Blog
Designing and facilitating a positive sexual health workshop for Chemsex dependent men in a residential addiction treatment setting.
Wednesday 17th November 2021
Written by Mike Power- Addiction counsellor
A Chemsex programs' main emphasis should be to explore sober sex as well as the meaning of positive sexual health and well-being. What is that going to look like in practice? Well, it will look slightly different for each individual, and there is really no right or wrong way of going about it. It does not matter if someone likes to enjoy casual sex, kinks, or has got to a stage in their life where they might enjoy dating or is perhaps looking for a solid relationship. What is important is how each person will manage…
Similarities and the differences of stimulant Induced hypersexual behaviour’s in Homosexual and Heterosexual men.
Sunday 14th November 2021
Written by Mike Power- Addiction counsellor
There is a lot documentation about Chemsex for men who have sex with men but do we focus enough on the heterosexual Male counterparts that present with a sex-drug fusion? In addiction treatment many of the heterosexual men that we see will not talk about their drug induced sexual behaviour's for fear judgement from their fellow peers or their own internalized shame that is attached to their stimulant fuelled behaviours. Has with men who have sex with men the two can become fused. Treating one without the other can lead to a future relapse if not addressed effectively. However, it is also important to recognize the similarities and differences between the two demographics while also recognizing there a grey…
An exploration of four life course interviews from gay men who have experienced meth Induced psychosis. Is trauma a predisposing factor?
Saturday 13th November 2021
Written by Mike Power- Addiction counsellor
The phenomenon of sexualised drug use has been described as the perfect storm for sexually transmitted infections (Kirby and Thornber-Dunwell, 2013) and the research…
An Explorations Of Societal Factors That May Influence A LGBTQ Person’s Belief System
Friday 5th November 2021
Written by Mike Power- Addiction counsellor
Commonly, treatment puts an increased emphasis on growing up in a family system with the primary focus being the beliefs that an individual gradually forms are due to the dysfunction of a family system. This can be significantly helpful in understanding the developmental stages of a person's life which will often be influenced by growing up in an alcoholic family, when the parents get divorced, the death of one of the parents, and even domestic violence within the house; these factors play an integral role in effecting an individual's belief system. Similarly, family belief systems as well as societal effects coherently have an impact on a LGBT…
Is chemsex the same as sex addiction?
Monday 31st May 2021
*Mike Power*
The question above is crucial to our discourse because of the generic assumptions that anyone who practices Chemsex also has a sex addiction problem. Chemsex is often conceptualized as sex addiction by some clinicians who will often use the Patrick Carnes model of sex addiction to treat Chemsex dependency. More so, there are similarities between both formulations has both dependencies make an…
The Benefits Of Interpersonal Group Therapy for LGBT clinet In Residential Addiction Treatment
Friday 28th May 2021
Mike Power
An exploration of the benefits of Irvin Yalom eleven therapeutic factors in Interpersonal group therapy for LGBT clients In addiction treatment As part of the therapeutic curriculum, interpersonal, group therapy is a significant part of treatment under the Irvin Yalom group therapy model. Yalom was a pioneer in the field of existential psychotherapy. Existential psychotherapy emphasizes on relevant mental health problems in relation to existential struggles such as the phobia of dying, inability to attain freedom, and the fear of loneliness.…
Transgenerational Trauma Of The Aids Epidemic
Tuesday 11th May 2021
The gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people lost to AIDS are our history: they might have been our friends, mentors, lovers or even family. They might have been there as we struggled with shame and self-loathing growing up, and might have been able to let us understand that we aren't alone or abnormal. Gay men may no longer be dying of AIDS — we know how to prevent and manage HIV infection — but the psychological scars of the epidemic are still with us.…
Barriers to effective treatment adherence for HIV and Pre-exposure prophylaxis use among men who have sex with men who have experienced problematic Chemsex.
Monday 10th May 2021
Mike Power
Barriers to effective treatment adherence for HIV and Pre-exposure prophylaxis use among men who have sex with men who have experienced problematic Chemsex What is Chemsex? "Chemsex" is used in the United Kingdom to describe intentional sex under the influence of psychoactive drugs, mostly among men who have sex with men. It refers particularly to the use of mephedrone, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), -butyrolactone (GBL), and crystallised methamphetamine. These drugs are often used in combination to facilitate sexual sessions lasting several hours or days with multiple sexual partners.(…