Conceiving of addicted pleasures: A 'modern' paradox

Area of Science:

• Sociology of Health and Illness
• Medical Anthropology
• Addiction Studies

Background:

• Research with people who inject drugs in London reveals a complex perception of pleasure.
• Participants acknowledge pleasure in drug use but struggle to conceive of it as such, often redirecting towards addiction narratives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how individuals who inject drugs conceptualize pleasure.
• To understand the tensions and paradoxes between pleasure and addiction in their lived experiences.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research drawing on fieldwork with people who inject drugs.
• Analysis of participants' accounts and the language used to describe drug use experiences.

Main Results:

• A paradoxical dynamic where pleasure is seen as addictive, but addiction is not perceived as pleasurable.
• The separation of pleasure (freely chosen) from addiction (determined) is a common theme, yet participants also describe 'hybrid' experiences.
• Participants express mixed feelings, such as 'love/hate' and 'good things and bad things', reflecting the tension between pleasure and addiction.

Conclusions:

• Conceptualizing pleasure as inherently tense and multifaceted, encompassing both natural and cultural aspects, is crucial.
• Acknowledging pleasure in the context of injecting drug use, even where least expected, is vital.
• This nuanced understanding can offer valuable insights, particularly against a backdrop of neglect in addiction research.