Substance Use Among Gay and Bisexual Men | CDC

Contents:

• METH HAS VASTATED THE GAY MUNY FOR S. A NEW TREATMENT OFFERS HOPE.
• FORMER SAN FRANCIS METH LORD SPEAKS OUT ABOUT DG ADDICTN THE GAY MUNY
• WHAT IS IT ABOUT GAY MEN AND CRYSTAL METH?
• INIATN TO METHAMPHETAME USE FOR YOUNG GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN
• EXPLANATNS FOR METHAMPHETAME E AMONG GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN NEW YORK CY
• GAY MEN ARE DYG FROM A CRISIS WE’RE NOT TALKG ABOUT
• EXPLORG FLUENC ON METHAMPHETAME E AMONG BLACK GAY, BISEXUAL AND OTHER MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN ATLANTA: A FOC GROUP STUDY
• METHAMPHETAME TREATMENT OUT AMONG GAY MEN ATTENDG A LGBTI-SPECIFIC TREATMENT SERVICE SYDNEY, ATRALIA
• THE CRISIS OF METH ADDICTN AMONG GAY MEN

METH HAS VASTATED THE GAY MUNY FOR S. A NEW TREATMENT OFFERS HOPE.

Rearch published JAMA September documented a spike after the first wave of ernment shutdowns the e of meth, e, fentanyl and hero among those diagnosed wh or at risk of substance e and the gay munyMeth has st a heavy cloud over the gay muny particular for s. The Natnal Survey on Dg Use and Health timated that 2015, past-year meth e prevalence was more than four tim higher among gay men pared to straight men — at 4. Rearch also suggts that for people who are livg wh HIV, like Roger, meth exacerbat the vis's harm to the, who said he first started takg meth at gay "circu" parti, said his e of the dg led him to stop gog to the doctor and qu takg his HIV treatment a ago.

Wh a year, he had spiraled to meth and 'G' addictn, sabotagg his artistic reer and beg one of the top suppliers of illic dgs to San Francis’s largely gay “party and play” subculture. 'G' is short for GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) or GBL (gamma butyrolactone), which are monly known as 'date rape dgs' but are ed recreatnally parts of the gay muny.

Acrdg to data llected by the Natnal Survey on Dg Use and Health, om 2015 to 2017, the percentage of gay men surveyed who reported g meth the prev year was twice as high as straight his memoir, “Tweakerworld, ” which is beg released Tuday, Yamas scrib the experience of livg the dg-fueled “party and play” subculture unflchg, gory tail om the unique perspective of both a one-time addict and dg aler. For many gay men, though, meth is first posed to them as a form of sexual enhancement or a way to extend the party, wh some men reportg that they first tried meth whout even knowg what was. As a gay man g of age the early 2000’s, of urse would make sense that a fairly short time-ame I would cross paths wh the darkns known as crystal meth.

FORMER SAN FRANCIS METH LORD SPEAKS OUT ABOUT DG ADDICTN THE GAY MUNY

While I had been drkg, smokg pot, and dabblg psychelics and other dgs sce high school, I disvered meth when llege through the gay club scene. Comg om a tumultuo, reprsed, and trmatizg fay life, sudnly beg an acceptg space wh other gay men who enuraged me to be ee, feel good, and not hi my sexual feelgs was like a dream e te.

I believe that the batn of meth’s extremely physilly addictg quali, along wh the unique feelgs that a gay man grows up wh terms of how he feels about himself, sets up a perfect marriage between gay men and meth e, and explas why the dg is so rampant our muny. I’ve seen gay men lose their mds, kill themselv, go to jail, steal or hurt others, and I’m humbled to acknowledge how close to ath I probably me my age.

and homosexuaky are two different thgs, tst me i love ck, haha, But thye hyersexuak state om all stims n lead to MSM(men who have sex wh men. Alhol and dg e among some gay and bisexual men n be a reactn to homophobia, discrimatn, or vlence they experienced due to their sexual orientatn and n ntribute to other mental health and physil problems. For some gay and bisexual men, alhol and illegal dg e, pecially methamphetam (meth), amyl nrat (poppers), and dgs ed to treat erectile dysfunctn (when a man has a hard time keepg an erectn durg sex), also ntribute to a higher chance of gettg HIV and other STDs.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT GAY MEN AND CRYSTAL METH?

18 The parti are beg very popular gay culture bee facilat the teractn wh other MSM and often lowers hibn for oteric sex (eg, fistg) that n crease the risk for HIV and other STIs.

22 From 2011 to 2015, HIV diagnos remaed stable among all Hispanics and Latos; while HIV diagnos creased by 14% among Hispanic women/Latas the creased by 19% among young Hispanic/Lato gay and bisexual men aged 13 to 24. 26Internalized Homophobia, Stigma, and IntyThe relatnships between ternalized homophobia, stigma, and inty wh sexual risk behavrs and dg e have been tablished among sexual mori and vary by age and ethnicy.

The Mory Strs Mol is a nceptual amework, which is based on the factors that subsequently lead to health dispari cludg discrimatn stigma, homophobia, pg mechanisms, and stctural vlence, and negative attus toward the self. In a 2005–2006 study among MSM Los Angel, New York, and San Francis, rat for ternalized homophobia was higher among black and Lato MSM pared to whe MSM (P <. 30 In an ethnilly reprentative sample of MSM New York Cy, Lato participants reported more dg e the past month pared to whe participants and gay-related stigma was posively associated wh the number of high-risk sex acts.

INIATN TO METHAMPHETAME USE FOR YOUNG GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN

31 That same study termed signifint associatns between intifitn wh the gay muny and high-risk sex and sex unr the fluence of alhol and dgs. 32 Among Lato MSM and transgenr women om Chigo and San Francis whout muny volvement AIDS and GLBT anizatns, homosexual and racial stigmata were associated wh sex unr the fluence of alhol and dgs; the associatns were not termed among those wh muny volvement. Also, this data nnot be ed to asss the factors associated wh sexual mory inty given that the measur were not llected although the lerature dit that Hispanic MSM, those who ed meth reported lower Hispanicism, higher attachment to the gay muny, and history of suici attempts pared to those who did not e meth.

EXPLANATNS FOR METHAMPHETAME E AMONG GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN NEW YORK CY

For self-intified Lato sexual and genr mori, muny volvement AIDS and GLBT anizatns rc the associatn between homosexual and racial stigmata and sexual risk behavr, 33 hence creasg visibily of lol anizatns and clive events is remend. Internalised homophobia is differentially associated wh sexual risk behavur by race/ethnicy and HIV serostat among substance-g men who have sex wh men the Uned Stat. Qualative terview data om Project Ta, a formative vtigatn of methamphetame e among gay and bisexual men New York Cy, were ed to explore the reasons men e methamphetame.

Deprsn ratgs, reported sexual risk behavrs, and methamphetame e: latent growth curve mols of posive change among gay and bisexual men an outpatient treatment program. An uncharted terrory of sexualized dg e: explorg the dynamics of chemsex among young and adolcent MSM cludg self-intified gay men urban Dhaka, Banglash. Mangia ns a work of muny health centers Los ANGELES — I me of age as a gay man Greenwich Village durg the late 1980s when the AIDS epimic was ragg.

But took far too many aths to get, the gay muny is facg another crisis that we’re not talkg about and that elected officials are once aga ignorg. Growg up gay and beg forced to keep that a secret for fear of fay rejectn or neighborhood bullyg n create huge securi and issu wh bt iend was rejected by his fay for beg gay and was beaten the streets of his hometown Mexi. In realy, ’s g untls are many unrlyg reasons gay men start g meth — and those reasons mt be ’s an unfortunate realy that certa sid practic and beliefs are upheld wh gay male culture that put all of danger of adoptg risky behavrs.

GAY MEN ARE DYG FROM A CRISIS WE’RE NOT TALKG ABOUT

Pl, while society is signifintly more acceptg than was even 10 years ago, many gay men still stggle wh discrimatn, vlence and our own ternalized homophobia, which means dgs n be an pe for many. If we want to ntue growg as a muny, we mt immediately provi fundg and support for gay men who are the work of muny health centers I lead South Los Angel, an overwhelmg majory of patients we treat our substance abe programs are addicted to crystal meth. Cooper, ScDc, dAbstractBackground:Methamphetame e is a ntributor to HIV risk and poor health out among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex wh men (GBMSM).

Keywords: methamphetam, gay men, MSM, Black/Ain-Amerin, HIVINTRODUCTIONMethamphetame e is an ongog threat to dividual and public health the Uned Stat (US); approximately 1 ln people the US met creria for methamphetame e disorr 2019 (Substance Abe and Mental Health Servic Admistratn (SAMHSA), 2020). Among chronic ers, long-term effects of methamphetame e clu nropsychiatric problems such as impaired psychomotor functn, memory fics, prsn, paranoia and psychosis (Courtney & Ray, 2014; Radfar & Rawson, 2014). The Southern US, home to a large proportn of Black gay men, is the regn of the untry that currently bears the heavit burn of HIV (Adimora, 2013; Gray et al., 2016; Prejean, Tang, & Hall, 2013; Reif et al., 2014).

Elevated risk for HIV and s plitns among Black GBMSM the South n be attributed to multi-level stctural barriers related to nservative cultural beliefs and polici this regn – rultg systemic racism, homophobia, poorer accs to healthre, lower tn rat, and higher rat of poverty, (Adimora, 2013; Cramer et al., 2017; Geter et al., 2016; Stopka et al., 2018). Historilly, most studi found that Black GBMSM had lower rat of methamphetame e relative to whe gay men (Garofalo, Mtanski, McKirnan, Herrick, & Donenberg, 2007; Grov, Bimbi, Nan, & Parsons, 2006; Halkis, Green, & Mourgu, 2005).

EXPLORG FLUENC ON METHAMPHETAME E AMONG BLACK GAY, BISEXUAL AND OTHER MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN ATLANTA: A FOC GROUP STUDY

Two staff members, both gay-intified men of lour wh master’s gre and extensive qualative rearch trag and experience, nducted the FGDs g a semi-stctured gui.

Dcriptns of Foc Group Discsns (FGDs)FGD numberDcriptn of Key InformantsNumber of participantsLotn of FGD1Young Black gay men om rearch team’s muny advisory board8Universy2Staff members at an anizatn offerg HIV, mental health and substance e servic6Communy36Communy4Staff members and clients at an anizatn providg substance e servic for Black gay men6Communy5Members of a muny-based anizatn for olr Black gay men livg wh HIV6Communy6Clil and rearch staff affiliated wh a large HIV re center and our universy7Universy7Members of a muny-based anizatn for young Black gay men7Communy8Staff members at an anizatn providg harm rctn and lkage to HIV servic for people who e dgs8CommunyAll transcripts were imported to MaxQDA 20 (VERBI Software, Berl, Germany), a qualative data management software package.

METHAMPHETAME TREATMENT OUT AMONG GAY MEN ATTENDG A LGBTI-SPECIFIC TREATMENT SERVICE SYDNEY, ATRALIA

Ls than high school4% (2) High school diploma12% (6) Some llege12% (6) Associat gree/technil certifitn10% (5) Bachelor’s gree36% (19) Graduate gree26% (14)Chang and trends methamphetame eMovg om the whe gay muny to the Black gay muny Participants discsed several chang that they perceived wh rpect to the prevalence of methamphetame e the Black gay muny Atlanta. Participants scribed racialized and sexualized trends methamphetame e that they had observed over the past , wh the nsistent rea that methamphetame was prevly ed almost exclively by whe people, but that e had now “creeped to the Black gay muny. ” Wh gay muni, this was also a move between class – where wealthier whe GBMSM the “party scene” were the origators of methamphetame e that was now tricklg down to lower-e Black GBMSM that were not necsarily a part of that same participants scribed this movement to the Black gay muny as happeng directly through dividual-level ter-racial nnectns, cludg non-Black iends or sex work clients:I feel like a lot of young Black boys, when they turn to rtg and then they go out there and they get troduced to this dg through, you know, other rac and natnali.

I was gog to say that unfortunately, due to the socenomic stat of most gay Black men the cy, which is below poverty, that’s a lot of gay Black men the cy, and the entry pot for methamphetame purchase is about $100 or so. The racialised power dynamic is scribed leadg up to the iatn of methamphetame e (where young Black men dire fancial stras get troduced to and “hooked on” methamphetame durg sexual enunters wh wealthier whe men) and is also perpetuated further after e begs, as (the young Black men scribed here do not have the rourc to procure methamphetame, and so mt ntue to be exploed this manner) should be noted that although several participants discsed the typ of direct nnectns between Black and whe GBMSM, others clearly stated that the dg now had a hold Black gay muni, so that Black GBMSM were now jt as likely to be troduced to methamphetam through members of their own muny. However, they ma clear that the overall pattern was that prevalent methamphetame e had moved om whe gay muni to Black gay meth, uld be perceptn, I don’t know, but always was, the perceptn was that meth was a whe boy dg and you know, the whe kids the suburbs were dog a lot of meth and now all of a sudn, ’s a black gay man problem.

THE CRISIS OF METH ADDICTN AMONG GAY MEN

(Foc Group 6)Others also felt that although methamphetame e was beg troduced to the Black gay muny via younger men, would eventually dissemate to olr age groups as ’s not that prevalent men who are olr, but ’s still part of the procs bee there are men who are olr who are sexually active wh younger guys.

They are sellg Ta [methamphetam] bee they know that this a marketable source nsirg the fact that Atlanta is full of gays and they are all gog towards T [methamphetam] so nobody is buyg a gram of weed for $10 when they n buy a gram of T for $60.

(Foc Group 3)In ntrast to the discsns of racialised power dynamics and sexual exploatn scribed the Black gay muny, the drivg force the wir Black muny was scribed as beg primarily enomic – relatg to supply, mand and profs that uld be ma om methamphetam vers other Environment: Micro-level factorsParticipants discsed micro-level fluenc on iatn of methamphetame e among their clients/work acquatanc as well as their own personal works. It was monly acknowledged that Black GBMSM, pecially younger Black GBMSM, often move to Atlanta seekg enomic opportuny and/or eedom of sexual exprsn the lol Black gay scene. In many s, young Black GBMSM were scribed as migratg om areas that were more ral, more nservative and ls gay-iendly than Atlanta, so that this move reprented their first exposure to a gay muny.