Gay Men and Substance Use: A Conversation

This episode explores how substance use shows up in the lives of gay and queer men through history, culture, and community.

I explore the complex and often misunderstood relationship between gay men and substance use. Too often framed with stigma or silence, this topic deserves a conversation rooted in history, culture, and compassion.

I’ll take you through the role bars played as safe havens, the impact of the AIDS crisis, and the emergence of chemsex and methamphetamine in gay culture. We’ll also look at how pleasure, coping, stigma, and intergenerational differences shape substance use today.

This episode isn’t about prescribing one solution, whether sobriety, harm reduction, or responsible recreational use. Instead, it’s about opening up dialogue, reducing shame, and imagining new ways to support dignity, choice, and connection in our community.

Resources:

SAMHSA Hotline (24/7, US): 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Crisis Line (US): Call or text 988

boymeetstherapy resources: ⁠click here⁠

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Created and Produced by Dustin Oliver