The Pursuit of Euphoria: An Integrated Biopsychosocial Framework for Understanding Substance Abuse
Famous Agaga *
Department of Diagnostic Services, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Wemimo Damilare Emmanuel
Department of Social Work, University of Ibadan, Ibadan City, Nigeria.
Chimelue Alexander Okoye
School of Health Sciences, Public Health, University of New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Damilola Alabi
Department of Medicine and Surgery, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Substance abuse remains a major global public health challenge, contributing substantially to preventable morbidity, premature mortality, and socioeconomic burden. Although considerable advances have been made in addiction research, existing models predominantly examine the social, psychological, and neurobiological determinants of substance use in isolation, providing limited insight into how these domains interact to drive the transition from initial substance use to compulsive dependence. This narrative review addresses this conceptual gap by proposing an integrated framework that positions the pursuit of euphoria as a unifying mechanism linking these multidimensional determinants across the addiction continuum. A structured literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, drawing on peer-reviewed and seminal publications. Evidence was synthesised thematically to identify interactions among social, psychological, and neurobiological factors relevant to substance use initiation, escalation, and dependence. The review demonstrates that the pursuit of euphoria is a dynamic motivational process shaped by reciprocal interactions among environmental influences, psychological vulnerabilities, and neurobiological adaptations. Social determinants influence exposure to psychoactive substances and reward expectations; psychological processes regulate emotional coping, motivation, and decision-making; and neurobiological changes progressively reinforce craving, compulsive drug-seeking, and dependence. Rather than viewing these determinants as independent pathways, the proposed framework conceptualises them as an interconnected system that explains the progression from voluntary substance use to addiction. By integrating these traditionally separate domains within a single conceptual model, this framework provides a clearer basis for interdisciplinary addiction research, supports the development of precision-informed prevention and personalised treatment strategies, and offers a conceptual foundation for evidence-informed public health policy.
Keywords: Substance use disorder, pursuit of euphoria, biopsychosocial framework, social determinants, emotional dysregulation, reward expectancy, neurobiological adaptation, addiction continuum, relapse, recovery