From A Users Perspective 

     Getting a clear understanding of how it is to use a certain drug is not only helpful in the sense of knowing why people take them, but eye opening as well. It gives others a chance to see through the users perspective, such as what they are feeling when taking it, what they enjoy about it, and why they began using it in the first place. Many of the reasons way individuals use drugs is for the feelings they get out of utilizing it, how it helps with taking away pain, or how it keeps their mind off things going on in their lives. On the National Institute on Drug Use website the drugs people use effects largely on the motivation and pleasure pathways of the brain. Provided in the text Uppers, Downers, All Arounders Physical and Mental Effects of Psychoactive Drugs by Authors Darryl S. Inaba, Pharam and William E. Cohen there are different areas within the book that gives readers the opportunity to see the opinion of a recovering addict and addict. For example in the section on heroin use there are variety of areas where individuals express why and how they felt when using heroin.

A 20 year old male who is addicted to heroin discussed how heroin is there for any type of pain he is going through. Stating that “it's just like medicine pretty much. And I don't know, after while it became more like life itself. Like I need it just to exist” (Inaba & Cohen, 2011, p. 4.13).

Another 72 year old recovering user expressed “it's like putting your troubles in one bag and you have a solution for it and that's heroin. Your one problem is to worry about getting your heroin every day” (Inaba & Cohen, 2011, p. 4.14).

I thought it was interesting to reading the different point of views of individuals who use or used drugs, I seen it as a window to their world. You get to become familiar with why they take the certain drug, whether they did it to take pain away, get away from issues or for the feeling of it as mentioned earlier.

References

Inaba, D. S., & Cohen, W. E. (2011). Uppers, Downers, All Arounders Physical and Mental Effects 

     of Psychoactive Drugs (7th ed.). Oregon: CNS Productions, Inc.

(2008, July). Addiction Science: From Molecules to Managed Care. drugabuse.gov. Retrieved 

     March 13, 2014, from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/addiction-science/why-do-people-

     abuse-drugs/why-do-drugs-make-people-feel-good-or-feel-better

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