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Why do people use heroin?heroin is a drug that is usuall injected or snorted

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shirley33 | Student, Grade 11 | eNotes Newbie

Posted March 29, 2010 at 1:05 AM via web

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Why do people use heroin?

heroin is a drug that is usuall injected or snorted

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besure77 | Middle School Teacher | (Level 1) Senior Educator

Posted March 29, 2010 at 1:11 AM (Answer #1)

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People use drugs for many reasons. One of the reasons that heroin is so widely used, especially in teenagers, is because it is a cheaper drug and one that is usually easy to get.

Many people, especially teenagers, use drugs because of peer pressure. They may have friends that do it so they do it too in order to try to fit in. Heroin is very addicting so once it is used once it is incredibly tempting to do it again.

Another resaon that people may use heroin, or other drugs, is because of depression. Drugs are often used as a way to escape the harsh realties of life that one may be encountering.

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ako6777 | Middle School Teacher | (Level 1) Associate Educator

Posted March 29, 2010 at 1:25 AM (Answer #2)

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Heroin is a central nervous system depressant.  People use heroin because of the rush of euphoria they experience when used. It causes them to feel high, unconcerned with the troubles in their life, and pain free.  The problem with heroine is that it is highly addictive.  Once it is tried the brain craves the drug for the release it provides.  The other problem with heroine is that once you try it, your brain requires higher and higher dosages to attain that high.  That is why the drug has the negative effects it has on people.  It is difficult to give up and you require more of it to feel the rush. 

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mkcapen1 | Middle School Teacher | Valedictorian

Posted March 29, 2010 at 1:43 AM (Answer #3)

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The use of heroin manifested many years ago in the orient.  It was initially used for surgeries and to reach a euphoric state.  In America the drug became a major issue following the Vietnam War.  Many American soldiers were introduced to heroin during their time in the jungle.  It enabled them to escape mentally from the extreme boredom and stress they were experiencing.  Upon the soldier’s return to America, the problem did not evaporate.  Many soldiers’s were kicked out of the service or arrested for drug violations.

Heroin is often used in America as an escape drug.  People use the drug for different reasons.  Those who become addicted often begin using through recreational use.  The feeling is so strong and euphoric that they return to use it.  In a short period the body becomes addicted to the drug and the life long dependency is established.  Like most drugs, the more it is used the more a person needs.  No one ever reaches the euphoric state that they had experienced the first time they ever used the drug.  However, the user continues to seek this state falling deeper and deeper into addiction. 

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tutorjim | College Teacher | eNoter

Posted March 26, 2011 at 1:15 AM (Answer #5)

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A good question, with a difficult answer. People use heroin for several reasons, and unfortunately they are not all simple and straight forward. When you look at the populations involved in the use of heroin, you can break them up into two seperate groups, those that use the substance recreationally, and those that are dependant, and unfortunately dependant users are the ones that we see and hear about in the media. If we look at the dependant group of users, there are several main issues around the use of the drug within this population. There are health issues, what is called Dual Diagnosis, or the concept of a major health condition co-existing with the drug use, and where as this health condition can be physical, it is more usually some form of psychiatric or psychological issue. there are also social issues as well, including social normalisation, and learned behaviour, unfortunately in some cities with in the UK and indeed probably in other parts of the world, we now have third, and even fourth generation drug users. This is how the behaviour becomes normalised, the younger people within the family unit see drug use as normal, and this becomes an issue, when we look at the practice of injecting as people do as they see which is not always correct. These kids or teens would see the use of drugs especially in significant others as a coping strategy for dealing with problems , because unlike non drug users, they will not have seen or learned how to cope with family problems without drugs. Another big factor is the conditions within inner cities, and the lack of jobs or college , and this leads to people using drugs as a form of escape. They basically blot out their feelings of boredom and depression.

In Summary@

People use heroin for many reasons, but the main issues or reasons that people use heroin are

  • Socialisation: they are living in and around heroin users, and the behaviour demonstrated by these users becomes the norm within the house
  • Dual Diagnosis: people use heroin to help deal with symptoms of both Physical Health Issues ( e.g.pain )
    & Mental Health Issues (blotting out the voices in schizophrenia dulling the feelings of hopelessness in depression))
  • Poor social & living conditions ( No Job, Poor Housing, Lack of Education)

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