Meth gay
What Is It About Lgbtq+ Men and Crystal Meth?
By Jake Myers, MFT
Jake is a therapist at the Gay Therapy Center. He sees clients at the Hollywood Center in Los Angeles, and worldwide by phone and Skype.
When I look back on it all now, I recognize it was just going to be a matter of time. As a gay man coming of age in the preliminary 2000’s, of course it would make sense that in a fairly limited time-frame I would cross paths with the darkness known as crystal meth. While I had been drinking, smoking pot, and dabbling in psychedelics and other drugs since sky-high school, I discovered meth when in college through the gay club scene. Coming from a tumultuous, repressed, and traumatizing family life, suddenly being in an accepting space with other gay men who encouraged me to be free, feel good, and not hide my sexual feelings was like a dream come true. The clubs felt like a new family had embraced me, and with that I would pretty much try anything that was put in front of me. Being in this environment was a lofty in-and-of-itself, but when united with the substances that were going around (ecstasy, GHB, meth, ketamine), I was truly flying for what felt like the first time.
After coming fr
A Closer Look at Methamphetamine Use in the LGBTQ+ People
Reasons for Meth Use
There are various reasons why meth use has change into more common within the LGBTQ+ society. Some individuals may turn to the drug as a means of coping with internalized homophobia, stigma, and discrimination.
Others may use meth to self-medicate for mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or trauma. Finally, because of weighty discrimination against the gay community, meth might be used as a way for people of the LGBTQ+ people to escape their everyday struggles. One of these may, for instance, be battling against society’s internalized homophobia.
Meth isn’t the only substance used as a coping mechanism by members of the LGBTQ+ community. There are studies that show that there is a sturdy correlation between creature gay and abusing alcohol, as an example.
Effects of Meth Use
Physical Effects
Meth apply can have harsh consequences on an individual’s physical health. Some common physical effects include tooth decay, weight impairment, and skin sores. Prolonged use may lead to more severe health issues like heart problems, stroke, and organ damage.
Mental Effects
Meth utilize can also
HIV Diagnosis Linked to Higher Risk of Meth Use in Gay and Pansexual Men
People assigned male at birth who belong to a sexual or gender minority group were twice as likely to use methamphetamine following an HIV diagnosis, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Methamphetamine use has been a concern for gay and attracted to both genders men for decades, said Brian Mustanski, PhD, the study’s lead author and director of the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH) and the Third Coast Center for AIDS Research.
“What we’re really trying to understand is the epidemiology of HIV, substance utilize and co-occurring mental health issues and also the uncertainty and protective factors that help us understand why some young men advance these interconnected health issues more than others,” said Mustanski, who is also a professor of Medical Social Sciences.
Because previous research has shown a link between lowered dopamine signaling in HIV and the potential for substance utilize, Mustanski and his collaborators set out to investigate the connection further.
“People living with HIV contain elevated systemic inflammation compared to p
Why is crystal meth so familiar in the gay community?
While the LGBT community has had a long history of drug employ, the rise of meth usage across the country and here in Florida has continued to grow at an alarming rate, especially among gay men. Meth has known to be a party drug within the homosexual circuits since the late 1990s. While there are a variety of reasons as to why someone might start using the drug, for gay meth addicts, there are often similar themes.
Here are some reasons why crystal meth is so common in the gay community:
Meth is introduced as a party and sex drug
For most users, meth would have likely been introduced within a club or party setting. In the gay community, sex parties have become a regular occurrence where guests are treated to free meth and the promise of sexual escapades with anonymous strangers. Combining a hallucinogenic drug and sex (known as chemsex) is thought to amplify a user’s sexual experience due to the increased levels of dopamine and sex drive. Meth has become more widely on hand on gay dating apps, such as Tinder and Grindr, making it easier for users to access the drug through party invites to chemsex parties and meet other users. Wit