Chemsex and mental health as part of syndemic in gay and bisexual men

Halkitis, Perry N.; Singer, Stuart N.

doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.04.002

Cited by 34 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Nonetheless, ours and others' findings highlight a link between chemsex and MSM's psychological wellbeing and we encourage consideration of a syndemic perspective, as suggested by e.g. Halkitis and colleagues [2], whereby mental health, drug use, and STI and HIV transmission risks are overlapping and synergistic health challenges, partly driven by the psychosocial vulnerabilities experienced by gay, bisexual and other MSM as sexual minorities.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

“…The use of recreational substances for sex is not a new phenomenon. Sex while intoxicated or high occurs in both men and women and across sexual orientations, although there is mounting evidence that such drug use is more common among sexual minorities [1,2]. These days, according to a global drug survey, the most commonly used drugs with sex are alcohol, cannabis, and MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…internalised homonegativity, which in turn is a predisposing factor in several aspects of ill health, such as loneliness. Research has revealed that syndemics of marginalisation of gay, bisexual, and other MSM are social determinants of health challenges like HIV-risk, mental health burdens, illicit drug use, and sexual risk taking [2,11]. In this conceptualisation, chemsex and its social context are mutually constituted [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Links between chemsex and reduced mental health among Norwegian MSM and other men: results from a cross-sectional clinic survey

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The use of specific drugs to facilitate, enhance or prolong sexual sessions is referred to as ‘chemsex’. The popularity of the behavior seems to be growing, but there is a paucity of information on the mental health aspects associated with chemsex and no data on chemsex from Nordic countries. We investigated the link between chemsex and mental health among men who have sex with men (MSM) and other men in Norway. Methods We recruited participants from a walk-in sexually transmitted infections (STI) clinic. Participants completed a piloted, anonymous self-administered survey. It consisted of questions about men’s sociodemographic characteristics, mental health, sexual behaviors, substance use, and chemsex. The outcome we investigated was reduced mental health, measured with the validated Hopkins Symptom Check List. We obtained descriptive statistics and performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results 1013 (96%) of the surveys were complete and could be analysed. The mean age of the sample was 33, 51% were MSM, and 21.7% had reduced mental health. More MSM than other men engaged in chemsex in the past year (17% vs 12%). The most frequently reported chemsex drugs were cocaine and gamma hydroxybutyrate/gamma butyrolactone (GHB/GBL). Men engaged in chemsex primarily to enhance sexual pleasure and excitement, and about half reported almost never or never using condoms for chemsex. In univariate analyses, significant predictors of reduced mental health was chemsex (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.82), being unemployed (OR = 3.54), and having sex with only women (OR = 0.58). In multivariate analyses, two variables remained significantly associated with reduced mental health: chemsex (adjusted OR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.25–3.78) and being unemployed (adjusted OR = 4.10, 95%CI = 2.13–7.87). Conclusions In our sample of men from an STI clinic in Norway, about 14% self-reported engaging in chemsex in the past year and about a fifth of the men had reduced mental health. Men who engaged in chemsex, which more MSM engaged in than other men, had two times greater odds of reduced mental health. These findings suggest that mental health assistance should be among the interventions offered to men engaging in chemsex.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Links between chemsex and reduced mental health among Norwegian MSM and other men: results from a cross-sectional clinic survey

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Club drug use among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men is observed to be situated and to some extent normalised within sexual contexts and associated with increased sexual risk behaviours (Melendez-Torres and Bourne 2016;Hakim, 2018;Halkitis and Singer 2018;Graf et al 2018;Pollard, Nadarzynski and Llewellyn 2018). The term Chemsex has been used in the UK to describe sex between gay and other men who have sex with men lasting several hours or days involving multiple sexual partners (Bourne et al 2015a while under the influence of psychoactive drugs (Pakianathan et al 2016;Melendez-Torres and Bourne 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chasing the rainbow: pleasure, sex-based sociality and consumerism in navigating and exiting the Irish Chemsex scene

Hout

Crowley²,

O’Dea³

et al. 2019

Culture, Health & Sexuality

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Club drug use among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men is increasingly normalised within sexual contexts and is associated with increased sexual risk behaviours. The term Chemsex is used to describe sexualised drug use lasting several hours or days with multiple sexual partners. A small pilot study, underpinned by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), was conducted in Dublin, Ireland. Interviews were conducted with ten men who were experiencing physical and emotional health problems as consequence of their participation in sexualised drug use and wished to exit the Chemsex scene. Interviews explored experiences of sexualised drug use, motives to partake, organisation of Chemsex parties and group connectivity, drugs used, harm reduction, pleasure and consequences of participation over time. Four basic themes emerged from the analysis; social and cyber arrangements within the Dublin Chemsex scene; poly drug use and experiences of drug dependence; drug and sexual harm reduction within the Chemsex circle of novices and experts; and sexualised drug use, escapism and compulsive participation. Two higher order themes were also apparent: first, the reinforcing aspects of drug and sexual pleasure; and second, the interplay between excess drug consumption and sex, and drug dependence.

show abstract

“…Party-n-Play (PNP) refers to sex between gay and bisexual men which occurs under the influence of drugs, primarily crystal meth and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) (Bourne et al., 2014, 2015; Deimel et al., 2016; Green and Halkitis, 2006; Grov et al., 2007; Halkitis and Singer, 2018; Hegazi et al., 2017; Race, 2015a, 2015b). Research documents that other substances may also be involved, including cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, heroin, poppers, marijuana, and alcohol (Bourne et al., 2015; Deimel et al., 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Party-n-Play and online information and communication technologies: A socio-linguistic perspective

et al. 2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study examined the discourses of gay and bisexual men who seek Party-n-Play (PNP; sex that occurs under the influence of drugs) on mobile apps and websites. In-depth interviews were conducted with 44 gay and bisexual men who lived in Toronto, and who used drugs before or during sex in the previous month. Data were analysed using critical discourse analysis. The study findings presented evidence for subcultural discourses of gay and bisexual men who seek PNP online, and revealed how these discourses were implicated in recasting the practices of biopolitics, as well as enacting risk subjectivities of these men.

show abstract

Chemsex and mental health as part of syndemic in gay and bisexual men

Cited by 34 publications

References 36 publications

Links between chemsex and reduced mental health among Norwegian MSM and other men: results from a cross-sectional clinic survey

Links between chemsex and reduced mental health among Norwegian MSM and other men: results from a cross-sectional clinic survey

Chasing the rainbow: pleasure, sex-based sociality and consumerism in navigating and exiting the Irish Chemsex scene

Party-n-Play and online information and communication technologies: A socio-linguistic perspective

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About