Drug Users from the Gender Perspective

This thesis presents the problems of drug users in the context of differences between men and women. In the theoretical part, there are described the basic concepts related to use of drugs. Also there are described some gender issues. In the next chapter, there we find the specific differences between drug users from a gender point of view. The chapter: Social work with drug users mentions the significant difference in terms of social work between men and women drug users. The practical part of this bachelor thesis was worked out through a qualitative research method semi-structured interviews. The research group was given together of four partners for communication. The group includes two women and two men. The aim of this bachelor thesis was to investigate what are the subjectively perceived causes of early drug use in the target population and how this population experience the use of drugs, emphasizing the eventual differences in terms of gender. To meet the goal stated, two research questions were developed. The first research question is where, from the users viewpoints, was the beginning of them, using drugs. The second research question is asking, whether some gender differences occur between users of drugs. The research results indicate that there are some gender differences, regarding the use of drugs. Both women stated, that they were influenced by their partners when they were young. However, for the question whether they feel any difference in causes of drug use between men and women, both replied that they do not. On the other hand, men are more sensible in this terms, because both of them replied that they noticed the fact of women being more influenced by their partners. The second question presents that women agreed that have they lost their friends who do not use drugs. Because of their friends did not know of them using drugs, and both women did not want to disappoint them, they rather stopped socializing with them. Relationships of both men were not influenced by them using drugs. The interviewed women do not suffer from health problems due to drug use if compared with men. Both men have already experienced any health problems. This thought is also supported by men who stated that they do not worry about their health, or illnesses caused by drug use. Women, on the other hand do care about their health. The women asked were also using drugs in similar areas, during their childhood. Men were stealing their relatives cigarettes, during their childhood