Sexy Harm Reduction
The gooyee...The Juicy...And the ooooh so wrong-but-rights about sexual health..

SAFER SEX
Your chemical health impacts your sexual health especially if you are using meth. It can be hard enough to remember to use a condom - and use it correctly - every time you have sex. Can you imagine how much harder it is to practice safer sex when high?

Unfortunately, risky behaviors often made when using meth can lead to higher chances of getting or giving HIV and other STDs (like syphilis). Like other metro areas throughout the U.S., the Twin Cities is seeing a rise in both HIV and syphilis, and meth use adds fuel to the fire.

Meth increases confidence and lowers inhibition, and the result is often more partners, more sex and less condom use – and ultimately higher risk for HIV and other STDs. So how do we keep things hot without putting ourselves and others at risk?

6 Tips for reducing your risk:
Top or bottom, use a condom for anal sex every time!

-- For many guys, meth will increase sex drive and stamina which means more sex with more people – and that increases the risk of HIV. It also lowers inhibitions meaning guys do things they normally wouldn’t when they are high such as barebacking (having anal sex without condoms). If you are going to get high before sex, keep a supply of condoms and lube handy.

One thing we do know: condoms work!

-- Make sure the condom is getting rolled on the right way, and that the cock it's going on is hard. Roll it down all the way to the base (if it doesn't, you need a larger condom - lucky you!), use water-based lube to reduce friction. Use lots of lube and reapply during long sessions.

-- New person? New condom! Full condoms leak and break, and you definitely don't want to use the same condom with different people.

-- There are a number of different types of condoms out there from snugger to magnum! Make sure you find one that works for you.

-- And if you're a bottom (or get crystal dick when you use), check out the Reality (aka Bottom) Condom. It's a condom that bottoms put inside themselves, and works great if your top doesn't want to put one on his dick.

-- Overall, make sure you've got the right kind of condom for you, and use plenty of lube. And if you're allergic to latex, use a polyurethane condom (such as Avanti or the Bottom Condom). Have them handy, especially if you're planning on getting high (popcorn bowls make for great condom dishes when you have company). You can get free condoms at the Minnesota AIDS Project. PrideAlive, a program of the Minnesota AIDS Project also has bottom condom kits and a condom variety pack with a number of different sizes and styles of condoms they stock if you want to experiment to find the perfect condom for you.

If you’re not going to use a condom, pull out!

Having anal sex without a condom is one of the highest risks you can take in terms of STDs and HIV. If you don't have a condom, your safest choice is to not have anal sex at all. If you do have anal sex without a condom, then you can lower your risk by not letting him cum inside you. HIV is fluid based, so the less fluids you get in your body, the better. Tell him to pull out before, and make sure you don't get cum in your eyes, the tip of your penis, or your butt. Pulling out will not always prevent HIV infection because pre-cum contains HIV. And the top isn’t at zero risk either as rectal fluids and blood contain HIV and can enter through the tip of the penis or under the foreskin of an uncircumcised penis.

YES, THERE IS MORE THAN FUCKING!
If ass play is something you enjoy, then you may want to consider other sexual activities that help meet your needs. Toys come in various shapes and sizes. If not shared, they also provide a very low risk for transmitting HIV and other STD’s. Just be sure you are with a partner you trust and negotiate limits prior to the heat of the moment.

Oral sex is another safer option. Oral sex helps because getting/giving head is a low risk for HIV (especially if you don't have the guy cum in your mouth). Be aware that it becomes a higher risk if you've got some sort of sore in your mouth (like syphilis or herpes) or bleeding gums. Otherwise, if you keep it to oral, you don't have to worry so much about HIV (just be sure you're testing regularly for syphilis and oral gonorrhea).

LEARN YOUR TRIGGERS
Figure out when you have unsafe sex and try to avoid those situations. Is it when you're drunk? When you're online? When you're tweaking? When you're depressed? When you're feeling lonely?

Taking some time to think about your triggers can help you make a game plan for protecting your health while still having a fun sex life. Connect with a sexual health counselor at PrideAlive, a Program of the Minnesota AIDS Project to get some advice on how to identify and tackle these triggers in your life.

KNOW THE ONLINE/PNP/BB CONNECTION
We know that meth, online hookups and unprotected sex are linked; sex surveys and recent rises in the rates of STDs confirm it. Hooking up online is fast and easy, but, having multiple partners increases your risk for HIV and STDs, and those fast and easy hookups means you can rack up a high number of partners - especially when using meth.

If using meth makes you want to have lots of sex with lots of guys, consider stepping back and hooking up without being high.

Be aware of how much time you're spending online - it's easy to find your self having done nothing but stare at a monitor for 8 hours. Set limits for yourself. Be clear about what you want when you go online, and respect your limits.

Ultimately, if you're going over to a guy's house or if you're hosting, definitely have the condoms and lube ready and easy to reach. Make it easy to have the safest sex possible. And if that's not realistic for you, then don't forget about the other suggestions we have listed on this page.

There are a number of different programs out there that can provide support.
Crystal Tuesdays at Minnesota AIDS Project has a night that might work for you. We are here to provide non-judgmental support that helps people to reduce the harms associated with their drug use. Click here to get more information about this group.

Get tested regularly!
Sexually active? Get tested every 6 months.
Really sexually active? Come in every 3 months.

Be sure to check in with your body - it's definitely easy to forget your health when getting high, so make it a point to check for any sores or discharge. Many STDs, however, can go without symptoms, so be sure to get tested regularly!

WHAT ABOUT METH & HIV?
If you or someone you care about is living with HIV,
here are some facts you might want to know:

• Meth causes HIV to reproduce more rapidly in the body.
• Meth reduces the effectiveness of HIV meds.
• Some protease inhibitors, such as Amprenavir (Agenerase) increase the amount of amphetamine in the bloodstream two to threefold, increasing the risk for overdose.
• Meth use can exhaust the immune system while making it harder to stay on a medication schedule. Sporadic medication use can often lead to drug resistance, decreasing options for treatment.
• Meth often affects people’s decisions to use condoms and practice safer sex. Having sex without condom is the easiest way to transmit HIV or get another STD.