The AfterMeth: Gay Men Recovering from Crystal Methamphetamine and Chemsex Addiction

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Supplemental Study Guide:
https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/ChemsexRecovery
In this episode of The AfterMeth Podcast, host Dr. Dallas Bragg sits down with Shane Mayson, a recovery and life coach and interventionist with 22 years of personal recovery experience. Shane shares his journey from discovering drugs at age 13 in Charleston, South Carolina, through his progression to methamphetamine use in New York City in 1989, and ultimately finding recovery in 1994 through 12-step programs. He candidly discusses growing up gay in a religious household with a Pentecostal preacher father, the shame he carried, and how substances initially felt like the solution he'd been searching for before his life spiraled to homelessness and a critical turning point.
The conversation explores the distinction between life coaching and recovery coaching, with Shane explaining that while life coaching helps clients discover their own answers through curiosity and questioning, recovery coaching requires more direct guidance on essential boundaries like changing phone numbers and cutting contact with using networks. Both Shane and Dallas emphasize the irreplaceable value of peer-to-peer support in recovery, noting that while clinical therapy has its place, the lived experience of someone who has navigated chemsex addiction brings a unique understanding that cannot be taught in a classroom. Shane's approach blends compassionate intervention with practical recovery tools, highlighting that recovery is possible and that the journey continues to evolve even decades into sobriety.
Find Shane here:
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanemayson/
Instagram: @shane_mayson
Email : [email protected]

The AfterMeth:
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Dr. Dallas Bragg
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Supplemental Study Guide:
https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/Eroticism
In this episode of The AfterMeth Podcast, host Dr. Dallas Bragg welcomes back Dr. Thomas Gaither, a urologist and academic researcher specializing in MSM sexual health, to explore the concept of eroticism and sexual reintegration after chemsex addiction. Drawing from Jack Morin's book "The Erotic Mind," they discuss the four cornerstones of eroticism: violating prohibitions, longing and anticipation, searching for power, and overcoming ambivalence. Dr. Gaither introduces the framework of sexual "accelerators and brakes," emphasizing that addressing psychological barriers like internalized homophobia, anxiety, and self-hate is more crucial than adding stimulants to achieve arousal. The conversation centers on helping men who struggle to reconnect with their sexuality after meth use, particularly those who associate sexual thoughts exclusively with drug cravings or feel sexually numb years into recovery.
 The discussion provides practical tools for sexual healing, including an exercise in identifying "peak erotic experiences" (PEEs) from pre-addiction periods to map one's natural arousal template. Dr. Gaither explains the concept of "core erotic themes"—unfinished emotional business from childhood that manifests in sexual experiences—and how understanding these patterns can help reclaim agency over one's sexuality. Both hosts emphasize that diminishing sexual desire during recovery may actually signal healthy growth rather than dysfunction, encouraging patience as the brain rewires itself without chemical stimulation. The episode addresses common post-addiction challenges including erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation, and porn dependency, while reinforcing that 90% of sexual function originates in the brain and requires introspection beyond medical interventions.
Find Dr. Tom here:  
IG is @that_prostate_doctor 
Tiktok is: @that_prostate_doctor 

The AfterMeth:
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Dr. Dallas Bragg
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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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Supplemental Study Guide: 
https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/ArtificialIntelligence
In this episode, Dallas welcomes Richard, a 59-year-old from the UK with a background in finance, who shares his innovative approach to Chemsex recovery through AI assistance. Richard discovered the power of AI (specifically Claude and ChatGPT) while managing a difficult situation with a narcissistic housemate, where AI helped him keep facts steady amid gaslighting and emotional manipulation. He then realized the same principles applied to his addiction—selective memory, distorted thinking, and the fantasy of control. After years of struggling with traditional 12-step programs that didn't fully address the arousal-based nature of Chemsex addiction, Richard found AI to be an invaluable "thinking partner" that provides shame-free, judgment-free support available 24/7. He emphasizes that AI isn't a replacement for human connection, but rather a supplement that helps him process cravings, manage impulses, organize his thoughts, and work through the unglamorous daily moments where addiction festers in the dark.
The conversation explores practical applications of AI in recovery, including using it as a comedown partner, an impulse buffer before sending emotionally-charged texts, a dream interpreter, and a tool for sexual template normalization planning. Richard candidly discusses how Chemsex differs from other addictions because meth and sex become completely fused—he describes it as a cue-initiated, arousal-based addiction rather than an emotional one. Dallas and Richard address common concerns about AI use, including data privacy and the importance of using AI alongside (not instead of) human support, particularly in crisis situations. Richard is currently focused on sexual reintegration after recognizing that abstinence from meth without addressing the sexual component isn’t true recovery.  The episode offers listeners practical insights into leveraging AI technology as an additional recovery tool while maintaining realistic expectations about its role in the healing journey.
Find Richard Here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-day-4125061b5/
The AfterMeth:
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Dr. Dallas Bragg
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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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Supplemental Study Guide:  https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/Mindfulmasturbation
In this essential episode, Dr. Dallas Bragg welcomes back Coach Kevin Martin (the Pleasure Priest) to explore mindful masturbation as a critical tool for sexual reintegration after Chemsex addiction. Kevin explains that mindful masturbation means bringing consciousness and intention to self-pleasure—moving beyond the automatic "grab phone, pull up porn, rub one out" routine to ask "what am I needing right now?" The practice involves scheduling a dedicated self-pleasure date, creating a pleasurable atmosphere using all five senses, eliminating distractions (especially phones and porn), and exploring the body with gentle curiosity rather than rushing toward orgasm. Kevin emphasizes that the goal isn't to come but to notice what pleasure feels like, which helps men discover their natural arousal template versus what was chemically hijacked by meth.
The conversation addresses deeper themes of worthiness, permission, and shame that prevent many men from experiencing pleasure, particularly those coming from religious or judgment-based backgrounds. Kevin shares that simply giving oneself permission to feel pleasure can be transformative for clients, and that this practice serves as a powerful tool for emotional regulation, craving management, body reconnection, and distinguishing between meth-influenced sexual interests and authentic desires. Both hosts stress that mindful masturbation is a practice requiring patience and persistence—initial attempts may feel awkward or frustrating, but with time it becomes a profound form of self-awareness that extends benefits across all areas of recovery and life. Resources mentioned include Kevin's OnlyFans content modeling mindful practices and Powers of Man's "deep stroke sequence" technique.
Find Coach Kevin Here:
IG: @coachkevmartin
The AfterMeth:
Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/
Dr. Dallas Bragg
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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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Supplemental Study Guide: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/lonelinessgift
In this essential episode, Dr. Dallas Bragg welcomes Phil McAuliffe, founder of Humans:Connecting and The Loneliness Guy to explore one of the top reasons gay men relapse in recovery from crystal meth addiction: loneliness. Phil reframes loneliness as a vital signal—like hunger or thirst—that our connection needs aren't being met, rather than a problem to fix or numb through scrolling, using, or other distractions. He introduces the powerful concept that admitting loneliness is akin to saying "I feel unworthy of love and belonging," which explains why men often won't acknowledge their loneliness until after they've relapsed. The conversation dismantles common platitudes like "you're not alone" and "just put yourself out there," revealing how these well-meaning responses often miss the mark and why loneliness carries such debilitating stigma in our community.
Phil shares his framework of the "three pillars of connection"—connection to self, connection to those most important to you, and connection to community—emphasizing that meaningful connection requires showing up authentically rather than wearing masks or performing competence. He introduces the critical insight that loneliness "dances in a trio" with shame and trauma, meaning addressing loneliness often requires courage to examine these deeper wounds. Practical tools discussed include owning loneliness through language ("I'm experiencing loneliness" versus "I'm lonely"), getting relentlessly curious rather than judgmental, asking for consent before sharing your loneliness with others, and committing to six months of persistence when trying new connection activities. The episode reinforces that recovery work—whether from addiction or loneliness—takes time, effort, and patience, but ultimately, you are worth it.
Find Phil here: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-mcauliffe/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humans_connecting/
Connection Resolutions Download: https://www.humansconnecting.org/downloads/connection-resolutions
 Connection Starter Course: https://www.humansconnecting.org/connection-starter-course
The AfterMeth:
Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/
Dr. Dallas Bragg
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog
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