ssh-chemsex-study-final-main-report

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‘Of these participants, many perceived an increasing normalisation of drug use; aided by sexual networking apps which facilitated the “excess” they saw around them.’ 7.6 HARMS RELATED TO THE GAY COMMUNITY A minority of participants expressed concern about the harms caused to the wider gay community by chemsex. These included a lack of care for one other and a perception of increased STI infection, and drug related injury and death. At a general level, chemsex was sometimes hypothesised as a way to treat, escape or alleviate symptoms of isolation, shame, or homophobia. Others saw it as a consequence of increasing freedom from discrimination for gay men, or as a rebellious reaction to normalisation of being gay. A few felt chemsex was perhaps a form of self-harm. “ Why is it that we don’t seem to, as gay men, value our lives that much? Why are we upping the dose, why are we just necking so many drugs, just escape to make us feel like porn stars who, ironically, can’t get hard-ons. There must be something in it. I could have died several times over the last year and yet I still continue. It’s not good. ” [Aged 40, last tested HIV negative] Some of the participants were also critical of a perception that chemsex was an integral part of a glamorous or desirable gay lifestyle. Of these participants, many perceived an increasing normalisation of drug use; aided by sexual networking apps which facilitated the “excess” they saw around them. 7.7 SUMMARY • While drugs were reported to facilitate a high level of sexual pleasure, they were also associated with a range of physical, mental, social and relational harms for the majority of men we interviewed. • Overdosing was an issue of significant concern for a large number of men, particularly in relation to GHB/GBL. • Several men had been hospitalised as a result of overdosing, while others had experienced panic attacks, convulsions and loss of consciousness. • Three men reported being the victim of sexual assault under the influence of drugs, and several others reported witnessing or hearing about the sexual assault of friends or acquaintances. • Paranoia, anxiety or aggression were reported by some men who had been using relatively large quantities of drugs. • Chemsex occupied a large amount of time for many men and a large number lamented the lost opportunities, both for social connection and/or for career progression, because of the time spent taking or recovering from them. • Many participants expressed concern about the consequences of chemsex for the gay scene in London in general. Several referred to chemsex as a self-harming behaviour and were concerned that its visibility on sexual networking apps may further normalise it within the community. The Chemsex Study | 7. NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES AND HARMS ASSOCIATED WITH CHEMSEX 62
8. MANAGING DRUG USE AND GETTING HELP Men participating in the interviews were at a wide variety of stages of life and had vastly different drug taking histories coupled with a very broad range of concerns about drug use and sex. While the majority saw their drug use as relatively unproblematic, many had sought, or were seeking, greater control over their drug use (for sex). A minority told difficult stories of recovery and relapse and described the steps they had taken to try and limit their engagement in chemsex, or to overcome their dependence on drugs more broadly. This chapter outlines the ways men sought to manage their drug use (both within and outside of sexual settings), including how they tried to manage dosing and temptation. It also describes the experiences of men who had sought help in relation to their drug use, as well as the rationales of men who had not done and who generally felt help was unnecessary. The chapter closes by exploring the kind of service most men felt they would prefer to see for helping themselves, or others, in managing drug use during sex. The Chemsex Study 63
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The Chemsex Study: drug use in sexu
Page 3 and 4:
TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements.
Page 5 and 6:
8. Managing drug use and getting he
Page 7 and 8:
TERM Gay Commercial Scene G hole or
Page 9 and 10:
TABLE 1 Drugs commonly associated w
Page 11 and 12: high-risk sexual behaviour (Fisher
Page 13 and 14: 1.4 CHEMSEX IN AN INTERNATIONAL CON
Page 15 and 16: 2.1 SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF EMIS SURV
Page 17 and 18: 3. DRUG USE AMONG MSM LIVING IN LAM
Page 19 and 20: 3.3 INJECTING DRUG USE EMIS asked t
Page 21 and 22: used it in the last 12 months. This
Page 23 and 24: 3.6 VARIATION IN DRUG BEHAVIOURS AN
Page 25 and 26: The most common drug (alcohol) and
Page 27 and 28: FIGURE 3.3 Cumulative recency of at
Page 29 and 30: 3.8.4 Private sex parties and drug
Page 31 and 32: 4. THE CONTEXT OF CHEMSEX This is t
Page 33 and 34: still used it. In comparison, cryst
Page 35 and 36: he told him never to slam, he did a
Page 37 and 38: DARREN’S STORY Darren is 41. He h
Page 39 and 40: a “Mecca” for drug use and chem
Page 41 and 42: 5. THE IMPACT OF DRUGS ON SEXUAL PL
Page 43 and 44: ‘Many participants described how
Page 45 and 46: 5.4 SEXUAL LONGEVITY AND PARTNER TU
Page 47 and 48: 5.6 SEXUAL (UN)HAPPINESS AND MAKING
Page 49 and 50: 6. THE ROLE OF DRUGS IN HIV/STI TRA
Page 51 and 52: “I am being absolutely open and h
Page 53 and 54: A few men described a very clear tr
Page 55 and 56: ‘Men in this group described a gr
Page 57 and 58: 7. NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES AND HARMS A
Page 59 and 60: The effects of overdosing were dive
Page 61: 7.4 HARMS RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT AND
Page 65 and 66: were hugely divergent. While many o
Page 67 and 68: ‘There was a common perception th
Page 69 and 70: 8.6 SUMMARY • While around a thir
Page 71 and 72: 10. REFERENCES Bauermeister JA (200
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