Links between treatment, psychotherapy, and determining factors in problematic chemsex practices: An analysis based on clinical experience

Chemsex is the use of psychoactive substances in a sexual context, irrespective of how the substances are consumed, by MSM in order to improve sexual performance and increase pleasure. Members of the first generation of chemsexers have been coming to addiction treatment centers for the past dozen years. During these encounters I developed a type of support in conjunction with the users. I have drawn on some basic theoretical techniques to enrich this therapeutic support. This text will describe the therapeutic work done with patients of an addition treatment and prevention center (CSAPA), the issues that emerge from this work, and the specific factors that contribute to making the practice of chemsex problematic or even addictive.