* I hope someone benefits from this article. I have rewritten it like ten times.

In this essay I outline the basic reasons why addiction always leads to misery, advise against temptations that trick us into pursuing addictions, and generally encourage all reading to end their addictions.

Philosophy of Happiness

The world claims that pleasure brings happiness and therefore is good, but this “might makes right” philosophy is a lie. True happiness comes from actions that bring lasting satisfaction. Addictions promise pleasure but never satisfy leaving us wanting more (that is why they are addictive) — thus only resulting in emptiness, the opposite of happiness.

Here is the science behind it: Addictions hijack the brain’s reward system, which relies on dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine drives motivation and pleasure, while serotonin brings well-being. Addictions flood the brain with dopamine, creating intense but short-lived pleasure and disrupting natural regulation. Over time, this lowers serotonin, leading to emptiness and depression. Moreover, the addiction itself eventually starts to provide diminishing returns in dopamine, leaving you in a more unhappy state than before the addiction. Yet since the brain now produces so little dopamine, the addiction eventually becomes the only activity that provides dopamine. This leads users to see their addiction as their only source of happiness and to feel trapped by it. Therefore, yes, ending addiction is hard and will have setbacks; but it is worth it! Eventually you will heal and be able to find joy in uplifting activities.

Fear works the same way: it should guide us away from real dangers, not paralyze us over what can’t be avoided. Misplaced fear is harmful, just as misplaced pleasure is. To start overcoming both fear and addiction, we must first learn to differentiate between urges and true desires.

Addictions also narrow focus to only one thing, making life feel small. This isn’t a natural state – humans should be open to their whole environment. If one must focus on one thing, it should be a meaningful goal (in this life or the next), since that at least enriches and brings meaning to our labors.

When we are free of addictions, we have the free agency to choose our interests and what makes us happy. This allows us to pursue joy in diverse and meaningful ways—friendships, love, creativity, learning, spirituality, and nature. These joys are fulfilling because they connect you to a greater reality beyond yourself but also allow one to explore their personal interests and make personal progression. Since addictions prevent us from choosing what makes us happy (by monopolizing our focus), they cut us off from all of these things and leave us feeling empty and unsatisfied.

Addictions feel dark because they mock the spirit and body—violating our sense of beauty and purpose. They make us seek happiness from external sources, rather than internally, thus making deep peace impossible. Those who are addicted avoid silence, needing noise to escape emptiness. In contrast, those who follow God’s commandments feel an inner peace that fills their entire lives; to them the silence feels meditative and holy. If something feels like a mockery, then it is one; go through the cause and effect and realize it will only leave sadness.

How to Overcome Addiction: 1) Recognize your emotions will falsely claim the addiction is good. 2) Reflect on how addictions are unsatisfying and leave emptiness, while true peace comes from uplifting activities and pursuing your own interests. 3) Don’t idolize a fleeting desire—embrace goals that fill life with meaning. 4) Know that Satan will try to make you forget all these truths in the moment.

Discipline is key—separating emotions from actions. But this discipline isn’t punishment—it’s wisdom, maximizing joy in both the short and long term. Remember, you always have a choice, and God provides uplifting alternatives to addictions.

Overcoming Addictions to Make Progress

Life’s purpose includes learning discipline—choosing good over evil despite opposition (2 Nephi 2:11-27). Addictions are part of this opposition, pulling us toward the flesh instead of the spirit (the flesh is unsophisticated and instinct driven; the spirit perceives intelligently and is glorious). But addictions also offer a chance for spiritual victory; the closer you are to yielding, the greater the victory in resisting (1 Peter 1:6–7, James 1:2–4).

Fighting this battle can be painful—it’s okay (and sometimes helpful) to feel brokenhearted. Feeling sadness without acting is part of spiritually refining yourself and circumcising your heart (Deuteronomy 30:6). Our hearts naturally desire what is harmful, so we must cut out these desires, even though it is painful.

Addictions change us for the worse. Drugs can lead to crime, alcohol to abuse, and pornography to degeneracy. We should avoid them to become who we truly want to be. Their pleasure is false—feeding a version of ourselves we shouldn’t care about or want to satisfy. Moreover, in the scriptures we learn that as we give in to temptations, God will change our lusts and affections to be cruel mockeries of what they once were (Romans 1:21-28). The wolf parable is relevant here: the wolf you feed grows. So starve the wolf of addiction. Let your dislike of urges fuel overcoming them.

Finally, overcome addiction because God commands it (see The Commandments). His commandments aren’t burdens—they guide us to happiness. Moreover, commandment following allows developing a relationship with God, which brings peace. When tempted, say aloud, “I’m grateful for this commandment; it saves me from deception.”

In summary, overcoming addiction means progress. It teaches discipline, choosing spirit over flesh, cognition over instinct, and becoming your true self. The battle is cruel—respond to temptation with broken heartedness and increased spiritual warfare, not giving in.

Exceptions and Lies

Just because something feels good doesn’t mean it actually is good. Remember, Satan offers pleasure in exchange for losing control, but ultimately this is a lie, and you are left with neither happiness nor control. Let our personality control our bodies, rather than our bodies control our personality.

Ending addictions only out of fear of God leads to loophole-seeking. Stop this, it isn’t fooling anyone and it certainly won’t make you happy. Nevertheless, your subconscious will try very hard to convince you that the addiction brings happiness. Therefore, you must outsmart your subconscious animal mind and find the courage to truly change. One common excuse is that giving in is OK because it is the last time. But then you find a reason to have new last time, endlessly repeating. How many times will this fool you?

Satan leads to addiction gradually—halfway, then halfway again—until only a tiny gap remains, at which point it feels insignificant to make the final cross. He does this by whispering that going halfway will satisfy our lusts without any harm, telling us that it can’t hurt because it is just a little. But the truth is the opposite: at the halfway point, we become even more tempted to give in to the point where thinking shifts from rational to animalistic, driven by instinct, not true happiness. Worse, as we approach addiction, Satan can distort our perception, making evil seem good. This may explain addiction’s perverse nature—demonic entities naturally take pleasure from them. So don’t go halfway! Satisfying lusts never works – instead strive for abstinence which eventually will completely kill off these lusts. Remember, pride blocks recovery. It tells you you’re already good, don’t need change, and deserve extra pleasure—justifying the addiction.

Giving up is another temptation. Satan wants you to believe your feelings will never end, trapping you in sadness until you give in. This lie can hypnotize those used to giving up—knowing addiction is bad but feeling powerless to stop it (learned helplessness). But that’s false – eventually addictive urges do end (“this too shall pass”) and eventually you will be able to feel life satisfaction without giving in. Wake up oh sleeper (Ephesians 5:14)! You have freedom (Helaman 14:30-31)! Countless people have overcome addictions, and so can you.

Satan also points to past failures and tells us that we are already condemned, and therefore there is no point in trying anymore. Also false! Through the grace of Christ there always is hope. Instead, respond to failure by ramping up spiritual warfare! The road is long and has setbacks, but don’t give up.

Another problem many face is OCD obsession with addictive fantasies. Therefore, we must deeply internalize that these fantasies are not who we truly are – rather who Satan would like us to be. Instead, replace these fantasies with gospel-oriented fantasies – such as imagining angels and Christ. Similarly, many addictions are rooted in the desire to truly feel something. Therefore, replace addictions with highly sensory activities like cold exposure, exercise, and exploring nature.

One of addiction’s cruel paradoxes is that many fear quitting because they see it as their only escape from sadness. They fear life without it more than its harm. But addiction is false escapism—it numbs pain without healing it. Each time you give in, you seek comfort but find emptiness. Instead, respect yourself enough to control your impulses.

Guard against addiction with these three steps: 1) Learn to control your thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5). 2) If you’re on the path to being overcome, recognize it early. 3) Remember, as you get closer to giving in, clear thinking fades, so don’t trust emotions – instead pray, reread this article, and remind yourself that though in the past you have given in to lusts, we are now called out of such worldly things (discussed in We are Called Out of Sin to Higher, Holier Places). If overwhelmed, declare aloud, “This thought isn’t mine—I’m not deceived.” Also remember the phrase, “Don’t doubt in darkness what you know in light.” You can tell light from dark. Yes, you may want to give up now—but freedom awaits. Keep going with hope.

Explaining it Mathematically

This diagram explains my view on addictions:

As one can see – addictive activities might initially increase pleasure, in the long run they decrease pleasure. But people remain bound to the addiction because to give up the addiction temporarily grants even less pleasure. It is tempting to believe that going halfway to an addiction is the best of both worlds, however, it is the worst of both worlds – it leaves increased addictive urges, and therefore leaves you feeling even more unsatisfied. On the right diagram, I believe many are deceived by noting that further giving in grants greater pleasure. However, this is myopic because overall, happiness from everything else decreases, thus overall decreasing wellbeing.

But let’s delve deeper: In college, I studied economics, where we often used thought experiments with “utility equations” — simplified models assuming people act to maximize their wellbeing. For example:

Utility = √(bank balance) + √(friends) + √(beauty of environment) + √(self-worth) – stress – boredom

While simplistic, it reflects the idea that people make choices based on perceived benefits, not randomly.

Now imagine a thought experiment: suppose your brain had a “wellbeing” variable stored in its neural chemistry that Satan modifies to always be infinity — but only if you obey him to do evil things. Obeying him ruins your life, but your brain still reports perfect wellbeing. Would you feel grateful, or wish to resist? Most would choose to fight back, revealing that we seek more than just a feeling of happiness.

Modify it further: imagine Satan changes your utility equation to only depend on being high on fentanyl. Would you accept this change to your mind, or want to reclaim your true self? Again, most would resist. This shows we have an inner compass aiming higher than pleasure alone.

I believe that compass is alignment with God. When we desire things outside His will, something in us resists—unless we’ve been given over to a reprobate as a result of completely giving ourselves to sin (Romans 1:21-28). This doesn’t erase individuality; for example, avoiding demonic music doesn’t mean all Christians must like the same songs—there are still many uplifting choices.

One final scenario: before birth, you’re told you’ll be altered to crave only sex and drugs, unable to enjoy serving others. You’re given a choice: indulge your body’s cravings, or choose a life of holiness that leaves your body unsatisfied. Most would choose holiness.

In conclusion: our spirit longs for higher things, but our body’s desires often lead us elsewhere. Satan wants us to ignore our spirit and chase lust. But as God’s children, we are called to reject the body’s cravings and live by the spirit. Deep down, this is the life we truly long for.

Closing Thoughts

Overcoming addiction requires more than discipline; it demands a higher perspective on life itself. At the heart of this struggle lies an archetypal choice: to surrender our agency for fleeting, artificial pleasure, or to pursue holiness—even when it leaves the body unsatisfied (Hebrews 11:25, Galatians 5:17, Romans 8:13). This same choice appears in many forms. Do we prefer blissful ignorance, or the often-painful clarity of knowledge—knowing that only through knowledge can we be truly free to choose (Hosea 4:6, John 8:32)? Do we choose comfort in weakness, or the burden of strength (Joshua 1:9)? Choosing strength, after all, confronts us with a sobering truth: that every moment we settled for less, we did so by choice. Strength requires us to do what the body resists in order to fulfill the will of our spirit (1 Corinthians 9:27, Galatians 6:8). Dumbledore expresses another perspective of this choice: “We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.”

But embedded in this choice is the lie that addictions actually will make us happier. As I have explained: the pleasure we gain from addictions is always far less than anticipated – and in the long run addictions leave us feeling dark and empty. They replace our personality and true joys with bodily impulses which feel like mockeries, thus taking the color out of life. Therefore, the choice is actually between having misery and loss of free agency on the addiction side, and happiness and freedom on the holiness side. Nephi explains this in 2 Nephi 2:27:
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

Remember, bodily satisfaction does not equal happiness, and I believe that true holiness means resisting temptation even if it leaves you feeling unsatisfied. Indeed, following the Gospel is not easy (Acts 14:22, 2 Timothy 2:3), but I can promise you that it is worth it (Romans 8:18). It bring light to your life (John 8:12, 2 Corinthians 4:6) and stores treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20).

But we are not alone in this struggle. God has given us tools—prayer, uplifting music (which I have found to make a huge difference), and scripture—to fight these urges. For more on this, see my article:Spiritual Warfare. When temptation strikes, engage in these practices, or reread this article, or at least ponder on that which is pure, virtuous, and lovely as Harry Potter does here: Harry Potter possession scene; listening to addiction recovery prayers may also help (example). Indeed, if we try our best to follow God’s commandments, God promises that he will change our hearts and therefore we eventually won’t even want our addictions (Ezekiel 36:26, Deuteronomy 30:6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Hebrews 8:10, John 8:36).

Even if you don’t feel like these strategies would work, remember that Satan influences perceptions, so at least experiment by trying them. Ultimately, remember Ether 12:6, “faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” Addictive urges are trials of our faith – in these moments it might not make sense why the addiction is bad – but if we endure through the urge we will receive a witness that rejecting addictions truly is the path to a happier life.

If this essay hasn’t convinced you, please consider these final points: 1) Satan may be distorting your perceptions. 2) Your moral standards may have slipped, desensitizing you to serious sin (moral numbness). 3) Giving in after knowing the truth is far worse—it knowingly lets darkness in. Do not “labor for that which cannot satisfy” (2 Nephi 9:51, Isaiah 55:2), for doing iniquity can never bring happiness (Helaman 13:38, Alma 41:10). And finally, don’t doubt in darkness what you know in light.

Isaiah 9:2
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Alma 41:10 – “wickedness never was happiness.”

John 9:4
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Ephesians 5:14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

2 Nephi 1:13, 23
O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound
…Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.
(Romans 13:11-12, Jacob 3:11)

1 Corinthians 10:12-13
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Ezekiel 36:26
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Ether 12:4
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

 Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Philippians 4:6-8
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.