Drugs: The word alone makes many people nervous. Because their reputation is to be forbidden, dangerous but also somehow exciting. They promise release and ecstasy. For many, this sounds like an enrichment, even in BDSM. But just like alcohol, the combination of drugs and sessions is a bad idea. Intoxicated play, or playing under the influence of drugs, is one of the most dangerous types of edge play for a reason. In this article, we explain why:
SSC? Impossible with drugs!
One of the simplest basic principles in BDSM, SSC, is based on the condition that we always play safely, sane and consensually. All of these things are no longer guaranteed when we are intoxicated, because:
Safe: Drugs have a direct effect on the body.Some consequences are increased blood pressure or body temperature, sweating, hunger and the urge to move. Normally you can rely on your body and its functions. Drug use can change that. More on this later.
Sane: Being under the influence of drugs means no longer being in your right mind. Even hallucinations can occur. Boundaries and limits can shift. Warning signals are recognized too late. In short: sanity is no longer guaranteed.
Consensual: A person who is under the influence of drugs is legally incapable of giving consent. Neither the recipient nor the person giving the drug can give full consent. Consent to bodily harm under the influence of drugs is therefore not effective. This makes you liable to prosecution under the law in any case. What’s more, sexual acts on a person under the influence of drugs are even considered abuse in many countries. If you agree to something while high and uninhibited, things can look very different once you have sobered up. You always have a responsibility towards yourself and your play partners. Would you want to play with someone with whom you can’t be sure whether consent is just due to exuberance?
Drugs and BDSM: a tempting high
BDSM and drugs have one thing in common: the desire to let go. But no natural high can be compared to an artificial one. Our body can release a lot of its own dopamine, endorphins and other effective hormones. However, drug-induced emotional states are on a different scale. Many describe an intense subspace as “flying”. It doesn’t sound far-fetched to consume something that gives you a boost. But especially when it comes to the first experiences, you should definitely be master of your senses. The nervousness, the concerns, all that is part of it and should not be anaesthetized. Because only those who clearly feel how they feel can recognize red flags and boundaries. Both yours and the other person’s. Drugs can unconsciously influence your own pace. Especially when a person is in a different space and no longer notices anything.
Of course, you don’t only think about using the first time you play. Some people consciously engage in Intox Play, an extreme form of tunnel play and CNC. While experienced and experienced partners have certainly found their own way with this type of play, these values are not universally valid. Because even with microdoses, one’s own perception and that of others shifts. Experience also makes you careless. The willingness to take risks increases. No matter how well you know yourself and your partner: With intoxicants in your blood, you are more likely to overestimate each other and misunderstand signals than sober.
BDSM and drugs: The physical effects
As already mentioned, our body’s reaction to drugs should not be underestimated. The circulation becomes unstable and the body temperature changes. Reflexes and sense of balance are also often disturbed. Many drugs have a direct effect on the muscles. They have a relaxing effect or dilate the blood vessels and thus lead to changes in blood pressure or heart rate. A state of intoxication changes body perception. It dulls you or makes you hyperfocus. There is also a risk that we are less able to assess and control our strength. Reaction time is also often greatly affected, which is a problem in that you can only react with a delay in the event of an accident or mistake. This makes many practices completely unsafe.
It is just as dangerous if a person under the influence of drugs can no longer safely assess his/her physical (and mental) limits. Physical and, above all, mental limits are often reached much faster than you think when you are intoxicated. The altered perception and heightened sensitivity make a drop, i.e. an emotional low, more likely.
Another dangerous aspect: once you’ve set off, it’s difficult to row back. If undesirable side effects occur after consumption and/or while playing, there is rarely a quick way out. Depending on the drug, the high can last up to several hours. Although users are aware of possible countermeasures, a sober state cannot be restored immediately in an emergency. If there are drops, injuries or other unplanned interruptions to the session, this can be a major problem.
After the effect wears off, the next step is to wind down and detoxify the body. The days following consumption are characterized by exhaustion, weakness, fatigue and moodiness. Regular consumption can also lead to withdrawal symptoms.
The addiction
BDSM is addictive, sex is addictive, drugs are addictive. In combination, this can lead to a high level of dependency. Addictions are devastating and life-changing. They should not be underestimated or treated carelessly and can have dramatic consequences. So someone who unthinkingly suggests the use of drugs for relaxation or on a regular basis is waving a screaming red flag. It may be that in well-established relationships it is okay for some people to take drugs in moderation before a session. But if a joint, pipe, pill or powder is part of the regular warm-up before a session, then you have an addiction problem. If sexual acts are no longer possible without consumption, then you have permanently linked your sexuality to drug use.
Glamorizing the high
There are probably as many songs about drugs as there are about heartbreak. Some musicians have written entire odes about them.They are the perfect accessory in music videos and props for the image. Whether movies, series or books – drugs have a wicked glamor in our pop culture.They are an integral part of growing up, student life, party culture and festival life. For many, it’s “just part of it”. And the friendlier they are sold, the lower the threshold to try something.
Due to their association with borderline experiences and excess, drugs have a presence in the world of BDSM. There are fetish brands that even have small pockets built into their clothing to hide pills, powders and jars. Within certain communities, drugs and BDSM or sex are a subculture of their own, for example with their own drug-themed parties. Unfortunately, people often go to ever greater extremes here. Dangerous practices such as gangbangs, fisting, edge play, blood play or golden showers while intoxicated increase the risk of unsafe sex.
BDSM without drugs: No risk – more fun!
Playing with each other under the influence of drugs inevitably increases the risk of crossing boundaries. This means that BDSM is no longer as safe as possible for everyone involved. The same naturally also applies to alcohol, narcotics and certain medications.
We always try to exclude all possible risks in BDSM. Or at least to be aware of them in the sense of RACK. Alcohol and drugs are a risk factor. Even if the attraction is great: be aware of the possible effects. Drops, injuries and trauma are not worth the supposed extra fun. Trust and communication are needed to become relaxed and at ease during BDSM. And not a joint.
More information about Intox Play and Chemsex
You can find more information on the topic as well as therapy options for addiction on websites about HIV. For example HIV and More has analysed the consumption in connection with sex over the past years. Generally, sex under the influence of hard drugs is also referred to as Chemsex. David Stuart, who popularized this term in the gay scene as early as 2001, is a defining figure behind this concept. He explains the term in an interview with the German Aidshilfe.
