Injecting - Does the needle make you a junkie?

[motorhead]

Hey everyone, dont know if this is the correct forum for this thread, but since IV is afairlypopular method for opies swim thought about putting it here.


Do u mainline? Are u a 'Junkie'? Now swim IV's and he keeps it quiet. Naturally he doesnt want others to know about his dirty habit. He isnt into heroin just pills, tho he would probably do H if he could find it. Swim only has 2 other people he spikes with recreationally and they jokingly call each other junkies, but these "junkies" have families, jobs, etc, and resonably contribute to society blah blah.


The main reason swim is writing this is that his wife knows his prefered method of ingestion and, although she puts up with it, thinks its gross and calls him a junkie lol. Swim just tells her hes a "recreational intravienous drug user" lol i luv that handle. Anyway, most anti-needle folks out there probably have this same view.


Personally swim thinks, and this is what he tells his wife, that a "junkie" is someone with an uncontrollable addiction, probably has no job, either steals or prostitutes to support the habit, and probably smells lol.


Seriously im just throwing this out for discussion. I realize that iv ing is the most dangerous method of drug use and can lead to addiction faster than most other methods, and i dont mind hiding the fact that i do it or the occational arguement with the wife. I was just wondering what other peoples opinions are on this matter.


THe stigma attached to the needle is a big one, one that i dont think will ever go away. I will probably hide it forever, eccept on this forum of course. So what do you all think? Does the needle automaticallly make one a Junkie or just a Recreational mainliner?

[club222]

I just see the needle as another way of injection. No different than
snorting something in my opinion. It all ends up in the same place. I
personally will never use a needle, but not because I think it will
turn me into a junkie, it just doesn't appeal to me. I consider a
junkie to be pretty much what you described, somebody who lets the drug
control their life. If they are just sitting at home all day, no job,
no family, nothing but themselves, the needle, and the drug of choice,
then I consider them a junkie. When the drug begins taking over your
daily life and you no longer do anything besides it, is what I consider
a junkie. Or also like you said, they begin stealing or selling off all
their belongings just to get another hit. So no, I don't think the
needle itself is what makes somebody a junkie.

[IvoryQueen]

I completly agree with both of you.


I personally think that a needle isn't the only was that someone can become a junkie.Like club222 says, injecting isn't really different to snorting orswallowing etc. I myself don't inject anything, and never will, I'm complelty petrified of needles!


I've known perfectly 'normal' people become 'junkies', and there is a huge change in their personalities when this happens. It seems to be a slow prosess, but when some1 becomes a junkie, they slowly become more withdrawn from society. They startspending more time alone, away from friends and family.


You're not a junkie until the most important thing in your life is your next high.

[jimdandy]

well let's see....


no the needle doesn't make one a junkie, but is you fall hard for the needle you are more prone, i'd say to embrace junkiedom. if by 'junkie you mean the dope is controlling you, not he other way round. for example-a flat out crack head-that's a junkie by your term? no needle involved yet full on drug addiction, arrational behavior, etc.


the first time i put a spike into my vein i loved it. loved the whole deal-mixing it up, the ritual, the fine piece ofsteel slicing into my vein-puncturing my own flesh and blood the redbeauty spotdripping down my arm. yes the dope was great, of course, but the needle fixed the deal. it took a good 5 years of recreational fixing till i became a full on (heroin)junky. be careful my friend, when you dance with this one...

[sands of time]

I have never done heroin and I don't plan on it because I'm sure I would become addicted. I see needles as a bit extreme but if your clean about it than it's different I suppose. Basicly, if your sharing needles, than I see that as dirty, even though the odds of getting HIV from this method is low.

[Creeping Death]

A junkie to me is someone who considers their high the #1 priority in their life. This is not the same thing as a drug addict. An addict is someone who continues to take the drug/s against their own will.

Being a "junkie" isnt a negative thing to be. But after a long enough timeline, a junkie always becomes an addict.

[Alfa]

I also think that it differs on how your view on it is. If you once did see needles as extreme or something that you would not do, then I would say that your addiction did break your own ethics and that would make you a junky IMO. But if you have always seen IV-ing as just another way of administrating, thenit would not make you a junky.

[LostInSpace]

A junkie is someone whouses H on a regular bases.


As the name "explains", junkie comes from where H comes from.


Among users who have been around awhile, we know that H is the
"junk" or "left-overs" from the rest of the shyt that's left behind when
the "brewing" process is over from the poppy plants.


Lost

[dillydude]

HA, ha, ha .


I've gotta say that I've watched a Marilyn Manson concert before, and in some kids were getting off on cutting themselves like their hero. Once this becomes more then one occasion , to get off on "self mutalation" and also is very anti-social. Then not an everyday habit, what do you call this.


Definately not recreational !!!!!!

[MrJim]

I've known plenty of junkies who were scared of needles. It's a drug, not a method which makes one addicted. As far as addicts being people who take something against their own will... Noone takes something against their own will. Breaking a habit is hard (extremely) but the active purchase and ingestion is not a victimization thing. Everyone has the power within themselves to throw in the towel. There is noone with a weapon forcing you. I sympathize with anyone who has gone through it... It leaves you with a Posttraumatic stress disorder which is even harder than the sickness.

[h8edbyu]

sorry i dont normally disrespect others here and dont really mean anything bad by thisbut lost in space really must be lost to think that "Among users who have been around awhile, we know that H is the
"junk" or "left-overs" from the rest of the shyt that's left behind when
the "brewing" process is over from the poppy plants."


I really dont mean harm i just hate to see incorrect info in here. Lost, i highly recommend reading the growing thread to learn how and what "h" is really made of.

[moldie]

yeah lostinspace is a little incorrect there. the term junky came historically from people who used to collect and sell scrap metal, "junk," in order to pay for heroin.