Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

GLMA grant to study gay men and meth
ebar.com/ The Bay area reporter on line ^ | February 9, 2006 | Rob Akers

Posted on 02/11/2006 5:09:42 PM PST by rapture76

Three months ago, John was a responsible member of society working as a paralegal for the state and making good money.

Today he is back in long-term residential drug treatment following a sexual encounter with a "straight" man during which both used methamphetamine.

John and others suffering from meth addiction may soon benefit from a $320,000 grant to the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association to study how the drug impacts the gay community.

The grant will allow GLMA to examine the extent of meth usage by gay and bisexual men and seek out the most promising options for treating the addiction. The funding will also develop recommendations about how health care providers can get patients dependent on meth into treatment.

One of the issues surrounding meth usage for John and many others is that sex under its influence rapidly leads to an incredibly strong association between the two that is hard to break. One without the other becomes inconceivable. Many addicts who receive treatment and begin living sober lives relapse into the old behavior once they become sexually active again.

Compounding the problem, studies have shown that gay men who use meth are up to three times more likely to be infected with HIV. For those already infected, studies have shown meth usage can be a death sentence.

The strong stimulant is said to increase libido, self-confidence, and lower inhibitions. It is also said to enhance sensation.

For gay men who use the drug for whatever reason, treatment options usually place them in a setting where talking openly about how the drug and their sexuality became intertwined is less than desirable.

"I feel safe physically," said John about his present treatment situation and who asked that his last name not be used. "But when I talk about it I can see giggles and cringes." He said another problem is that he usually receives no feedback from peers, which is considered an important tool for those seeking recovery.

John's sentiments are echoed by the comments of one peer in the same treatment facility.

"There is no need to go there," according to a younger man named Derek, who also asked that his last name not be used. "I don't want to hear talk about it because all it does is make me angry," he said.

John said another thing that he thinks adds to the problem is "a lack of knowledge on the part of a lot of counselors. If there are any gay counselors out there who know better how to address this issue, I don't know how to access them," he said.

John's present counselor, who spoke on the condition that he remain anonymous, said he felt gay sex issues involving meth usage do not need to be addressed in early recovery. He said addicts fresh from a using binge need to be stabilized first. Then later, the problem can be addressed through work with a 12-step sponsor or one-on-one sessions with a counselor.

"Like any other issue, you either work on it or you don't," he said. "Residential drug treatment is designed to remove one from the environmental risk factors, which includes sex."

But John's opinion differs a bit with that theory. "I don't like the idea of sitting around with straight men or women and talking about this. It is a different issue," he said.

John recalled that when he sought out treatment following his recent relapse he received some "grief" from counselors and was labeled a "predator."

But John readily admits he commonly had used meth "to catch or trap straight men" who would not normally engage in homosexual activity.

"I don't agree that the performance is any better. Sex on speed is non-intimate and more convenient in many situations. It masks the fear of sexually transmitted disease," he said.

Another treatment issue, according to John, may be for the straight men. "They are stuck in a horrible place where they cannot admit it due to fears of harassment and being called queer."

According to Dr. Steven Lee, a GLMA board member and New York psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of methamphetamine addiction in gay men, "The number of heterosexual meth users far exceed the number of gay meth users. However, this drug clearly has a dangerous impact on a more sizeable proportion of the gay community. To date, there are only a few studies looking at either medical or behavioral interventions specifically tailored to meth. Because use of meth has such harmful consequences and is so intensely addictive, it is crucial to investigate more effective treatments."

A 2003 study co-led by the Chicago Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered that approximately 10 percent of the 287 gay men sampled had used meth at least once in the previous year. That is compared to 0.7 percent of the general population. In addition, of those gay men who reported using meth, 20 percent admitted using at least once per week.

A joint study conducted from 2000 to 2001 by the University of California, San Francisco AIDS Health Project, CDC, and the Department of Public Health found that those using meth were three times as likely to contract HIV.

For those already infected with HIV and still using meth, a study surveying 38 physicians with extensive HIV experience shows they are more likely to be resistant to multiple antiretrovirals.

The survey showed that people who used in the past week to six months are more likely to show a detectible viral load, which confirms resistance to anti-HIV drugs.

The study found that meth stimulates the secretion of a chemical called tumor necrosis factor, which facilitates the death of CD4 cells and at the same time increases HIV replication.

Meth speeds up antiviral drug absorption and breakdown, thus lowering blood levels of the medications below the threshold necessary to control the virus. Also, people taking the drug often forget to take their medication as prescribed.

For many, meth is associated with unprotected anal sex. That behavior not only leads to the spread of HIV, but other STDs such as hepatitis, papiloma virus and syphilis – all of which can further weaken the immune system.

Like HIV, hepatitis B can be transmitted through unprotected sex or through sharing syringes. Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through blood-to-blood contact, usually by sharing needles.

The GLMA grant to study the treatment issues surrounding meth usage was provided by Hythiam Inc., a healthcare service management company.

"A methamphetamine habit is harmful and hard to kick. We're grateful to Hythiam for giving us this opportunity to educate health care providers about the best practices in dealing with crystal meth abuse by gay and bisexual men," said Joel Ginsberg, GLMA's executive director.

Ginsberg said an advisory board is being assembled to oversee the project. A series of focus groups are planned for May and June. GLMA will publish a paper on the topic in July.

For more information about GLMA, call (415) 255-4547 or visit www.glma.org.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: aids; homosexualagenda; homosexuals; meth; promiscuity; tina

1 posted on 02/11/2006 5:09:44 PM PST by rapture76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: rapture76

Does this mean methamphetamine makes men gay?


2 posted on 02/11/2006 5:11:45 PM PST by Fzob (Why does this tag line keep showing up?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]




Even after the $320,000 study..it will still be everbody ele's fault.


3 posted on 02/11/2006 5:11:48 PM PST by rapture76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rapture76

Gad!


4 posted on 02/11/2006 5:12:10 PM PST by muawiyah (-)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rapture76
But John readily admits he commonly had used meth "to catch or trap straight men" who would not normally engage in homosexual activity.

And let a guy do this to a lady and he will be going to jail and rightly so.

Is this going to be a new defense for sexual predation,being gay.

5 posted on 02/11/2006 5:18:08 PM PST by carlr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rapture76

$320,000 grant to the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association to study how the drug impacts the gay community.




Someone is F'ing high. $320,000? For queers?

Gee and here I thought Republicans were in charge, not a bunch of panty waisted liberals!


6 posted on 02/11/2006 5:34:30 PM PST by trubluolyguy (Where did they get those ref's, the WWE?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AFA-Michigan; AggieCPA; Agitate; AliVeritas; AllTheRage; An American In Dairyland; Annie03; ...
Homosexual Agenda Ping!

FReepmail if you want on/off the ping list.

Free Republic homosexual agenda keyword search

7 posted on 02/11/2006 5:48:28 PM PST by DirtyHarryY2K ("Ye shall know them by their fruits" ;-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fzob
"But John's opinion differs a bit with that theory. "I don't like the idea of sitting around with straight men or women and talking about this. It is a different issue," he said."



Excuse me?? How heterophobic of him!!


"But John readily admits he commonly had used meth "to catch or trap straight men" who would not normally engage in homosexual activity. "


Born that way?? yeah right. And they are not predators!!

So much about this article is sooooo telling, I wouldn't know where to start.
8 posted on 02/11/2006 5:57:33 PM PST by gidget7 (Get GLSEN out of our schools!!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

John said another thing that he thinks adds to the problem is "a lack of knowledge on the part of a lot of counselors. If there are any [gay counselors] out there who know better how to address this issue, I don't know how to access them," he said.



Jeffery Dahmer? John Wayne Gacy?


9 posted on 02/11/2006 7:44:46 PM PST by rapture76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: DirtyHarryY2K

There's so much wrong with the article it's hard to know where to start. Here's a couple random thoughts.

1. I don't want one thin dime of my tax money going to "studies" like these and I bet most US citizens feel the same way. Talk about pouring money down a rat hole.

2. Public caning will bring most meth use and sales to a screeching halt. The sooner the better.

3. People who use meth and/or purposely get others to use and then seduce them into perverted sex need the public caning now. They sure as **** don't need education on safe anything.

4. I don't want one thin dime of my tax money to go to any AIDS medication. If people want to act suicidal (as well as murderous) they should do it on their own dime, not mine.

Grrrr.

And about that evo thread - those evofundies are barking mad. Freepmail coming your way in a couple of minutes.


10 posted on 02/11/2006 9:58:32 PM PST by little jeremiah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: GBoettner

These sick people use meth to help lower their inhibitions and help themselves accept this sickness easier.

Or heighten the anal experience

Look at the statistics for gays, more suicide, more depression, more drug use, etceria.

Chances they see that....

This is truly a mental illness which should be treated.
.visible.spiritual degradation process
I doubt there will ever be a pill to cure lust of sodomy/incest/child molesters/Necrophilia...ect


12 posted on 02/13/2006 4:31:40 PM PST by rapture76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson