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> He does heroin recreationally and isn't addicted The time-worn story of how every single addict starts out.

by imron 8y ago

Aloha 8y ago
Not every person who uses a particular drug recreationally can or will get addicted to it. It depends on brain chemistry and a variety of other factors.
- int_19h 8y ago
  That's true broadly, but opiates are a bit of a special case, no?
  - Broken_Hippo 8y ago
    If they were immediately addictive, everyone that got a morphine shot in the hospital would need to seek treatment. It isn't a "one use and you are addicted" or even "occasional (recreational) use will get you addicted". A portion of folks will seek it out more often, but most folks will just seek it out occasionally. With opiates, the bigger danger is daily or consistent use over a period of time. The period depending on how often you take it and how you are using it and the strength of your dose.
- CodeWriter23 8y ago
  Nope. Do heroin 4 days in a row and you start having withdrawal symptoms. Regardless of any other factors including brain chemistry.
  - girvo 8y ago
    As far as noticable withdrawals, it takes a lot longer than 4 days for someone who’s new to it. If you’ve ever been an addict to opiates before though, yeah that’s about right.
  - Broken_Hippo 8y ago
    Most recreational use doesn't constitute such things, though. Unless you have a very different view of recreational use than I do.
Broken_Hippo 8y ago
Yes, but it is the same with things like alcohol. Most folks that smoke pot daily don't start out that way either. Most folks that wind up with a coke habit only do it occasionally at first as well. Lots more people do these things in an actual recreational pattern - every so often. Only a portion get addicted because only a portion ever do it that often. Yet, if someone has an incident with alcohol (for example), they might be required to attend AA meetings even if they aren't a regular drinker. Same with other drugs. This is true even if heroin withdrawal symptoms start after just a few days. Recreational use generally isn't daily use or two days in a row.

> He does heroin recreationally and isn't addicted The time-worn story of how every single addict starts out.

by imron 8y ago

> He does heroin recreationally and isn't addicted The time-worn story of how every single addict starts out.

Not every person who uses a particular drug recreationally can or will get addicted to it. It depends on brain chemistry and a variety of other factors.

int_19h 8y ago
That's true broadly, but opiates are a bit of a special case, no?
- Broken_Hippo 8y ago
  If they were immediately addictive, everyone that got a morphine shot in the hospital would need to seek treatment. It isn't a "one use and you are addicted" or even "occasional (recreational) use will get you addicted". A portion of folks will seek it out more often, but most folks will just seek it out occasionally. With opiates, the bigger danger is daily or consistent use over a period of time. The period depending on how often you take it and how you are using it and the strength of your dose.
CodeWriter23 8y ago
Nope. Do heroin 4 days in a row and you start having withdrawal symptoms. Regardless of any other factors including brain chemistry.
- girvo 8y ago
  As far as noticable withdrawals, it takes a lot longer than 4 days for someone who’s new to it. If you’ve ever been an addict to opiates before though, yeah that’s about right.
- Broken_Hippo 8y ago
  Most recreational use doesn't constitute such things, though. Unless you have a very different view of recreational use than I do.

Broken_Hippo 8y ago

Yes, but it is the same with things like alcohol. Most folks that smoke pot daily don't start out that way either. Most folks that wind up with a coke habit only do it occasionally at first as well. Lots more people do these things in an actual recreational pattern - every so often. Only a portion get addicted because only a portion ever do it that often. Yet, if someone has an incident with alcohol (for example), they might be required to attend AA meetings even if they aren't a regular drinker. Same with other drugs. This is true even if heroin withdrawal symptoms start after just a few days. Recreational use generally isn't daily use or two days in a row.