In Lisbon, a coordinated and complementary response by community organisations is meeting the needs of people who practise chemsex. While often pleasurable, the experience of chemsex may also impair decision-making, leading to a loss of inhibition, while also contributing to substance addiction and associated health and social issues β Photo by Cristyan Bohn, view profile on Instagram.
By Filipe Couto Gomes β Chemsex, as originally proposed by David Stuart in , refers to the practice of using specific psychoactive substances cathinones, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, methamphetamine to prolong, intensify, disinhibit, diversify, or explore sexual behaviors. Chemsex practices were initially reported by men who have sex with men MSM , often in casual sexual encounters of varying duration and number of partners. Since then, the original definition of chemsex, especially within professional health sectors, has expanded to avoid excluding participants of similar practices.
The attention chemsex has brought to the various sexualized uses of psychoactive substances by the general population has also led to the term being increasingly heterogeneous. This intervention is articulated and complementary among the three entities. A range of services is available, both in-person and remotely, for people who engage in chemsex.
These services include Sexual Health prevention, diagnosis, and access to treatment for sexually transmitted infections , Risk Reduction counseling, materials for safer use, drug checking, treatment of injection-related injuries , and Addictions clinical support outpatient or inpatient.
Issues involving sexual health or the use of psychoactive substances still elicit reactions of moral panic, punishment, and stigma, which are detrimental to addressing the challenges posed.
