Steal My Ideas, Please

We’ve all heard of appetite suppressants, or drugs that reduce desire. But what if the “gotta have it” process is a two-part thing? One chemical process produces desire. But it’s a separate deal that makes us feel rotten when the desire isn’t satisfied. After all, you don’t feel rotten as soon as you desire, right? You might even feel great as you make that ham sandwich, contemplate a cigarette, or order that eighth beer. But if you fail to satisfy the craving, a new feeling sets in … some kind of nagging discomfort, even akin to pain. What if a drug could reduce that feeling? It would be like taking aspirin for pain. OK, you’d still have the desire, but maybe you could live with it. Put it off with promises of “Get back to you later.”