Why Heroin?
77Why Heroin Over HIV Protection?
This hub started out answering a great question that was posed in the "Requests" section: "Why has heroin addiction made a comeback even though the use of the illegal drug can cause or lead to AIDS or HIV infections?" This is a really excellent question, and it's my personal belief that the answer is more complex than most people think.
It's really hard to get a fully open conversation about these topics, because there always seem to be beliefs (not facts, but beliefs) that people hold and aren't willing to challenge, gray moral areas, and at other times passionate debate that can quickly turn to fiery arguments and insults. For a prime example, consider this statement:
"Heroin is popular because the feeling of the high is absolutely ecstatic."
I'm guessing that the majority of people who read this immediately had a strong gut reaction. I did, too. My reaction was an immediate gut check, and then me preparing to disagree. Only one problem: is that really incorrect? Did you feel a gut check because this was a blatant lie, or because it's true but it seems to entice people to a path of drug abuse and absolute destruction?
As Billy Shakespeare once said, "Ay, there's the rub." Is the high that comes from abusing heroin literally a feeling of ecstasy? Yes, it is. If it wasn't, you wouldn't have so many people addicted to it or abusing it. So how many people who are adamantly opposed to heroin and heroin use are willing to concede this? There's the problem. If you won't deal with that fact, then how can you understand the victims and how difficult it really is for addicts to quit?
This is the first part of the answer to why heroin addiction would go up despite the threat of HIV infection. The feeling from heroin is euphoric to most users, and unmatched by anything natural. Does this make the high a good thing? Absolutely not, but until you can at least acknowledge the feeling that hooks addicts and junkies, there isn't going to be an honest dialogue about treatment.
If you've never had or never been hooked, it's easy to say "Well that person should just use some self control and quit." This isn't giving up chocolate or switching from Pepsi to Diet Pepsi. Many heroin addicts want that euphoria from heroin so badly that nothing else matters - including the danger of HIV or AIDS from sharing needles.
But that's only part of the answer to this question. The euphoria of the drug, the main reason that most individuals get into drugs to begin with, and why rehabilitation is so hard: because you can't help someone who prefers the drugs over helping themselves. That chemical euphoria has a price that no sane person would pay, but it's hard to shake while experiencing it. If you're hooked on heroin, or any other major drug, you need to find help in Drug rehab immediately.
The Simple Tools of Heroin Addiction
Syringes - These Can Still Pass On HIV/AIDS
Why Doesn't HIV Even Come Into Consideration?
There are many reasons that heroin addicts don't even think about the possible danger of HIV infection. One of the main reasons is indeed the euphoric effect of heroin as an illegal opiate. When an addict even thinks about this state, much less the physical desire for the high that heroin provides, this can override all other thoughts of safety.
Aside from that, there are many other factors. One is ignorance about HIV/AIDS. Despite constant attempts at education, there are many people who still believe that HIV/AIDS is only a "gay disease," or "druggie disease." Many others think HIV is extremely rare, believing there are few other cases than there actually are.
Even worse, there are many propaganda organizations that straight out lie about HIV/AIDS, and often propagate lies about the disease that are often even prejudiced or racist. Because human nature often isn't good, and most people would rather listen to someone who agrees with their own views rather than let facts get in the way, there are plenty of people who should know better, but give in to prejudiced views, anyway.
Beyond that, an addict could see a study showing that "only" 12% of new HIV infections (at least in the United States) are due to the sharing of IV needles. So if a person wrongly believes they are safe with a group of friends, or doesn't realize how prevalent the disease is, this can led to the fatal error of sharing the needle.
This is how many heroin addicts become infected with HIV, as well as other blood based diseases like Hepatitis C.
"Heroin" by Velvet Underground
Amy Winehouse Glorifies Drug Use in "Rehab"
Trainspotting - Pop Culture Movie All About Heroin Addicts
Drug Culture Glorified
Another possible reason why heroin might be making a comeback in spite of the dangers is because of the "sexy" side of "drug culture." From Hunter S. Thompson's famous/infamous "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" to the song "Heroin" that has versions made famous by both Velvet Underground and Lou Reed, heroin and drug use has been glorified in many parts of culture starting from the 1960's and continuing today.
Not all of the cultural references are older anymore, either. The movie "Trainspotting" was heavily controversial because of its explicit drug use (although I think this movie was pretty good and didn't romanticize the lifestyle at all, but dealt with it honestly), and the now infamous Amy Winehouse's song "Rehab" has become sadly ironic.
There are many parts of culture that glorify drug use, and many don't draw the lines between less harmful drugs like marijuana and the extremely harmful drugs like heroin. This glorification can cause problems, especially with younger individuals. It's not just "poor street people" who get hooked, but many an addict started with a college student experimenting.
This resurgence in glorifying the "artistic" or "rock n' roll" party lifestyle in media and culture is another contributor to the rise in use. Add to that the counter, the fact that the last great AIDS movie that received widespread attention was "Philadelphia" from 1993, or 15 years ago as of this writing. Since the most recent wide spread bit of "culture" on AIDS was a South Park episode where everyone rich was cured with no ill effects, you can see how the balance of "cool" versus "safe" is way out of whack.
Heroin, HIV, AIDS, and Other Related Info
- Heroin according to Wikipedia
Wikipedia's detailed account of the drug heroin. - Heroin according to NIDA
This is the page on heroin according to NIDA, the National Institute for Drug Abuse. - Heroin According to the DEA
As this site points out, one of the reasons heroin addiction is so prevalant is that many users, even of other drugs, have no idea just how incredibly powerful and addictive heroin is. - Drugstory.org
A site telling the stories of many teens and others who have suffered through the nightmare of drug addiction, including many who become infected with HIV/AIDS while addicted to heroin. - The Best Movies Dealing with AIDS
Great list of some really incredible movies dealing with the issue of HIV/AIDS.
Story of a Heroin Junkie - Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson
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Jesus' Son: Stories
An amazing book, it's either a collection of closely related short stories, or an episodic novel, depending how you read it. Some sections are said to closely relate to the author's life, who suffered through addiction and coming clean.
Price: $3.98
List Price: $12.00 |
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Jesus' Son
The Movie, based on the book by Denis Johnson, and which does a fairly good job of sticking to the book. If the book wasn't so incredible, I'd probably be raving about how good the movie was, but alas, the book was amazing, so a good movie is still just a movie.
Price: $7.14
List Price: $14.98 |
Why Doesn't HIV-AIDS Get More Attention?
This is a huge question. Part of the reason heroin abuse is going up without giving even a second thought to the potential of HIV infection is because AIDS simply doesn't get the attention it should. There are a lot of reasons for that, and many of them are hot button issues that will instantly offend some people or put them up in arms.
AIDS is an epidemic that affects the entire world, but the only place where it is widespread to the point of obvious devastation is Africa, a continent that often seems forgotten by the rest of the world. Many people don't even know about the massive wars that have plagued the continent, taking millions of lives.
The looming death of millions, a war torn continent, and famine seem to be a footnote, or maybe only an asterisk, to American news channels who insist on shoving Britney, Paris, Lindsay, or Miley or other similar shit down our throats (and non-Americans trust me on this one: a huge portion of us "common people" are all sick to death of it), while maybe those lucky enough to get PBS or BBC might know a touch more about what's going on.
AIDS hasn't received near the attention as smoking, heart disease, obesity, or cancer in the United States, and part of the reason is that the disease is often more prevalent in places that are poor or attribute to a certain lifestyle, so too often this problem is seen as "theirs" and not everyone's.
Is it prejudiced or even racist? Yeah, I'd say there's a good chance both those factors play a part, which is beyond tragic. HIV/AIDS is a problem for everyone, but until most people see it that way, then HIV is not going to be a concern to most people, even those sharing needles and engaging in the riskiest of behaviors.
Great Movies That Deal with HIV and AIDS
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Philadelphia
This classic 1993 movie starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington was the defining movie to deal with AIDS, and remains one of the finest main stream movies to ever deal with the subject.
Price: $4.75
List Price: $14.95 |
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And the Band Played On
Another intense movie that dealt with the HIV virus and AIDS, and is one of the most recent films to try to tackle this huge subject.
Price: $4.71
List Price: $9.98 |
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Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story
Greg Louganis and his story in learning about and dealing with the AIDS virus.
Price: $9.16
List Price: $19.95 |
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Frontline: The Age of AIDS
An amazing documentary showing how AIDS crashed onto the world scene and how it has changed the world, and why the need to continue to research and fight this disease continues.
Price: $21.51
List Price: $39.98 |
Poppy Fields - The Source of Heroin
The Marks of Drug Addiction
So Why Isn't HIV Scaring Users Off of Heroin?
I love being funny and humorous, but some subjects just hit you as extremely serious, and this is how I feel about both HIV/AIDS and drug addiction. So in summary to directly answer the posted question of why heroin use is continuing to climb even though the dangers of the HIV virus and AIDS has never been higher, there are several possible answers:
- 1) The glorification of drug culture in art, literature, movies, and music
- 2) The lack of attention being paid to AIDS by national and/or world media
- 3) Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS
- 4) The euphoria from heroin use outweighing all safety concerns by addicts
- 5) Politics, beliefs, and the "need to be right" preventing open and honest conversation on the issue
These are just a few of the possible reasons, but dealing with each of these on an individual level hits me as the only way to tackle a problem this large, and go ahead and mock me for being an idealist, but hopefully make the world a little better place than it was before.
Heroin rehabilitation is very difficult, and anyone who is trying to break the habit should do it all by themselves, but should look for how to find a local heroin rehab clinic to help them through those extremely hard times and to keep an eye on their medical condition throughout recover.
Heroin Addicts Speak Openly
"Invisible" Heroin Addiction Documentary
Afghanistan Is Also Reeling from Heroin Addiction
AIDS Spreading Faster Than Previously Thought
Trainspotting - A Book and Movie about Heroin Addicts
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Trainspotting - Director's Cut (Collector's Edition)
The classic movie about a bunch of heroin addicts in Scotland and the insanity that the drug brings into their lives. Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh, this film was extremely controversial, but also won strong vocal support for talking about heroin addiction in an open and honest way.
Price: $9.90
List Price: $19.99 |
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Trainspotting
An amazing book by Scottish author Irvine Welsh from several different points of view, all from friends who are heroin addicts. This might be Welsh's finest book, and is an incredible look into this part of Scottish society, and in a larger sense into the lives of heroin addicts all across the world.
Price: $14.90
List Price: $23.95 |
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Trainspotting: Music From The Motion Picture
The soundtrack from "Trainspotting," with a lot of the great original music from this intense cult classic movie.
Price: $5.33
List Price: $8.94 |
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Trainspotting #2: Music From The Motion Picture, Vol. #2
This is the second soundtrack CD from the movie "Trainspotting" and if you've seen and love the movie, you know why you'd be willing to get two CDs to get the full soundtrack.
Price: $7.45
List Price: $11.98 |
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Controversial Subjects, but please don't hesitate to leave respectful well thought out comments (passionately opposed comments are fine - just keep it clean)
Thanks for the comment. There definitely is a glorification mode, and I think part of it is a lack of distinction between drugs. I'm not necessarily opposed to pot or mushrooms, but heroin, cocaine, and meth go to entirely different levels, though the highs are different. There are a lot of reasons for this, and I am curious to see what others think. Thanks for stopping by!
In South Africa and the rest of Africa too, Aids and HIV is a huge issue. It constantly in our media and we have the highest rate of infection the world. Drugs play a role but not nearly as big as sexual transmission. Our drug culture seems to revolve around Marijauna, Crack (or Tik") and "white pipes" which is Mandax mixed with Marijauna. Herion is probably too pricey here.
Great information. thiught provoking.
unless your living with your parents or have a fairly decent job going for you a heroin addiction wouldn't work out very well in your favor.
i've had the pleasure of going through withdrawls twice as quiting once apparently wasn't enough for me. i knew of the associated risks so was extra cautious. i think hep c comes to mind as a more potential threat. i had this go for several years without letting most people on to it. Went to work everyday with a smile and determination to accomplish the task at hand. I occasionally added coke in the mix and over time despite mu OCD about safety precautions i determined this could not last and had to give it up. i went from weekends only, to midweek, to once a day, to twice a day, to the mixture was straight black and i could no longer see the blood seep into the mixture. about three months in i remember asking my friend if he thought we were addicted. we hadn't even tried to skip a day in a month and thats probably when i realized that trying to stop would not be a good idea. eventually, it was just me and i couldn't let anyone else in on it. i remember thats how it had been years ago when oxy40s had been around. i never had enough of those to become addicted and usually there were other pills in the mix. i ended up foregoing the methadone clinic that was by my house and trying to come off H with 60 valuims. they lasted about2-3 days and then i went to hell. anyway, i suppose i wanted to say that i was fairly ignorant about the long term addiction. i didn't really think about it and it slowly took over my life to the point where i had a lack of control. at least i had the safety part down and thats if you do want to ruin yourself at least do it as safe as possible.
Don't share spoons, water, cotton'q-tips, rigs, etc. never use a rig if it's been bleached. you may be safe from hiv, but hep b,c is more easily transmitted and try that for an expensive habit.
Thanks for the really open comments, Jeremey, I definitely appreciate you sharing your story with all of us. It's a really intense issue, and I think sometimes during debates the human aspect gets lost. Thanks again for sharing.
Hi,
Why Heroin Over HIV Protection?
I am a recovering Heroin addict and can answer this question with two words.......
....... (INSTANT GRATIFICATION)
Addicts live in the verrrrrry here & now, they tend to live minute by minute, day by day, they don't have much concept of the future. Their lives are obsessivley centered and completly focused with their next fix, which for me in the end was every 20/40 minutes. My addiction took me to the very end of the dark scary scale. I was injecting Heroin & Crack Cocaine together known as a snowball/speedball! Also Injecting Just cocaine on its own! It was horrific, Lost all grip on reality, had chronic paronoid psycosis, I litrally lost the plot! I have been to 4 rehabs. And have still relapsed many,many times, and overdosed a number of times.. Knowing the dangers of potentially having a fatal overdose or catching a fatal disease means very little to an active addict because in their mind it isn't happening to them right now! Its maby tomorrow or next week, month, year etc All they worry about is their next fix.
Basically Because I was so intrenched in my addiction if I did ever think about catching something I would think to my self... Its in the future, its not right now, its not right this second, i'll cross that bridge if I come to it, hopefully I won't! Fuk it! This syringe is right now though! Addicts use that justifaction alot! (fuk it) in fact that was one of the very few words that was in my vocab!!!
I just have to say that I know addicts that have injected other addicts blood because they were so desperate for a hit! Now thats scary!
Also, you don't get a high from Heroin it is a downer, although you feel Unreal when you use it you don't get a rush from it which is a high, if you mix crack or cocaine or speed with it then you get a high followed quickly by a low!
Lets not forget that Morphine (heroin) is one of the strongest pain killers known to mankind. Its numbs pain, feelings, thoughts. With the way this world is, No wonder there are so many people in active addiction!
I must say that Today I am clean and sober, and very greatful to still be breathing.
Thanks
LE UK
Hi LE,
Thanks for sharing your story. That's really amazing, and I appreciate the openness and thought with which you share about your addictions and the fall involved. Glad to hear you're clean and sober, and with a really good outlook on life. Thanks again for sharing your experiences with the rest of us.
Will, I loved the comment, but it seems like there was a lot of junk formatting before your actual comment, and I can't edit stuff in the comments. Can you resend your comment through notepad or something, and see if that works better? I'd love to have your input on this hub and its issues.
I didn't save my comment but I'll try to post something similar when I get a chance.
heya :D
I was wondering if you could help me, to explain a solution to needles and AIDS.
So how can this be prevented and what should people do.
Thanks!
wow..
Hi again. I do like this, and would like to add a few things of my own.
From personal experiance with heavy-drug users, I've seen that one of the largest reasons for their blatant use besides the high is the fact that *they dont care*. Take the unaddictive drug, Pot, for example, first. It's not addictive, at least not much, it's habitual. when you intergrate it into your life, it becomes a necessity. Some people *need* to have their morning coffee, or their morning shower. Daily routine helps us keep our lives in some semblance of order. With pot, there's the wake and bake, and after that you might shower, in which you'll toke up again to keep the high, toke on the way to work or school...It's consitant, it's a stable thing in their lives, and it's something that, to them, heightens their experiance of life. With drugs like Meth and Heroine, the intergration of the drug into your daily routine won't highten yor existence, it will *become* your exitence. Even druggies who know--in some part of their mind--what they are doing to themselves and loved ones, have mostly stopped caring. Many of them would rather contract HIV/AIDS than get off the drug, because after such a...high, there's no going back. Scientifically, it will ruin your 'happy centers' in your brain, so even after getting off the drug for a time, life will seem banal and uninvigorating. Keep in mind that a druggies life will mostly consist of the lower-class routine. work, pay rent, home, watch tv...there's not much in their life in the first place to evigorate or capture. there's no trips to foreign places, no money to spend flippantly, theres obligations they have to meet to sustain their lives, and those obligations take up much of their lives.
In that, on a similar and yet related subject, many people of all 'classes' have these obligations that run their lives. How many people can honestly say they love their job? Our society is geared in stages. Child>>Grow Up>>Be Successful>>Retire. But who can say what is successful? what is 'growing up'? and who in their right mind wants to do so much work, for the goal of retirement? Who wants to retire? retire from what, life? or just retire from the jobs that made them miserable in the first place? These social stages seem to me to be harmful to a fruitful life. If there is such a set status qo for what we SHOULD be doing, we wont take the time of day to do what we'd LIKE to be doing. Our ONLY responsibility is first and foremost to ourselves. To our own lives, and to our own happiness. As far as we know, we only get this life, so why spend so much of it just trying to live up to the norm?
To incorperate that with the general topic, think of those meth-heads and heroine junkies who work at a place like McDonals or some other, minimum-wage, barely-pay-the-rent job. they feel like all they can do is keep a job and pay rent, thats theres not much time for anything else. So if Meth or Heroine makes them happy, gets them high, heightens--though destroys--their existence, why in the hell would they *quit*? Family and friends will never be enough of a reason, and even their own self-degeneration doesn't matter to them. I've heard one say to me; "well at least if I die, I die happy, not as some enslaved zombie to the system."
Theres more of a problem then just the drug, the will of the people on them, and the dangers that these things pose. This issue is related to a larger picture--one I have attempted to outline here, today.
Great writing--sorry I went off into a bit of a rant--thanks for the though-provoking article!
Cozy
Why people use heroin should be the question. The answer is simple. Heroin is the best chemical we have at blocking out reality (emotional,physical etc). Until this concept that chasing the 'gavey train' is how what human beings must do.
Until compassion instead of competition becomes the way. People will use heron.
The power of love instead of the love of power.
the fact of the matter is....heroin is EXTREMELY addictive. I don't know any other substances where you lie shaking sweating just thinking of that next hit. People that say something like crack or meth is addictive, well yes true, but nothing like heroin. The thing is, it leaves you not only mentally but physically praying for that next fix. With it comes no thought, no regard for HIV risks often if shooting is your thing/method. Just purely that pleasure, that relief, that exit. The "so what if I get HIV and die, this pleasure is worth it, a life of no worries, no complaints no matter how bad a life is. No other drug I know does this. I know people may disagree but at the end of a highway to hell on something, you will probably see some sense, some light at the end of the tunnel. With H, there is not light, just darkness, although it will fool you into thinking it is the only light there is...
ESAHS says:
16 months ago
Yes your hub touches on four aspects of why heroin addiction is so popular in today's culture and why it made a comeback too. Heroin was very popular during the ERA's of Jazz and the early 1970's popularized by THE ROCK STAR ERA.
For example, Jimmy H......!
"Their is still an governmental and law enforcement aspect of heroin use that
needs to be explored!"
Great HUB
Signed CEO E.S.A.H.S. Association