Much of the addiction literature presents heroin addicts as sexless drones. The idea is that the desire for heroin becomes much greater than the desire for sex, and the only "scoring" the addict is interested in has to do with what goes on in his veins rather than what happens in his pants. While this may be true for some addicts, the story is often more complex.
Here is the summary of a study recently done on the sexual experiences of heroin users who entered a rehab center in Portugal (by Palha and Esteyes, citation included at the end of this write-up). These findings are consistent with studies done in other parts of Europe and the US, but are still of very limited scope.
What was not mentioned in this and many other articles is that far more heroin users appear to be "chippers" than "addicts." Chippers are non-addicted casual users. If there is little science on how heroin affects the sexuality of addicts, the science on how heroin affects the sexuality of chippers is nonexistant.
Age & Method: The average age of heroin users entering into rehab was 27 years. 56% of the men and 50% of the females took their heroin by injection. Of the rest, most inhaled it.
The Frequency of Sex: Even with heroin use, male and female users had intercourse about two times a week. Female users reported similar amounts of intercourse and masturbation as non-heroin users, while males reported less. (Heroin use in men can cause a dip in plasmatic testosterone levels. However, in most men, this is not enough to make them stop wanting sex.)
Relationships: 59% of the male heroin users and 67% of the female users had a stable relationship that had lasted for nearly five years. While a very small percentage of the male users had heroin-using partners, nearly 50% of the female users had partners who also use heroin. This is significant if you are working with a female who is using heroin. How can she kick her habit if her partner isn't making similar attempts?
The Honeymoon Effect: When looking at the impact that heroin has on sex, it's useful to consider how long and how consistently the person has been using heroin. During the first six months of heroin use, 21% of men and 28% of women reported that their sexual experiences had actually improved over what it had been before they started using heroin. After six months of heroin use, 72% of men and 65% of women felt their sexual satisfaction had decreased.
A Range of Effects: The majority of long-term users reported that their overall sexual satisfaction decreased on heroin. However, 8% of the men and 15% of the women felt that heroin use increased their ability to have an orgasm. 7% of the men and 20% of the women felt that their overall sexual satisfaction improved on heroin.
It seems that heroin can impact the sexuality of different users in different ways. You need to factor in how long they've been taking the drug, their overall life situation, the purity and dose of the drugs they are taking, whether they are male or female, and other factors such as the following:
Effect on Premature Ejaculation: For many long-term users, heroin makes it more difficult to have an orgasm. This can be a benefit for men with premature ejaculation. Males who report increased sexual satisfaction while using heroin are often those who suffered from premature ejaculation before their addiction. Fortunately, there's no need for a man to start using heroin because he comes too soon. There are legal medications that can help increase your sexual hang time, such as low doses of Clomipramine. (A possible mechanism for the delayed ejaculation in heroin addicts is the alpha adrenergic blocking effect of opiates. Also, vasodilation resulting from histaminic release could impact the ability to have an erection.)
The Rush: While this may have little influence on the relationships between sex and heroin, the immediate rush of doing heroin is sometimes described as feeling like a full-body orgasm. This is also said to be true for crack cocaine. It might be interesting to hear a discussion among addicts comparing orgasm and heroin rush.
It may seem unpatriotic not to list resources that condemn the use of heroin, but such sites are plentiful. One website that has a different perspective is that of former heroin user Francis Moraes. He neither condemns the use of heroin nor glorifies it. If you, a family member or a patient uses heroin, this site could be of interest. For instance, here's a link for Moraes' take on the difference between quitting heroin and quitting cocaine. Much of what he says will seem like fingernails down a blackboard to people who are immersed in twelve-step philosophy. Others may find parts of it to be very helpful.
For a study on heroin and sex, see "A Study of the Sexuality of Opiate Addicts" by A. Pacheco Palha and M. Esteves, Psychiatry Department, Oporto Medical School Oporto, Portugal published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, Volume 28, Number 5 / October-December 2002, pages 427 - 437.
User Comments
Female user from the UK:
"I think it is a common misconception that the rush from heroin is comparable to that of orgasm (there is even a line in the movie Trainspotting where a woman says it is even better than sex). I normally smoked heroin, but the few times I mainlined I did not find it in the least bit like an orgasm. The first couple of times you mainline the rush is really good, although still not orgasmic. After that you are just using to keep yourself feeling normal - to stop 'rattling' (slang for withdrawal symptoms). I would say that most of the opiate users I used to know and some that I still keep in touch with, would agree with me. I think we should bear in mind however that the heroin we get in this part of the world is normally cut with all sorts of nasty things. Obviously, it is a good feeling or people wouldn't do it again, but after the first couple of times all you are really doing is trying to recreate the 'buzz' from the first time."Heroin addicts do indeed have sex, they do not turn into sexless or even mindless zombies. Most know they have a problem, but there is so little help on offer. For others, it is a life decision to use heroin and I know of people who use opiates but are not addicted to them and hold down careers. Indeed, I myself did before the addiction started getting out of control for me."
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