“This drug turned me into a robot”: an actor–network analysis of a web-based ethnographic study of psychostimulant use

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to understand contemporary psychostimulant use within the socio-cultural context of Western societies. Two objectives are addressed: to describe accounts of practices related to psychostimulant use among members of selected online fora and to examine how these are related to representations of the self. Methods: This research is a qualitative study of psychostimulant use among members of selected online fora. Drawing on actor–network theory (ANT), this study focuses on three publicly accessible online discussion fora belonging to the Reddit website. Non-participant observation was performed over a period of 18 months to observe exchanges between members, interactions with moderators, and esthetic elements. In total, 331 postings were collected from the selected fora for qualitative analysis. We present our analysis of one discussion forum, corresponding to 149 posts (515 pages, double spaced). Results: Our study reveals the emergence of an online socio-cultural space formed around psychostimulant use. Members share their experiences openly and some offer guidance, sometimes contrary to prescribers’ directives. An ANT analysis points to translations fostering positive or negative subjectivities, related to psychostimulant effects, and to translations fostering healthy or harmful practices, related to r/Adderall as an agentic space. Conclusion: These findings may contribute to shaping public health policies and interventions that acknowledge the values of the individuals they seek to help, and that attempt to reduce the potential harms associated with these pharmaceuticals as an alternative to more prohibitive approaches.