Symposium to tackle meth, stimulant addiction among gay, bi men

Gay and bisexual men face addiction at almost twice the rate as the straight population, said Steve D’Askoli, a project therapist for the Mile High Meth Project.

The MHMP, an organization that provides addiction treatment and prevention services to Coloradans coping with addictive disorders, will co-sponsor a June 9 symposium for gay and bisexual men struggling with stimulant drug use.

It’s the first event of its kind in Denver, named Like Reclaimed after its core purpose – to help those dealing with addiction get back on track.

“We will address rebuilding your life and establishing healthy relationships,” D’Ascoli said. “It’s about getting your health back in order, learning the tools to stay sober, and reclaiming who you are again.”

D’Ascoli said recovering from any addiction can be a difficult and isolating process, with a strong stigma attached to it. For HIV-positive users – many of whom were infected with HIV through needles – the stigma is exacerbated with that of HIV disclosure.

The Mile High Meth Project’s website states that almost half of Colorado gay and bisexual men who use needles to inject methamphetamine have HIV or AIDS. In addition, MHMP warns that substance abuse can exacerbate a host of mental-health problems including depression, anxiety, radical mood swings and paranoia—all of which can’t be treated properly until the person stops using for at least six weeks.

“It’s about reestablishing a healthy relationship with yourself, first of all,” D’Ascoli said.

The physical repercussions of substance abuse are often underestimated: The MHMP warns long-term use of methamphetamine can permanently eradicate nerve cells that regulate serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. This means the body becomes dependent on the drug to function normally.

“It’s about taking care of it [drug addiction] as soon as you can before you do as much damage as possible,” said D’Ascoli. “If you’re considering coming to the event, you’ve already identified that there may be an issue in your life.”

One of the most important parts of the June 9 event is the opportunity for participants to share their stories. D’Ascoli remarked that many people have a sense of relief when they realize they are not alone in their struggles with substance abuse. The interactive group discussions help establish strong, stable relationships that might not have existed before.

“A lot of people don’t have a good support system. There are issues of bullying, issues of their families not supporting them.” Life Reclaimed works to help participants establish the necessary network of support needed to get back onto the road to recovery and reclaim life.

D’Ascoli witnessed what can happen when people don’t have this support.

“I lived in New York for twelve years. I lived there during this mass epidemic and saw the destruction and how devastating it was.”