“Pleasure‑seeking enticements, such as rich foods, coffee, cola drinks, alcohol, (gambling, pornography), and recreational drugs, are different faces of the same trap. By causing artificially intensive releases of dopamine within the brain’s pleasure centers, these substances create a deceptively intense, short‑term feeling of well‑being. But there is a price.” — The Pleasure Trap by Douglas J. Lisle & Alan Goldhamer

Most people in churches today still think of addiction mostly in terms of drugs or alcohol. But the reality is that the human heart can become bound to anything that promises relief, comfort, or pleasure in a way that limits our freedom, erodes our relationships, and ultimately steals our peace.

The “pleasure trap” isn’t just a metaphor for chemical dependency. It extends into many behaviors that flood our brains with dopamine and temporarily soothe distress—only to leave us feeling spiritually, emotionally, and relationally empty.

Neuroscientists like Anna Lemke and Andrew Huberman (both at Standford University) point out that many of the pleasures and distractions available today offer a "SUPERNORMAL" level of stimulation -- usually in the form of a flood of dopamine to the brain.

"Supernormal" is an important word to understand our world today, and why so many people struggle to control their compulsions. 

First it clarifies that what is being stimulated is a normal drive -- like the pleasure of tasting something sweet, the exileration of being noticed and affirmed by others, or the excitement of sexual stimulation. 

But our experience is NOT normal -- it's "supernormal" -- because today's products and experiences stimulate these drives at a higher level than nature ever intended.

Think of some examples:

• Ultra processed food usually offers an intensity of sweetness -- and sometimes a blend of sweet, salt, and fat -- that is not availalbe in natural foods, and therefore was never before experienced by our ancestors.
• Social media allows people to garner attention and immediate validation from masses of people ... once again, something that none of our ancestors ever experienced.
• Internet pornography allows access to a level of sexual stimulation and novelty that none of our ancestors experienced. I sometimes remind people in my talks that a 10 year old child could sit down at a computer tonight and experience more sexual stimulation and novelty in this one night than his ancestors -- even polygamous kings -- would experience in their lifetimes.
• Even the alcohol and tobacco products in use today are stronger and more potent versions of those consumed in previous generations.

Put simply, our brains and hearts and souls are not equipped to handle this.

Recent research shows the breadth of this issue in our culture. About 17% of Americans aged 12 and older met criteria for a substance use disorder in any given year, affecting tens of millions of people.

When we add behavioral or process addictions — compulsive patterns of gambling, pornography use, shopping, unhealthy eating, and internet or gaming overuse — the numbers are staggering.

How staggering? 

The Challenge of Trying to Measure the Prevalence of Behavioral Addictions and Compulsions

I can't site specific statistics. I am not aware of research that has estimates of this, because:
 
(1) No business entity is motivated to fund expensive research like this -- and many are motivated to make sure it's NOT done (and if any research IS done, to try to discredit it), because it will hurt their profits.

(2) No nonprofit or government entity in the mainstream scientific community -- which are the only ones who could afford such studies -- are willing or able to do research like this either. Why? Because they don't even agree on what constitutes compulsive -- let alone "healthy" or "unhealthy" -- behaviors, so how could they study them, and why would they even want to?

I realize what I'm saying might be controversial. If you want to read more, I talk about this in more depth in this series of articles:

What We Are Talking About When We Talk About Addiction, Part 1 

Addiction, Part 2: “Substance Use” and Behavioral Addictions
Addiction, Part 3: Getting Real About Behavioral Addictions
 

With that said, here are some things we DO know:

• PORN USE -- with porn use, for example: in the US right now, we know that 87% of males and 30% of females age 19-35 consume porn at least weekly. (source) Does anyone think that's healthy?
• UNHEALTHY / COMPULSIVE EATING -- while it seems no one can agree on what food addiction or compulsion means, right now in the US, 40% of adults are obese, and another 35% are overweight ... adding up to 75% of the population. (source). The scientific -- and especially medical -- community struggles to deal with this for fear of further stigmatizing overweight people, and encouraging disordered eating.

Depending on how you want to define these behaviors as "unhealthy" or "compulsive," between food, porn, traditional substance use disorders, we are talking about at least 2/3 of the adults in any given congregation. This assumes that some people are addicted to multiple things, and also that not every person cited in the stats above would qualify as being "addicted." 

But also note: we've not even gotten to other problematic behaviors, such as compulsive shopping, gambling, video gaming, and unhealthy social media use. Add those, and we've got an even higher percentage of peope.

These behaviors may look different on the surface, but neurologically they have similarities to classic substance use disorders: difficulty resisting an urge, relief or “high” when engaging in the behavior, and distress or dysfunction when it’s absent.

They all follow similar patterns of reinforcing reward cycles that hijack our brains.

Addiction or compulsion in any form — whether to alcohol, drugs, screens, food, or fantasies — ultimately points to deeper longings: the longing for peace, security, love, significance, and often freedom from pain. These longings can only be met in the life of a person who is rightly related to God, and in healthy spiritual community. Christ offers fullness that does not fade with time, and His Spirit rewires our hearts toward true and lasting joy (Galatians 5:22–23).

Church leaders today MUST widen their pastoral concern beyond stereotypical views of addiction. 

Failure to do so means failing to apply the Gospel -- with its promise of healing and transformation -- to one of the central struggles that many (most?) of the people in our congregations are facing.

Compulsive behaviors are not fringe problems; they are commonplace in a world saturated with stimuli engineered to capture attention and reward the brain’s pleasure centers.

The Apostle Paul speaks to this when he urges believers to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice… not conforming to the pattern of this world” (Romans 12:1–2, NIV). 

Addiction’s hold is the inevitable result of conformity to worldly patterns — patterns that promise relief but exact a price.

True healing is available. 

But there is hope. Healing is possible, and many people are finding it. Recovery starts when we name these struggles honestly, find healing from the parts of us that are broken, and find support to consistently take the small steps required for lasting life change. Recovery from these destructive compulsions continues and grows as we build our mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health.

Whatever the struggle, the gospel offers "freedom for those in bondage" -- the freedom we all secretly long for.

But -- and this is big -- freedom for people in our churches will only happen if and when we in the church (1) are willing to regularly talk openly about this, and (2) are able to offer wise and genuinely helpful solutions that lead to lasting recovery and healing -- solutions that move beyond the simplistic "just pray more and get an accountability partner" advice you often hear.

This is why I've created the Renewed Life program. We're getting ready to launch some new groups in 2026. I hope you'll consider being part of one, or hosting one at your church. If not Renewed Life, then do something else. But do something.

If you want to hear more, just respond to this email and I'll get back to you. (No sales, no pushyness, no obligation). You can also read more about these programs below.

If you’re struggling today, know this: there is hope. Christ sees you, loves you, and offers more lasting satisfaction than any pleasure trap the world can set before you.