Sunday, August 28, 2011

MSM, mental health & substance abuse Living with AIDS # 475

At a recent conference in Cape Town, it emerged that HIV infection is more likely to cause mental health and substance abuse problems among young men who have sex with men than in heterosexual men. 

“A young men’s survey   showed us that 66% of young MSM reported illicit drug use. Gay men are more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to use alcohol and drugs and initiate these at an earlier age”, says Dr Greg Jonsson, a psychiatrist at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, south-west of Johannesburg.

“Clearly, we know from experience in the US that what has driven a lot of the almost resurgent HIV infections in some areas is the use of crystal meth or tik. We’re seeing in South Africa an increasing use of tik. We’re seeing in South Africa an increasing usage of injected drugs. It’s a vicious circle of shame and guilt and stigma and discrimination and low self-esteem and then drug use and then back into a circle that, unfortunately, often involves HIV as well. We’re aware of it. But this is not something that’s only being seen in MSM”, Dr McIntyre says. 

For help with Alcohol and Drugs: