Risks of the practice of “chemsex”
The consequences of “chemsex” are already a public health problem. Barcelona City Council will address the dangers of this practice within the municipal Drug Plan after handling 193 cases last year.
This is a phenomenon (almost exclusive to the gay community) characterized by the consumption of various types of drugs to maintain sexual relations over long periods of time. The use of recreational drugs in sexual contexts is not new. However, “chemsex” has particular characteristics. Certain substances (mephedrone, methamphetamine, and GHB) are used to endure long sex sessions that can last for days.
Risks involved
- State of semi-unconsciousness that reduces risk perception
- Increase in risky sexual behaviors (without condoms)
- Increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Tripling the risk of HIV infection in the gay community
- Generating dependence on toxic substances
The City Council and the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB) have directed attention to the less visible side of the phenomenon. This is problematic consumption and/or dependence on certain substances to have sex. Community centers serving this group have reported the first cases of problematic consumption of toxic substances linked to sex. And entities such as BCN Checkpoint have opened psychological consultations to address these situations.
“In recent years there has been an increase in the percentage of men starting treatment for consumption disorders of these substances and in 2016 these accounted for 7% of the total treatment starts for substance use disorders in men,” the City Council’s Drug Plan has been blunt. The percentage has doubled since 2013.
The ASPB and the City Council have launched a strategy to deploy, in the short term, prevention and treatment programs for the use of substances associated with sexual contexts among the LGBTI community. The City Council is committed to “personalized” care for individuals detected with this problem, whether they require a brief intervention or a long-term therapeutic process.
At CC Adicciones we were already following this phenomenon last year when we wrote an article about “chemsex.” And we are prepared to treat these types of profiles. If you would like more information, you can request a prior appointment for an interview in a space that is completely confidential, anonymous, non-judgmental, and respectful of your sexual experience.
