Participant narratives revealed four main themes regarding the role and function of drugs and drug use in their lives: (1) pain relief and management; (2) alleviating mental health issues; (3) fostering social experiences; (4) pleasurable embodied experiences. The findings show that despite known negative consequences of substance use, in many ways drug use was beneficial for these individuals. This study demonstrates that given the opportunity, meaningful and useful conversations that shed light on why people take drugs is possible.
Authors: Andrew Ivsins & Kevin Yake