ssh-chemsex-study-final-main-report

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