Gay on meth

Here’s a look at 7 alarming facts concerning meth use in the gay community. In general, gay men report higher levels of drug and alcohol addiction than their straight counterparts. Over the last 15 years, crystal meth has grown into a particularly destructive force in the gay community. 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. Because previous research has shown a link between lowered dopamine signaling in HIV and the potential for substance use, Mustanski and his collaborators set out to investigate the connection further. In the current study, investigators analyzed instances of first-time methamphetamine use among gay and bisexual men and transgender women who are part of the RADAR project, the largest longitudinal study of this community.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimated that in , past-year meth use prevalence was more than four times higher among gay men compared to straight men — at percent versus. In , Jason Yamas was a year-old multimedia producer working for a Grammy Award-winning artist. But by the following year, life as he knew it started to deteriorate. Despite efforts to raise awareness , the problem has only appeared to grow worse as meth-related overdose rates continue to increase in the U.

Crystal methamphetamine, better known as crystal meth, has been a health concern for the LGBTQ community since the late s, when it became a popular party drug among gay and bisexual men in New York City. 1 The statistics on crystal meth use in the gay community are worrisome. For Roger, the enormity of what he had lost during his nearly two decades of off-and-on methamphetamine use — and what more he had to lose — hit home hard when a man he was dating asked him that question. Roger, who was 47 at the time, had already suffered a major ischemic stroke thanks to meth, the powerfully addictive stimulant that had long since taken over his life. So when Roger, who is from Dallas and asked that his last name not be published for fear that meth's stigma could hurt his career, heard that a study was looking for people like him to test a treatment for meth use disorder, he jumped at the chance.

Meth use in America has now spread from traditionally gay, white users into communities of color (including transgender ones), bringing with it increasing HIV infection rates despite 30 years of prevention efforts. In media and policy conversations about this drug, one important population is often missed out: Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men herein, referred to as gay and queer men. And meth use can lead to many other negative health outcomes, including depression, anxiety and suicide. Unfortunately, there are limited options available for gay and queer men who want to quit or reduce their meth consumption.