draws on the research and insights of Dr. Anna Lembke, who has spent over 25 years treating people with addictions. While Dr. Lembke frames smartphone habits through the lens of addiction, it's a perspective that not everyone agrees with. Our next and final part of the dopamine series will explore what the science says: are smartphones truly addictive—or not?

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TIPS & TRICKS

Abstain, maintain, and seek out pain

This week, I’m breaking down Dr. Lembke’s three-step approach for dealing with “compulsive overconsumption.” Derived from her 20+ years helping people quit addictive substances, her plan also works for people looking to moderate behaviors like smartphone use. And it rhymes, which is fun.

1. Abstain:  The first necessary step, according to Lembke, is abstinence from your “drug” of choice — whether it’s your phone or any other behavior that’s become compulsive. Lembke recommends four weeks to allow for the brain to restore its dopamine balance, though even a shorter period can help. 

• During this stage, mindfulness can be a powerful tool, helping you process the discomfort without giving in to the urge to escape it.

2. Maintain gains: After abstaining, the goal is to sustain those gains. Dr. Lembke suggests “self-binding” — creating barriers that prevent you from easily engaging in the behavior. Willpower alone is often not enough, so self-binding introduces practical obstacles. 

• You could try “physical binding” (moving apps out of sight, or locking your phone away), “time-based binding” (setting specific times for phone use, like only after work), or “categorical binding” (limiting yourself to certain apps or activities). 

3. Seek out pain: Just as constantly seeking pleasure leads to pain, embracing small doses of discomfort can lead to long-term happiness . Lembke singles out activities like exercise, ice baths, or even fasting. But she warns against overdoing it — even pain can become addictive if we lean on it too much.

RESOURCE & RECOMMENDATIONS

• Cold exposure - like ice baths - have been shown to increase dopamine levels. But beyond the hype, they can carry risks for some people. Here’s a practical, science-backed guide on the benefits, dangers, and tips for safe cold exposure.

• Remember the World Happiness Report? Their latest edition is out, and it’s eye-opening. Take a look to see where your country ranks and explore how happiness inequality spreads across the globe.

• Did you know dopamine is also critical for understanding Parkinson’s disease? Beyond pleasure, dopamine plays a big role in controlling movement. There’s a fascinating story of these two roles colliding, when Parkinson’s patients using a dopamine drug started developing some strange addictions.

• The TikTok aesthetic of “dopamine design” is coming to your grocery aisles! Retailers are now taking cues from the eye-catching design of social media content to keep you shopping longer.

• Want more steps and less social media? This app locks your apps and then encourages you to walk in order to unlock them