The science of happiness and Punjab’s drug epidemic

The recent news report in The Tribune that many private drug de-addiction centres in the state have turned into “lucrative private enterprise or syndicate just to enrich themselves” shows the myriad ways in which the problem of drug and substance use can raise its hydra head. They are selling drugs, meant to wean away addicts from narcotics, in the open market at highly inflated rates.

Advertisement

Punjab has seen an unprecedented rise in narcotic abuse, especially among its youth and working class population, leading to socio-economic devastation. A study undertaken by the Institute for Development and Communications, Chandigarh, revealed that an overwhelming number (75.8 per cent) of the sample of substance abusers from the border districts of Punjab belonged to the age group of 15-35 years.

Nearly every village in the state has been affected by drug abuse, with heroin and synthetic drugs being the most prevalent. Families are witnessing their loved ones wasting away. And, law enforcement agencies are struggling to contain the ever-expanding drug networks.

Rehabilitation centres are overwhelmed and relapse rates remain high due to lack of effective psychological deterrence.

While various factors contribute to the problem, one fundamental misconception fuels the addiction cycle — that life would be easy if there is sustained happiness and that drugs provide a short-cut to attaining it.

Awareness campaigns do exist, but they often fail to address the root cause of this erroneous perception. This absolute happiness myth must be countered with a scientific and evolutionary understanding of happiness to deter individuals from falling prey to substance abuse.

The brain’s primary function is survival, not relentless seeking of pleasure. The emotions of happiness and sadness are mechanisms to regulate behaviour in response to different situations. The brain has evolved reward pathways, primarily composed of dopamine and other neurotransmitters, to reinforce actions beneficial for survival, such as social bonding, learning and physical activity.

However, these pathways are self-regulating. When a person experiences happiness, the neurotransmitters do not sustain their effect indefinitely. Instead, they return to baseline levels, preventing the brain from being in a perpetual state of joy or sorrow. This biological mechanism ensures adaptation and survival.

Drug-induced pleasure is neither natural nor sustainable. Besides, it is also not an adaptive response to the prevailing situation. Unlike organic emotional responses, which are balanced by the body's feedback mechanisms and generate an adaptive response to prevailing situation, drugs misguide the reward system to generate positive feelings.

Narcotic drugs interfere with the natural process by artificially stimulating reward pathways. Initially, they induce intense euphoria, but repeated use disrupts the brain's balance, leading to diminished natural dopamine production. As drugs artificially flood the brain with neurotransmitters, the body reduces its natural production, resulting in extreme withdrawal symptoms when the drug wears off, leading to depression, anxiety and intense cravings. This results in dependence.

Over time, addicts lose the ability to feel joy without substances. Neurons have threshold sensitivity, meaning they can only fire for a limited time before becoming unresponsive. This explains why initial drug highs diminish with repeated use, forcing addicts to increase their dosage.

Drugs evoke pleasure without fulfilling any survival purpose. Unlike the natural highs from achievements, social bonding or exercise, drug-induced euphoria is disconnected from reality, making it unsustainable.

Consumeristic forces contribute to reinforcing the pursuit of absolute happiness. The entertainment industry and advertisements glorify euphoria, creating unrealistic expectations. Alcohol, smoking and even drug use are often depicted as enhancers of life’s experiences.

This cultural injunction gives a false impression that individuals should constantly seek higher levels of pleasure, pushing some towards narcotics as a short-cut. Misleading narratives — sometimes backed by industries with vested interests — propagate the idea that alcohol or marijuana can enhance creativity, relaxation and social connectivity.

This has further normalised substance use among vulnerable demographics, particularly in Punjab, where stress factors like unemployment and migration struggles are already high. Popular culture induced by neoliberal forces often simplifies these ideas into the misguided notion that happiness should be maximised at all costs.

While law enforcement plays a crucial role in curbing drug supply chains, criminalising drug use alone has proven ineffective. Instead, educational interventions rooted in evolutionary psychology can provide long-term solutions.

By educating youth about the brain's reward system, the transient nature of emotions and the false promises of drug-induced pleasure, we can dismantle the myths that drive addiction. The pioneer of evolutionary psychiatry, Randolph Nesse, says bad feelings are also for good reasons — in his book of the same title — to emphasise that good and bad feelings both have an adaptive role. Since they are generated naturally, we should be ready for these ups and downs.

Schools, rehabilitation centres and community outreach programmes must incorporate this knowledge to empower individuals with the tools to resist peer pressure and misleading societal narratives.

Punjab’s drug crisis is not just a legal or medical issue; it is a psychological and societal challenge deeply rooted in misconceptions about happiness, which need to be challenged. By adopting an evolutionary perspective on happiness and the true working of the brain’s reward system, individuals can be empowered to make informed choices.

Only by shifting perspectives and addressing the crisis holistically — through education, social reform and policy changes — can Punjab protect future generations from the devastating tentacles of drug addiction.