Untangle The Science of Revenge: Why Getting Even Feels (so!) Good—and How to Overcome it. With James Kimmel Jr.
Mar 17, 2026
James Kimmel Jr., former litigator turned Yale psychiatry researcher and author, studies revenge as a brain-driven, addictive force. He recounts a personal turning point, explains how grievance lights up pain and reward circuits, and explores why self-control collapses into violence. He also outlines biological paths to forgiveness and practical tools for breaking the revenge cycle.
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Teenage Revenge Chase That Changed a Life
- James Kimmel Jr. recounts being bullied from age 12, finding his hunting dog shot, and chasing the perpetrators with a loaded revolver before stopping at the last second.
- That moment catalyzed his lifelong work: it revealed intense revenge urges and a flash of self-control that prevented him from becoming a killer.
Becoming A Professional Avenger Through Lawyering
- Kimmel describes becoming a litigator because law gave him a socially sanctioned way to exact harm labeled as justice, which felt pleasurable and lucrative.
- Over 20 years he realized professional revenge feeding his personal desire and contributing to depression.
Grievance Hijacks Pain And Reward Circuits
- Neuroscience shows grievance activates the anterior insula (pain network) then the brain's dopamine reward circuitry, producing rapid pleasure from revenge fantasies.
- A drop in dopamine creates craving, and if prefrontal self-control is compromised, revenge escalates into actions despite known negative consequences.
