Why do people start taking heroin?

strobe · 13-12-2013 05:41PM

For a lot of people that wind up heroin addicts, the reason seeing people ****ed up from heroin and knowing the dangers of it, doesn't put them off, is because they already feel their life is a world of sh1t. Taking smack and even becoming a zombified homeless junkie is viewed as, at worst, a lateral move.

Take someone who's father has been raping them and their mother has been beating them day in day out since they were 6 years old. Never having made friends due to the psychological issues brought on by having lived that kind of childhood.

They get it into their head that their life is beyond sh1t and always will be. So, why not take smack? Why bother hoping for any kind of decent life when you're convinced that's just not your fate.

They know it's a **** life to be a junkie but life is and always has been **** anyway. At least the heroin takes all that pain away, if even for a few hours.

Lingua Franca · 13-12-2013 05:50PM

I saw this when I was browsing imgur the other day. American, but otherwise relatable.

Ash.J.Williams · 13-12-2013 05:55PM

Lingua Franca wrote: »

I saw this when I was browsing imgur the other day. American, but otherwise relatable.

Not "relatable" in the slightest...

Ash.J.Williams · 13-12-2013 05:58PM

many people take heroin to take the edge of their sh1t lives...i'm sure heroin would improve a night on the street...until you're addicted of course..

spurious · 13-12-2013 06:01PM

AFAIK, the first time someone takes heroin they are violently sick, the question is what makes them go back. As others have said, it's the promise of the great high.

Fr_Dougal · 13-12-2013 06:03PM

Heroin is yummy.

Ash.J.Williams · 13-12-2013 06:06PM

spurious wrote: »

AFAIK, the first time someone takes heroin they are violently sick, the question is what makes them go back. As others have said, it's the promise of the great high.

that's incorrect...

some people may do it wrong and get sick...for others...as i said earlier it's bleedin deadly

old hippy · 13-12-2013 06:08PM

A mate of mine did it in his 20s, he was a musician and stopped using when friends of his started dying. He regrets taking the stuff but doesn't bs about the highs - which were, according to him, amazing. Another friend used to do it in her 20s, she wasn't a particulary happy person & am not sure what her exact reasons were. I guess she liked to live on the edge. She's now a high flying executive.

I don't partake in drugs anymore (well, the kind of drugs that make people wring their hands and emote about them in the media) but I tried a myriad of them. Some were very, very good and others... I could have done without.

benway · 13-12-2013 06:10PM

Right. So using heroin isn't the same as being addicted to heroin. Not everyone who uses it becomes addicted.

There's a strong argument that it isn't the pharmacological properties of the drugs that cause addiction, but rather social factors:

Most people believe that certain drugs cause catastrophic addictions in people who use them. This conventional belief is reflected in such familiar phrases as "crack cocaine is instantly addictive" or "heroin is so good, don't even try it once". It is also implied in the professional literature which routinely describes certain drugs as "addictive", "dependency producing", or "habit forming". The belief that drugs can induce addiction has shaped drug policy for more than a century.

However, the only actual evidence for the belief in drug-induced addiction comes 1) from the testimonials of some addicted people who believe that exposure to a drug caused them to "lose control" and 2) from some highly technical research on laboratory animals. These bits of evidence have been embellished in the news media to the point where the belief in drug-induced addiction has acquired the status of an obvious truth that requires no further testing. But the widespread acceptance of this belief is a better demonstration of the power of repetition than of the influence of empirical research, because the great bulk of empirical evidence runs against it. Belief in drug-induced addiction may have deep cultural roots as well, since it is a pharmacological version of the belief in "demon possession" that has entranced western culture for centuries.

http://globalizationofaddiction.ca/articles-speeches/demon-drug-myths/164-myth-drug-induced.html

There's also a strong argument that the effects of globalised neoliberal late capitalism on communities and ways of earning a living tend to cause cultural and social disembeddedness or dislocation, which feeds addiction:

http://globalizationofaddiction.ca/pdf/roots_addiction_2001.pdf?phpMyAdmin=fc7384f5b29d4dcea89cdea166944b98

This guy Bruce Alexander is well worth a look if you're interested in addiction, not sure if he's the most rigorous in his approach, but I tend to agree with his views.

I'll get me coat.

Call Me Jimmy · 13-12-2013 06:12PM

I can absolutely understand the appeal of heroin, especially if someone just isn't really feeling normal life. I've been very tempted myself a couple of times but it's more fear of injecting the mashup of crap that can be in it directly into my bloodstream which is the deciding factor.

I suppose one could smoke it but I doubt it would be the same.

Shout Dust · 13-12-2013 06:15PM

strobe wrote: »

They know it's a **** life to be a junkie but life is and always has been **** anyway. At least the heroin takes all that pain away, if even for a few hours.

Agree with this, its something that takes the pain away for a while, at least for some users. For others I'd say it's partly chasing the high and thinking they'll be able to control it and they won't get addicted. I think it's something like 1/4 to 1/3 who try heroin become dependent on it. For me thats playing with fire, but has a certain strange attraction as well.

smellmepower · 13-12-2013 06:19PM

Same reasons some people turn to alcohol.It's enjoyable,it's an escape from (an often shítty) life,a friend or family member does it,it's readily available etc.

Wattle · 13-12-2013 06:39PM

It is supposed to be an amazing high so I guess once you've tried it it must be enormously tempting to try it again. There's a part of me that would like to try it but I also know it would destroy my life in no time so I stay away. I guess if you feel like you can't get anywhere in life it might be tempting but in reality it's a drug of no hope.

kjl · 13-12-2013 06:48PM

There are a lot of people who take heroin and live a perfectly normal life, they have wealth and can fund the habit so that are not living on the streets. If you take it once a day have your buzz come down you can function quite normally.

I think they should have treatment center and just give the heroin away for free, this would lower crime as junkies won't need to steal to feed their addiction and dealers would very soon find themselves out of business as there would be nobody to sell it too ergo, no new users.

ScumLord · 13-12-2013 06:58PM

I'd say there's plenty of people that used hard drugs for the first time when they were drunk. When your drunk you'll try anything, which isn't true for other drugs. When you're on coke you just want more coke and heroin would not be the direction you'd want to go. When you're on weed the thought of heroin would make you scared. When you're on yolks you don't want anything but yolks.

Drink on the other hand you'll take the drugs without a second thought.

strobe wrote: »

Take someone who's father has been raping them and their mother has been beating them day in day out since they were 6 years old. Never having made friends due to the psychological issues brought on by having lived that kind of childhood.

They get it into their head that their life is beyond sh1t and always will be. So, why not take smack? Why bother hoping for any kind of decent life when you're convinced that's just not your fate.

Heroin would seem like a step up from that kind of hell, at least you'd be numb and in some respects you'd feel like you're able to function better because the heroin blocks out that horrible feeling.

kupus · 13-12-2013 07:06PM

Lets play a game of spot the middle class in this thread lol, hash as a gateway drug....Thats too expensive..

Glue is THEE gateway way drug, cheap affordable and found everywhere. NExt comes painkillers from the doc morphine or other lighter generic drugs, easily cooked by those who know how to make an injectible hit.
Then pushers start giving free hits to get hooked and bang your down the rabbit hole. With F all chance of getting out. Until you go on meth which is just state sponsored pharma invested drug use anyway.
A few people I know who went on meth went back using again. Its either total abstinence or bust.

ScumLord · 13-12-2013 07:09PM

kupus wrote: »

Lets play a game of spot the middle class in this thread lol, hash as a gateway drug....Thats too expensive..

Glue is THEE gateway way drug,

tobacco is the gateway drug, it's most peoples first introduction to illegal drug use (as a kid) and it causes a change in your brains chemical make up to make you more susceptible to addiction later in life.

I dont know anyone from school that I saw using glue or solvents still doing them today. Or even a week after first trying them.

kupus · 13-12-2013 07:19PM

Tobacco doesnt get you high.
glue is usually done by kids that you wouldnt see in your school anyway.
Go out and have a conversation with an addict from a ghetto be it irish french german, american, and a lot will have tried glue as their first high.

Source: if you want a link, I havent a clue where to find one. I just use the bit of life experience that I have.

ceadaoin. · 13-12-2013 07:20PM

Lingua Franca wrote: »

I saw this when I was browsing imgur the other day. American, but otherwise relatable.

Not really. A lot of American heroin users start out abusing prescription painkillers. As their tolerance builds they need more pills which they can't afford so they move onto heroin which is cheaper.

I wouldn't imagine many Irish people start heroin that way.

SimonQuinlank · 13-12-2013 07:26PM

kjl wrote: »

There are a lot of people who take heroin and live a perfectly normal life, they have wealth and can fund the habit so that are not living on the streets. If you take it once a day have your buzz come down you can function quite normally.

I think they should have treatment center and just give the heroin away for free, this would lower crime as junkies won't need to steal to feed their addiction and dealers would very soon find themselves out of business as there would be nobody to sell it too ergo, no new users.

You'll never find a politician here with the spine to even broach that subject,yet they are happy enough to string addicts along on methadone indefinitely.

I believe they have trialled prescription Heroin in Switzerland and it found to be positive in reducing open drug dealing,disease,associated petty crime and as well as stabilizing the lives of addicts.

Link

ScumLord · 13-12-2013 07:26PM

kupus wrote: »

Tobacco doesnt get you high.
glue is usually done by kids that you wouldnt see in your school anyway.
Go out and have a conversation with an addict from a ghetto be it irish french german, american, and a lot will have tried glue as their first high.

Source: if you want a link, I havent a clue where to find one. I just use the bit of life experience that I have.

I'm not disagreeing with you as such, I'm sure their first major drug use is something along those lines but people over look tobaccos roll.

When you first start using tobacco it does get you high, I remember spewing after smoking too much as a kid.

Most kids first use of drugs will still be tobacco, once they have that one under their belt they will be more likely to try something else. Using tobacco as a kid means you're hanging out with other kids willing to try things they're not allowed to.

13-12-2013 07:34PM

A far more interesting question is why are people so desperate to get high or escape reality, how come some can dabble in a bit of weed when young and leave it at that, why do some people crash and burn and some don't.

Mint Aero · 13-12-2013 07:39PM

Foxhound38 wrote: »

Just looking on from the other thread about sterilizing junkies, the most obvious question entered my head: why do people start taking the stuff in the first place.

How do people justify starting it to themselves right now?

"Cos the social don't build no things for us to do round here." :rolleyes:

Just a footie pitch now used for drug dealing
Just a playground now used for drug dealing
etc.

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

lukesmom · 13-12-2013 07:48PM

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Heroin is used because by all accounts the first few times are, as the fella says...."bleedin deadly"

Not true I done it twice smoked it and became extremely sick, vomiting and never touched it again. I do remember feeling kind of warm and fuzzy but the vomiting ruined it for me . I'm obviously glad I didn't chance it a third time.

Shout Dust · 13-12-2013 07:48PM

mariaalice wrote: »

A far more interesting question is why are people so desperate to get high or escape reality, how come some can dabble in a bit of weed when young and leave it at that, why do some people crash and burn and some don't.

Way we're built I'd imagine, people have been using mind altering substances to escape reality for thousands of years

kupus · 13-12-2013 07:59PM

SimonQuinlank wrote: »

You'll never find a politician here with the spine to even broach that subject,yet they are happy enough to string addicts along on methadone indefinitely.
Link

Pharma industries are minting a fortune on meth, they can then lobby gov to keep meth clinics open....its easy money.

ScumLord wrote: »

I'm not disagreeing with you as such, I'm sure their first major drug use is something along those lines but people over look tobaccos roll.

When you first start using tobacco it does get you high, I remember spewing after smoking too much as a kid.

Most kids first use of drugs will still be tobacco, once they have that one under their belt they will be more likely to try something else. Using tobacco as a kid means you're hanging out with other kids willing to try things they're not allowed to.

I overlook tobacco because for me its a normal everyday thing.
I can see where you are coming from with the addictive tendencies though.

ceadaoin. wrote: »

Not really. A lot of American heroin users start out abusing prescription painkillers. As their tolerance builds they need more pills which they can't afford so they move onto heroin which is cheaper.

I wouldn't imagine many Irish people start heroin that way.

Hillbilly heroin. crush a few vics or percs and away you go.......
Its done in Ireland as well.

not so fun fact of the day, heroin was produced to get users off morphine addiction. :rolleyes:

Ash.J.Williams · 13-12-2013 08:00PM

lukesmom wrote: »

Not true I done it twice smoked it and became extremely sick, vomiting and never touched it again. I do remember feeling kind of warm and fuzzy but the vomiting ruined it for me . I'm obviously glad I didn't chance it a third time.

That's just one person

Baked.noodle · 13-12-2013 08:03PM

If you have the stomach for it Google Krokodil (Desomorphine).

jiminho · 13-12-2013 08:09PM

I've always thought that it's one thing to smoke or sniff something but it's an entirely different thing to inject something into yourself. I'm probably naive tho.

UCDVet · 13-12-2013 08:13PM

I know this isn't a popular opinion but....

If there was a drug that, if you took once, immediately turned you into in addict - then yeah, OP is right. New people would stop trying it. And that's how most people think drugs are. 'Why would you do it if it is so bad?!?'

The way it starts, for myself and the people I've known, is more like how most people start smoking or drinking. Growing up, people said it was bad...but lots of people I know are doing it. They aren't addicts, they are normal people, cool people, people you want to be friends with....someone they go out, sometimes they use drugs. It isn't their whole life.

It's illegal so people don't like to talk about it, and nobody wants to seem like they are saying it is safe or encouraging people to try it - but the truth is a LOT of people can use drugs and not have it ruin their life. Why would anyone drink alcohol if everyone becomes an alcoholic? They wouldn't.

But lots of people drink. They do it sometimes, and it's fun. They enjoy it. It costs money, it might give them a hang over, but it's fun. They like how it feels. They hang out with other people who are using it and enjoying it.

Nobody starts wanting to be an addict. They start because they want to have fun. And they can see lots of people who are doing it, with seemingly no ill-effects. They don't think it'll be them.

After you've been doing a few drugs for a while, no problems, you start to think, why not do the next one? And again, lots of people do, and they don't have problems. Why not? Plus, the next one....everyone says it's amazing.

I do know people with jobs and families, who did really hard drugs until they were 30-35 and sorta grew out of it. They just started doing it less. Never a problem with addiction. But I also know people who got hooked, and really did have problems - including one guy who died of an overdose....so that sucks. Really nice guy too, as hard as that will be for some people to believe.

It tends to sneak up on you....you do it every a few weeks, then every week, and then, maybe on a Tuesday too, and then it's all the time. Then you can't hold down a job....and it becomes a big spiral....the worse things get the more you want the drugs, the more you want the drugs, the worse things get.

Still - I think alcohol is the best way to look at it. Nobody has their first drink thinking they'll become an alcoholic. Same with any other drug. People do Heroin for the same reason people who start drinking beer decide to throw back a few shots. And a lot of them do it, seemingly without problem, at least for a good long while. By the time they do realize it is a problem...well....then it's a big one.

Why do people start taking heroin?

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