Your questions answered
Why is it called Controlling Chemsex?
Not everybody who seeks help for chemsex has the same goal. Some people want to stop altogether, while others are looking to reduce their use of chems. For some people, the idea of quitting can be daunting.
What’s clear to us when we’re supporting people, is whatever their goal, they come to us because they feel like they’re losing control. They might be taking chems when they know they shouldn’t, more often than they really want to or they can’t stop once they’ve started. Our name comes from the idea of taking back control.
Why are those 3 drugs specifically linked to chemsex?
These 3 drugs have very powerful effects that fit a sexual context, perfectly.
Crystal meth (Tina) can make people feel extremely sexually aroused for long periods. It can make them feel very energised, confident, horny, invincible, and less likely to feel pain. This can make people feel like sex on meth is much better than sex without it.
Mephedrone can make people feel euphoric and very connected to others. It also increases feelings of desire and confidence. GHB can increase the desire for sex and make people more sensitive to touch.
Is using Viagra also considered chemsex?
Viagra or similar can offer a quick solution for people who have problems with erections. Viagra is commonly used by people who don’t use illegal substances at all and so it’s not considered a chemsex drug.
People do use it to help them have sex, but it does not make people horny or cause instant erections - it works after people get sexually aroused. This sets it apart from other substances such as crystal meth, mephedrone and GHB.
Using drugs like crystal meth, mephedrone and MDMA can make it hard to get or keep an erection. So lots of people who use those drugs will also use Viagra to counteract those difficulties. But Viagra is not a mood-enhancing drug, it’s a prescription drug. It does not have the same health risks as chems.
Can any drug be used for chemsex?
Chemsex is not primarily defined by the substances used, it’s the reason why people are using the substance.
If someone is using a drug with the intention of having sex - where the drug will help them sustain, disinhibit and enhance sexual pleasure, or self-medicate issues that could make sex difficult (such as body image issues, trauma, problems with communication or intimacy), we’re talking about chemsex.
Using cocaine because you are going to meet friends, then meeting someone in a club and ending up having sex, is not chemsex. However, buying cocaine so you feel confident enough to have sex, is.
Or if you smoke marijuana (weed), and you were smoking with someone, you’re talking and you end up having sex - that would not be considered chemsex. If you met with someone specifically for sex and smoked together to help enhance that sexual experience, that could be considered chemsex. It comes down to the intention you have for taking the drugs.
Most people struggling with chemsex are using 3 specific drugs - crystal meth, mephedrone and GHB. But if your drug use is specifically linked to helping you have sex, whatever drug that is, it could be considered chemsex.
Are injuries during sex more frequent?
Yes. The 2 most commonly used drugs for chemsex (crystal meth and mephedrone) can make people feel invulnerable to harm, supremely confident and sexually adventurous. This can lead to taking more risks and not protecting themselves in the way they would when sober.
These drugs can also increase stamina and endurance and can keep people awake for many days. When this is combined with more risk-taking and less interest in personal safety, which can lead to consequences such as the transmission of STIs, as well as problems with consent and increased sexual assault.
Practices such as fisting and rough sex, which are often present in chemsex scenarios, can lead to pain and/or injuries that may go undetected when under the influence of these drugs. This can result in damage to the anal tissues or tearing abrasions to the penis from repeated friction This can cause problems such as anal fissures, haemorrhoids, etc, which also increases your risk of contracting STIs. Sex can often last longer when using chems and involve multiple partners - which can also increase the risk of injury.
The risk of overdosing on GHB is very high. People who have taken too much can often get injured if they accidentally fall over or hit their head, as well as the life-threatening consequences of an overdose.
People who inject chems (known as slamming) are at a higher risk of infections carried in the blood - like HIV, syphilis and hepatitis - if they share any injecting equipment.
What advice would you usually give for having chemsex safely?
Of course, the only guaranteed way to avoid the negative effects of chemsex is to not get involved in chemsex at all. But this is not always the option that everybody chooses.
Having a good understanding of how to reduce potential risks is a good place to start. That’s what we call harm reduction. Harm reduction is about identifying the risks and taking steps to reduce the chances of things going wrong. We suggest making a plan to reduce the risks before you take chems.
Get more information on harm reduction from Controlling Chemsex.
Is it safe? It is legal?
When participating in chemsex there are a number of things that can go wrong, such as overdoses, accidental injuries, robbery, and sexual assaults. There is also the risk of catching STIs and an increased chance of mental health problems from regular drug taking. We cannot say that chemsex is safe.
And it is not legal. In the UK, it is a criminal offence to own, supply, make or import any illegal drugs. It does not matter what you plan to use these drugs for.
What kind of support is available to help people struggling with the consequences of chemsex?
There are different programmes available, but it really depends on where you live; in some places, the support is more specialised while in others, chemsex support doesn’t exist at all. Among those programmes, we can find:
- Programmes that deliver practical tools and strategies to be able to address the obstacles that are common to find when someone wants to make changes regarding their chems use. This is the kind of support provided by Controlling Chemsex.
- Programmes that are based on the idea of group support: people who have gone through similar issues support one another. Examples are 12 steps programmes (Crystal Meth Anonymous UK, Narcotic anonymous, Smart Recovery etc).
- Harm reduction programmes - they provide support for those who want to use chems in a safer way, minimising risks (such as needle exchange programmes). They are normally local services, for example a South London NHS needle exchange.
- Rehab programmes: drug and/or alcohol treatment programme that is provided in a residential setting (however these are usually private)
What are the resources available at the NHS to help control chemsex?
It really depends on where you live. There are areas where there is specialised chemsex support (for example, The Club Drug Clinic in London offers chemsex support for people in the boroughs of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea) while in others there is no support available at all.
Many people struggling with chemsex will go to their GPs for help. But many doctors are not familiar with the realities of chemsex. In the A&E departments of different hospitals, some will be very used to supporting people with chemsex-related emergencies. But others, maybe in rural areas, will not have the same knowledge and understanding.
I occasionally use G during sex and just wondered what harm it could be doing to my body, if any harm? I may only use it once every 6-8 weeks and limit its amount during a session too.
The main problems attached to the use of GHB and GBL are that it’s very easy to develop a physical dependency on it, and it’s very easy to overdose. GHB overdoses can lead to coma or even death.
In your situation, your risk of getting physically dependent on the drug is low, because you are not using it every day. A person needs to use GHB on a daily basis for a while to develop a physical dependency.
Unfortunately, overdose can happen at any time to anyone. It does not matter if you’re very familiar with the drug or do not use it often. You need to be incredibly careful to reduce your risk of overdose. Allowing other people to prepare your dose, drinking alcohol when you’re taking it, not allowing enough time between doses and not accurately measuring your dose can all increase the chance of an overdose.
The long-term effects of taking G regularly are not yet known for certain, however, some research suggests it can affect how your brain works, including your long-term and working memory and overall cognitive ability. As we’ve mentioned above, using G can have a significant effect on your mental health (anxiousness, lack of sleep, low mood) and for some people, these symptoms persist for a long time.
Is using poppers a part of chemsex?
When poppers (amyl nitrate) are used to enhance the sexual experience, they can be a part of the chemsex experience. And they’re actually very common in chemsex situations - though they are mostly used to complement other, higher-risk drugs and are therefore not usually considered “chems” (like GHB, crystal meth and mephedrone). Using poppers during sex can lower your inhibitions, which can put you at risk of sexual injury and catching STIs.
It’s very important to understand that not all drugs used in chemsex have the same effects and side effects. The high of poppers only lasts for a few seconds or minutes - other chemsex drugs can have intense highs that last for hours or days, and these are the side effects most commonly associated with chemsex.
Are poppers safe?
Using drugs always involves risks, and poppers (amyl nitrate) are no exception.
Poppers can be very dangerous for anyone with heart problems, high or low blood pressure, anaemia or glaucoma (an eye disease). They can also cause injury to red blood cells and reduced oxygen supply to vital organs. Additionally, when someone is using it while having sex, they may feel less inhibited and take more risks. This increases your chances of contracting an STI or getting injured during sex.
