Gratification

Apparently the feeling is all due to chemicals

Recent news of development of a wonderful pill which cures addiction to smoking AND eating was met with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

Optimists crowed, "This is the answer to our prayers!" Pessimists grumbled, "It's only been tried in animals, so don't get your hopes up."

For many years, neurochemists have toiled in their labs to determine the molecular basis for human behaviors, and they've come up with a few doozies. Serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, among other neuro-chemicals, have been identified, their modes of action defined, and other molecules developed to enhance or block them. Thus, treatments for Parkinson's disease, depression, Alzheimer's disease, migraines, and insomnia have been developed.

Now we may possibly have a chemical which blocks our ability to achieve gratification through using things which have undesirable consequences.

The health hazards of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs are equaled by those of overeating. According to the doctrine of self control, all of these abuses could be eliminated by proper application of will power. Counter this with the doctrine of behavior controlled by chemistry, and a real battle is joined.

Let's take the problem of continued over- or poor eating in the face of already established obesity. First recognize that there are social and genetic factors involved, then go a step further and consider the concept of neurochemical gratification (NG). Next, understand that NG is not readily achieved through consumption of tofu and parsley but goes into hyperdrive in response to fry bread, donuts, ribs and gravy. Why would anyone even try to eat healthy, pardon the poor syntax?

NG is amazingly powerful. Not even certain knowledge that disability and early death are its frequent end result will stop a dangerous behavior. That's strength which trumps common sense, will power, and the best advice of your mother, father and all your doctors.

Pessimism is warranted when we consider the failure of activities designed to cure abusive behavior. How 'bout that War On Drugs? Is / was that a success or what? Laws against smoking in public places often encourage speed-smoking - "I really have to do this fast, before I go back in the building."

Several large national organizations which ought to know better think the solution to our obesity crisis is to clean up the "toxic environment" which leads to overeating. How are we going to do that? Perhaps we should legislate against the Whopper? Are we ready for illegal hamburger dealers and pushers? Will bootleggers on the edges of Indian reservations include fry bread and coke in their stock along with booze?

There is not now nor will there ever be a truly magic bullet as a single approach to any human health problem. Early and continued education, de-emphasizing food importance and encouraging alternative activities with better consequences are essential if we hope to win this war. That said, there is going to be a place for neurochemical intervention targeting specific groups of us. PC or not, this may apply to ethnic groups whose genetic structure makes them more likely victims of NG consequences.

It is a concession to failure that among the biggest and most beautiful structures on some Native American reservations are the dialysis centers. None of us has any reason to be proud of these monuments dedicated to treatment of a very preventable disease. For a fraction of the cost of dialysis, prevention, including appropriate use of medication, could reverse the downhill health trend of a proud group of people.

This applies not only to Native Americans, but to other ethnic populations in our country which appear to be cursed with very strong neurochemical gratification pathways.

Advice to the neurochemists: Keep working on that pill!