Ep 2:34 Neurodivergence and Chemsex Recovery with Brian
Send us a textSupplemental Study Guide: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/neurodivergenceIn this episode of The AfterMeth Podcast, host Dr. Dallas Bragg welcomes New York City psychotherapist Brian Molloy for an in-depth exploration of ADHD and neurodiversity as they relate to chemsex addiction. Both a mental health counselor and a person living with ADHD, Brian brings firsthand experience as a person in recovery to the conversation. Together, they examine how ADHD's core features—including executive dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, impulse control challenges, and rejection sensitivity dysphoria—can intensify the struggles of addiction and recovery. Brian explains that people with ADHD experience emotions more intensely and may turn to crystal meth not just for sexual enhancement, but for the profound relief it provides from constant mental overwhelm, making the reward system even stronger than for neurotypical users.The conversation moves beyond diagnosis to practical recovery strategies, emphasizing the critical need for structure, support systems, and compassion. Brian discusses tools like body doubling, ice therapy for managing cravings, and the importance of detailed scheduling—particularly during vulnerable periods. Both guests stress that people with ADHD in early recovery may need extra barriers and safety nets, as willpower and self-control are already compromised by the condition itself. A powerful theme emerges around reducing stigma: Brian urges the community to stop casually claiming ADHD without proper diagnosis, as this trivializes the genuine struggles of those living with it. The episode concludes with a call for the LGBTQ+ community to lead with empathy rather than shame, recognizing that individuals navigating both addiction and neurodivergence face compounded layers of trauma that require understanding, not judgment.Find Brian here: Instagram: @Breakthroughs_with_Brian Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1482175 The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dr. Dallas Bragg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout
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Bonus Episode: From Slamming to Sober: Alex's Story
Send us a textIn this powerful episode of The AfterMeth Podcast, host Dr. Dallas Bragg interviews Alex, a client who successfully completed the Recovery Alchemy program after battling severe crystal meth addiction. Alex shares his compelling journey from childhood trauma—including molestation at age five and growing up with a father struggling with addiction—to discovering Adderall at 19, which temporarily quieted his debilitating anxiety and OCD symptoms. What began as weekend Adderall use while hooking up with men on Craigslist eventually escalated to daily crystal meth use after his first encounter with the drug in March 2022. Despite being married to his wife Amy and caring for their son Rye, who was battling a rare blood condition, Alex spiraled into a secret double life that consumed him completely.After being exposed when Amy discovered Grindr and drug dealers on his phone during a hospital visit for sepsis, Alex cycled through multiple rehab facilities, sober living homes, and relapses over the course of a year. He eventually learned to inject meth and hit rock bottom during a four-month relapse while house-sitting for his mother. Working with Dr. Dallas Bragg's virtual coaching program, Alex was able to taper down from 0.7 grams of IV meth daily to zero, and has now maintained four months of sobriety. Today, Alex is rebuilding relationships with his son and ex-wife, working again, and experiencing genuine self-love and confidence for the first time in his life—crediting the Recovery Alchemy group for truly understanding the devastating nature of chemsex addiction.The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dr. Dallas Bragg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout
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EP 2:33 ChemFriendly: Safety for Sex Workers with Andres
Send us a textSupplemental Study Guide: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/chemfriendlyIn this episode, host Dr. Dallas Bragg welcomes Andres Lekanger, chairman of Chemfriendly Norway, to discuss Chemsex, drug use, and harm reduction within the queer community. The conversation explores how Chemsex is defined differently depending on context and community needs—ranging from a broad definition including various drugs to narrower clinical definitions focused on methamphetamine, GHB, and mephedrone. Andres emphasizes the importance of terminology, particularly how people may not identify as sex workers even when exchanging sex for drugs, and advocates for practitioners to be clear about their definitions. The discussion highlights why healthcare professionals must understand that sexual health is integral to overall wellbeing, particularly for non-asexual individuals.The episode also features discussion of Chemfriendly Norway's "Ask First" campaign, which addresses consent issues within Chemsex contexts. The campaign features testimonies from MSM participants, non-binary individuals, and sex workers about consent violations and rape myths, while providing practical harm reduction advice and resources. Andres emphasizes that both victims and perpetrators of sexual assault deserve support and that drug users reporting crimes should feel safe doing so without legal consequences for their drug use. He stresses that empowering drug users and sex workers themselves to take responsibility in these conversations is a powerful tool for fighting stigma, and notes that Chemfriendly Norway's resources are accessible globally through their English-language social media, website, and information videos.ChemFriendly: https://www.en.chemfriendly.no/Campaign: askfirst.noContact Andres LeKanger: Chemfriendly_Norge (instagram)The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dr. Dallas Bragg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout
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EP 2:32 The Art of Intimate Connection with Zari
Send us a textSupplimental Study Guide: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/connectionIIn this powerful episode, Dr. Dallas Bragg speaks with Zari, an artist and author living on a remote Greek island, about his groundbreaking book "Play With Me" - a collection of intimacy games designed to help men reconnect with authentic sexual experiences after chemsex addiction. Zari shares his personal journey of recognizing the emptiness of transactional hookup culture and drug-fueled encounters, explaining how he developed these games as a way to slow down, build genuine connection, and rewire the brain's association between sex and substances. The book features illustrated stories based on real experiences and includes games like strip domino and tantric breathing exercises that encourage partners to pause, feel comfortable in their bodies, and rediscover anticipation and desire without chemical enhancement.The conversation emphasizes that sexual healing after meth addiction requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to experiment with new approaches - even if the sex isn't immediately satisfying. Zari stresses that recovery means slowing down, getting out of comfort zones, and accepting that rewiring the sexual brain is a gradual process with no magic shortcuts. He encourages listeners to be open to the universe sending them partners willing to try something different, noting that roughly one in five people are curious enough to explore these connection-focused games. The book is currently live on Kickstarter, offering a tangible roadmap for men seeking to reclaim intimacy, overcome performance anxiety and erectile dysfunction, and discover that profound connection is possible without drugs.Book’s official website: https://www.playwithmebook.comKickstarter Campaign (preorder): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zari/playwithmebook?ref=4705clInstagram - Book: https://www.instagram.com/playwithme.book/ Instagram - Zari: https://www.instagram.com/zari.plays/The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dr. Dallas Bragg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout
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EP 2:31: Chemsex And the Brain with Stephen
Send us a textSupplimental Study Guide: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/brainIn this episode, host Dr. Dallas Bragg speaks with Dr. Stephen Naulls, a psychiatrist based in Brighton, UK, about his groundbreaking research initiative "Chem Sex and the Brain." Dr. Naulls explains the significant gap in current research: while individual substances like crystal meth have been studied, no brain imaging research exists examining Chemsex as a unique phenomenon involving polysubstance use (crystal meth, GHB/GBL, mephedrone, and ketamine) combined with sexual activity. He defines Chemsex as inextricably linked to the LGBTQ+ community's experience of minority stress, historical trauma from the HIV/AIDS crisis, and shame around queer sexuality. He also describes that not all chemsex involvement is necessarily problematic. Dr. Naulls shares how his interest began as a medical student encountering dismissive treatment of Chemsex users in emergency departments, recognizing that established addiction pathways existed for other substances but not for this population.The conversation delves into the neurobiology of addiction, focusing on dopamine pathways and how brain imaging technology can reveal changes in the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens—the brain's main reward centers. Dr. Naulls is currently recruiting participants in the UK for brain scanning studies to understand both short and long-term neurological impacts of Chemsex use. He emphasizes that comprehensive harm reduction requires understanding all the harms first, and hopes this research will reduce stigma by demonstrating the biological impact on the brain. The episode concludes with encouraging news that drug-induced psychosis is reversible with proper psychiatric treatment, and Dr. Naulls stresses the need for better cultural competence among mental health providers when working with the Chemsex-using population.Find Stephen's work: IG: @chemsexbrainThe AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dr. Dallas Bragg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout
About The AfterMeth: Gay Men Recovering from Crystal Methamphetamine Addiction
Vision: To eradicate crystal meth addiction, especially among the gay male population. Mission: Using the power of social media, The AfterMeth will increase awareness around the characteristics and effects of crystal meth on the gay male population, provide stories of hope to inspire struggling addicts and produce a repository of tools to be used by the loved ones of gay meth addicts.Join Dr. Dallas Bragg every other week. You can find The AfterMeth Podcast anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts. Find answers to:How can I stop relapsing?How can I heal my addiction?How does crystal meth addiction affect gay men?How can I get sober?
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