I got prescribed hydrocodone last year, right after my wisdom teeth were removed. The pain wasn't annoying enough to justify taking them more than once, but when I did, I felt something. It was roughly a half hour of feeling like a happy child again. Warmth and good vibes.
I'd like to tell you I tossed the rest of the pills... didn't need them for their intended purpose, after all. I did not toss them. What followed was me finishing the entire bottle, within the next week or two. A pill once a day. I'd pop them in the morning with my coffee to get that fuzzy feeling of comfort again. I decided to do this because I'd been in a tough spot emotionally, and also figured it was no harm reaching the bottom of just this one bottle (I was not getting a refill).
No desire to do anything like that again, now that I've experienced it once. I'm thankful it showed me what others go through, however. Opiate addiction is no joke, and I can see why those in worse emotional situations than myself (with easier access to these pills) often travel that path.