Towards An Holistic Understanding of Injecting Drug Use: An Overview of Needle Fixation

Abstract

Aims.To establish the existence of needle fixation and provide a theoretical explanation for the phenomenon. Method. By searching published literature using electronic searches, consulting a National Drug Library (ISDD) and snowballing from reference lists in publications related to addiction. Findings. Needle fixation as a phenomenon has been mentioned in the literature since at least 1929 but there is only one published paper devoted to it. Needle fixation is a conditioned response but with a number of different secondary gains which maintain the practice. These include ritual, substitution of non psychoactive substances in the absence of drugs, pain, sexual pleasure and status. Conclusions. Needle fixation should be taken seriously because of the concern about blood borne viruses among injecting drug users and the need to reduce the practice of injecting. A greater understanding of the problem will help in treatment of injecting drug users.

Social constructions of dependency by blunts smokers: Qualitative reports

“…It has been pointed out that the three-item threshold for diagnosis is arbitrary, and that it is not reasonable to give equal weight to each criterion when compulsion is over represented on the list. In addition, the criteria do not include some elements of dependence that have been found in research (such as emotional bonding to the substance and attachment to ritual) (Pates, McBride, Ball, & Arnold, 2001;Soellner, 2005;Zinberg, 1984).…”

The Rush: Needle Fixation or Technical Materialization?

“…Here then the rush concerns the practice of injecting heroin and the object of the syringe-in-use. This embodiment of the rush therefore questions the recent conclusions of Pates et al (2001) and McBride et al (2001), particularly their argument that the syringe serves primary and secondary functions. Although anecdotal evidence and personal opinion are considered by Pates et al (2001:14) to lack empirical weight, the comments from my male respondents nonetheless question their claim that conditioning provides the most plausible explanation for understanding the phenomenon of needle fixation:…”

Needle fictions: medical constructions of needle fixation and the injecting drug user

“…The slippage between those injectors with needle fixation and all drug injectors is clear here. Despite (or perhaps because of) these uncertainties, it is instructive to compare the behaviours described in some papers cited by Pates et al (2001) to consider how well they support the assumption that a label or classification such as needle fixation is warranted.…”

“…Important aspects of this process can be traced in a recent literature review on needle fixation by Pates et al (2001). In this review, the literature is analysed thematically, and it is often unclear whether the papers cited refer to needle fixation specifically or merely to injecting in general.…”