Controlling Chemsex provides confidential information, advice and one-on-one support to LGBT+ people in London who are struggling with Chemsex addiction, in order to help them to take control back.
Chemsex is the term used to describe the sexual activity between people who have taken specific and terribly destructive drugs (Crystal meth, Mephedrone, GHB/GBL…) under the influence of which the sexual experience is stimulated and enhanced, and very often with devastating consequences for physical, mental, and sexual health, and personal safety (overdoses, suicides, chemsex related crimes such as sexual assaults, robbery, etc.)
Our mission is to help those that are struggling with this reality to take control back, using any technology available to them – such as social media, 1 to 1 support via Zoom, and chemsex interventions in the most popular hook up apps used by people who are using chems to contact each other, such as Grindr and Scruff.
The reason why we started this project was because there was a desperate need of a new kind of chemsex intervention using any technology to approach those who couldn’t/didn’t want to access the support what was available before the pandemic. We are talking about:
- People who because of paranoia, stigma, shame, etc. (very common side effects of the use of chems), couldn't consider the idea of attending any service based in Drop ins, where they have to be waiting in a room with many other people at the same time until they could be seen by a professional.
- People who didn't live close to Chemsex services or they were not available when they were open because of work, etc.
- Transgender people who were struggling with chemsex but didn't access those services available because they thought they were only for men who have sex with men.
- People who were using hook up apps and who didn’t know where to get chemsex support, and nobody was delivering any outreach program in order to help the.
- Crucial, hard-to-find chemsex information, via a single platform: controllingchemsex.com. We cover topics ranging from the risks of using illegal drugs, avoiding unplanned sessions or shortening them to limiting app use or supporting a loved one. We offer strategies to follow for harm reduction, or for addressing GHB dependency when there is no option for clinical detox treatment. We also cover police and legal issues, chemsex first aid, chemsex and mental health, etc.
- An active presence on apps, providing brief interventions, delivery of information, answers to questions that people ask, and tips and advice to situations that they report when they contact us.
- One-to-one support via voice or video, for those who need more structured support through key-working, a 6–8-week program of support to help clients gain control over their usage.
- Support to people who are affected by the chems use of a loved one, considering that they can play a crucial role close to those who use drugs, very different than what we can offer. Generally, they are very lost, they don’t know anything about the chemsex reality, and they are very much in the need of information and guidance, for them to be able to support their loved ones effectively.
- Peer mentoring program providing long term support and ‘community’.
- Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy.
