Sex and drugs always seem like a hot topic in the media and nearly all social circles, but the truth of the situation is that sex and drugs can pose serious, lifelong consequences to the people who engage in such behaviors simultaneously. There are always inherent risks connected with drug abuse, and unfortunately, there are also serious dangers involved with sex. This is true of each acting independently, and it is an exacerbated truth when the two are put together.
Some people might believe that sex and drugs “feel good” together, and for some, this might be momentarily true. But, the truth of the matter is that this suggestion includes using drugs – a significant health, moral and legal dilemma in the United States. Also, most drugs of abuse are highly addictive, posing a serious issue for the short term as well as the long-term sexual health of the addict.
Tragically, when drug abuse leads to addiction and sex is involved, the already natural risks of both actions are exceedingly amplified, and could have lifelong effects for those who engage in these behaviors. This may include unwanted pregnancies, rape and sexual assault, sexually transmitted diseases, prostitution and other violent violations. If you’re having sex and you also have a drug issue, then you’re at serious risk and should take quick action to get help now. Sexuality is far too important for a human function to risk damaging permanently.
Libido – the Primary effect of Sex and Drugs
Think using drugs will increase your libido? Think again.
One of the most common misunderstandings about sex and drugs is that a person’s libido can be increased by abusing different substances. While this might be true of some supplements and pharmaceutical drugs, it is not at all true about street drugs – including ecstasy. (Ecstasy deserves particular mention because many people see it as a sex-enhancing drug, but these effects wear off quite quickly and make the user not interested in sex or incapable of performing or getting an orgasm.)
There are three main reasons that drugs negatively affect an individual’s libido:
- Emotional Distress and other Substance Abuse Associated with Stress
When occasional drug use or drinking causes addiction, sex is almost always affected. An individual with drug or drinking challenges often struggles with emotional disorders such as depression or bipolar. While drug use appears to support a way to self-medicate, it only worsens pre-existing conditions. Additionally, because drug abuse has moral, professional and legal taboos associated with it, there is a great deal of stress attached to using drugs.
Because stress reduces the average person’s libido, it’s logical to argue that drug and alcohol abuse will eventually have a negative effect on human sex life.
2.) Drug Seeking and Using is Exhausting, Time taking Behavior
Most people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol consume a great portion of their time – maybe all their time – finding drugs, hiding their drug use, actively using and generating income (often illegally) to support their habit. All of this is extremely time taking, and unless the drug user’s partner is also using drugs, many of these behaviors will necessarily need to happen away from any non-using partner. And due to drug use itself is so exhausting and often leads to “passing out,” the chance and desire for sex may be greatly decreased.
3.) Physical Effects of Drugs can Cause Sexual Issues
Some drugs cause physical challenges that may make it difficult or impossible to have sex. This can be something being regarded as being unable to achieve an erection as a result of alcohol intake, to a complete lack of physical sensation, to other serious problems like pulmonary distress associated with the use of opiates, or paranoia/fear associated with marijuana use. Severe issues like these can make it impossible to function normally from a sexual standpoint.
Sex and Drugs Lead to High-Risk Sexual Behavior
Addiction or alcoholism is often breeding grounds for unhealthy sexual behaviors
Just attend any AA and NA meeting, and you’ll hear countless horror stories related to sex or drugs. For the fact that drive for sex is nearly as strong in a non-addicted individual as the drive for drugs in a few drug abusers, the two actions that can often mix with dangerous consequences are:
Unwanted Pregnancies
Lowered inhibitions because of drug or alcohol abuse often coincide with reckless sexual determination making, such as the choice to stop using condoms or another contraceptive. And when women who are addicted to drugs get gestated, the person who suffers the most is often the unborn baby. This is evidenced by recent drug news reports that children born addicted to drugs have skyrocketed in the US in the last several years. This is because a lot of women who are addicts do not seek out prenatal care and rather continue using drugs throughout their medically-unassisted gestation. Ultimately, women in this situation who successfully carry their children to term (they often don’t) put their baby at risk of being born addicted.
In many cases, children born addicted to drugs are taken from their mother and placed in the state of “care.” Mothers can face criminal charges that can result in years behind bars.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Sexually transmitted diseases spread fast through addict and drug abuser societies. Lowered inhibitions, unsanitary conditions, desperation and more can lead to an environment where drug takers are significantly more likely to contract an STD than individuals who do not use drugs and have sex. And due to many STDs are incurable, even one occasion of mixing sex and alcohol or sex and drugs can lead to a lifetime of medical complexities.
Prostitution
Drug addiction is expensive. A lot of addicts spiral down into a hole made when they exhaust their savings, sell their properties and then begin stealing from others to support their habit. But for some individuals, these actions either aren’t an option, or there’s nobody left in their lives to take from. This makes it all very easy to turn to prostitution and to keep purchasing and use drugs.
Prostitution also comes with a normal increased rate of transmission of STD, unwanted pregnancies and sexual and drug-related crimes.
Drugs, Sex, and Violence
It happens a lot.
When individuals mix sex and drugs or sex and alcohol, things often go wrong. While this could be any of the things discussed previously, it could also be any number of violent sexual acts as well as behaviors. This is especially true for addicts who engage in promiscuity or prostitution to feed their drug addictions.
People who take drugs are much more susceptible to rape as well as sexual assault. Because drugs are involved, it’s simple to become incapacitated and taken advantage of. And as a result of the illicit nature of drugs, many victims are too afraid to report the crime because they fear consequences themselves. Additionally, there is an unfortunate inclination by law enforcement and others to discount or dismiss reports of sexual violations against drug addicts or alcoholics.
In a large number of cases, the sexual damage from rape or other sexually-related assault can present complexities for years – or even permanently. This is important for current drug abusers to consider because these problems are likely to be still present long after they’ve stopped using drugs and achieved sobriety.
Sexual assault and sexual violence against drug users aren’t gendered specific – both men and women become promiscuous, practice prostitution and likely become the victims of sexual attacks. If drugs are involved, the dangers are always much more significant.
Long-Term Consequences of Sex and Drugs
If you engage in these practices, you could affect your sexual health for life
When it comes to sex and drugs, the risks simply do not justify what vague benefits are sold to people to continue this type of lifestyle. In effect, a person could ruin their sexual health permanently – even if they only used drugs for a short time. The following are the four most prominent long-term consequences of drug and sex abuse:
1.) Injury
Sexual assault and other sexual violence can cause permanent injuries that can impact a person’s sexuality.
2.) Sexual Disconnection
Years of sex and drug abuse may desensitize an individual to the point that sex while sober isn’t appealing anymore. Also, sexual trauma or other bad experiences during active drug use periods may result in severe emotional harm that may make it hard for one person to become close to another person in a healthy sexual manner.
3.) Disease
Sexually transmitted diseases like Hepatitis, Herpes, and AIDS cannot be cured. Addicts who contract these sicknesses will be forced to cope with them for the rest of their lives. This is a very serious consideration for people that are addicted now and keep saying that “one day” they’ll quit. That one day might be one day too late.
4.) Loss of an Important Relationship
Prostitution, Promiscuity, and infidelity during active drug use can bring about the loss of an important sexual and romantic relationship that you might not be able to fix once you’ve become sober. Also, drug use alone is often enough to end a relationship, therefore if you have a person you care about now and you’re still taking drugs; perhaps it’s time to stop before you lose them…
Don’t allow drug abuse and addictions destroy your sex life!
