Chemsex

A member of the Likewise team will be offering free and confidential information and advice on managing your chems use, while the Sexual Health Sheffield team will be on-site offering STI screening, along with support around PrEP and Doxy-PEP.

This service will be available every Monday from 2.00pm-4.00pm (excluding bank holidays) at: Likewise Wicker Hub, 55 Wicker, Sheffield S3 8HT, No appointment necessary – just call in.

For more information, or if you want to talk to someone about your chems use, you can either call Likewise on 0114 308 7000 and ask for ‘Gina’ or ‘Tina’. You can also email chemsex.support@likewisesheffield.org.uk

Chemsex means using drugs as part of your sex life.

Generally, it’s more common in men who identify as gay, bi or transgender. However, chemsex is not the norm for most gay, bi or trans men in Britain. Typically three specific drugs (‘chems’) are involved: methamphetamine (crystal meth), mephedrone (Mcat, Meph), GHB and GBL (G, geebs or liquid ecstasy).

These drugs facilitate sustained arousal and induce feel-good emotions and a feeling of instant rapport with sexual partners. Sex that can last for hours, or even days. Some users report using them to manage negative feelings, such as a lack of confidence and self-esteem, or deal with worries about stigma around sexuality and HIV status.

Using illegal substances can have significant negative impacts on both your health and mental health but if you are intent on choosing to take illegal substances then following the advice in this resource may reduce potential harm or a fatality.

Keeping safe

Set Group Rules

Agree in advance, and while sober, what sex you would like and what you don’t want. Ensure everyone is in agreement about what is going to happen and that you will all respect one another’s boundaries.

Safer Sex

Be upfront about the type of sex you want to have – including if you want to use condoms. Bring condoms and safer sex materials with you even if you’ve agreed otherwise in case someone changes their mind.

If you choose not to use condoms this will put you at risk of catching a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). Also, you may be at increased risk during chemsex, as people on certain drugs may have rougher sex, increasing the risk of bleeding and infection.

Lastly, try and limit to events where you know people who you can trust.

Avoid mixing

Avoid mixing chemsex drugs with any other drugs, including alcohol. This includes erectile drugs like Viagra. These, in combination with your chemsex drug of choice, may cause an adverse reaction.

General protective measures

Blood-Borne Viruses – If you inject crystal meth and mephedrone there is an increased risk of infections and blood-borne viruses like HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B. If you do choose to inject, don’t share needles or items for snorting eg. straws and notes.

Consider taking PrEP/PEP

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and PEP stands for Post-Exposure Prophylaxis to protect against HIV.

Dependency

You may also find that you become dependent on chemsex drugs. Once you have a dependency and you stop taking drugs, you’ll experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

People who regularly engage in chemsex sometimes find it hard to enjoy sex without drugs. Ensuring positive sexual experiences without drugs is an important part of ensuring a healthy, diverse balance.

Health and mental health

Taking the drugs involved in chemsex can lead to serious short and long term impacts on your health and mental health including chronic depression, anxiety, weight loss, paranoia and psychosis

Consent

In any situation where drugs or alcohol are present, it is easy for people to lose the capacity to consent. If someone is asleep, unconscious or so ‘out of it’ they cannot decide for themselves, then they cannot consent.

Consent is never permanent. Someone can change their mind and withdraw their consent at any time. Consent is not just about the law, it is also about experiencing positive sexual experiences for all those involved.

STI’s

Use condoms and lube, and other barrier protection like dental dams.

Get tested regularly for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). You can get tested for STIs, as as well as blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis c at local sexual health clinics.