Help with quitting or using less drugs

Why quit or use less drugs during sex?

Using drugs during sex can be fun. But it also comes with downsides and risks. Especially if you use drugs often and for long stretches of time, you could experience this:

• You can’t go without. This means you are addicted
• Your body starts showing symptoms. For example, you could get sick
• You feel unwell mentally. For example, you feel scared, or depressed. Some drugs can give you a psychosis. In this case, you don’t know what is real and what isn’t anymore. And you could see or hear things that aren’t really there
• Your chances of getting STDs increase, because you take more risks during sex
• You had a bad experience during sex
• Your drug use causes problems in your daily life. For example at work, or in the relationships with the people around you

Maybe you would like to quit drugs. Or at least to reduce your use. Or you want to have more control over what, when and how much you use. It can be hard to do that on your own. Luckily there are a lot of people who can help you.

Help with drug addiction

There are different places where you can get help for your drug addiction. You can visit their website, email them, call them or chat with them for advice.

Questions about sex and drugs

• Looking for information, counselling or help with chemsex? 
  E-mail chemsex@mainline.nl
  Or call the chemsex team, also on Whatsapp, on working days.
  Leon: 06 - 11 16 33 41
• At the GGD Amsterdam you can talk to people who have experience with chemsex. Send an email to chemsex@ggd.amsterdam.nl. They will contact you
• You can find information about drugs at drugsinfo.nl (in Dutch) and pinkunity.nl
• Information about chemsex can be found at Chemsex.nl
• MenAsWell has therapists who specialize, among other things, in unpleasant experiences with chemsex. MenasWell's therapists speak Dutch, English and Portuguese. The sessions are mostly online and in Amsterdam and The Hague they also have a physical location. MenAsWell also has peer supporters that can provide a listening ear. They speak Dutch, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, French and Italian.

Meetings with other users

• Amsterdam: every first and third Wednesday evening of the month, you can go to the meetings at Mainline, where you will meet former users and men who want to quit. To sign up: chemsex@mainline.nl.
  Read more about this meeting
• Rotterdam: Stichting HivPort organises discussion nights for men about drugs and sex, self-control, drug use and your health
  Read more about the discussion nights

Online help for quitting or using less drugs with sex

Do you want to stop using drugs during sex, or to do it less often? More and more rehab centres offer online treatments and ways to help you do this:

• Online treatment involves a therapist supporting you briefly via chat
• With a self-help program you quit (or reduce) on our own. You can do this anonymously whenever you want

You can decide for yourself if you prefer treatment with a therapist or to quit or reduce your use alone.

Quitting or using less alcohol

• Are you addicted to alcohol? At alcoholdebaas.nl (in Dutch) you can get online treatment for your alcohol problems
• Want to quit or reduce alcohol use alone? Then you can try the self-help program at minderdrinken.nl (in Dutch)

Quitting or using less drugs

• You can find care givers who can help you quit or control your chemsex habits at Chemsex.nl
• At drugsinfo.nl (in Dutch) you can find online support for drug problems
• On the website of 56 Dean Street you can find tips to quit drugs on your own

Quitting or using less crystal meth

Do you use crystal meth (Tina)? At Chemsex.nl you can find care providers that can help you quit or keep your drug use under control.

Addiction care in your area

Are you addicted to alcohol or drugs, and do you think you need some extra help? Then contact addiction care in your area. They can help you personally with drug, alcohol, medication, or gambling addictions. 

Find help for your addiction in your area

For addiction to drugs during sex

These places don’t always offer specific help for addiction to drugs with sex. At Chemsex.nl you can find a list of specialist that can help you with this.

Help with addiction to drugs and sex