Every strong feeling triggers an opposite one that grows stronger with repetition
Richard Solomon and John Corbit proposed that any intense emotional response automatically triggers a second, opposite reaction that kicks in once the first one fades — a high followed by a low, a scare followed by relief. With repeated exposure, the first reaction weakens while the opposing one grows, which is why a drug's rush fades over time while its withdrawal gets worse, and why thrill-seekers often come to crave the comedown nearly as much as the thrill.