Having It Off On High
From alcohol to opiates: Will Latter explores the science of less-than-sober sex.
W
e have been mixing sex and drugs for at least seven thousand years. Sex is a popular and sought after activity (in case you haven’t heard) and in London we are never far from a bar, or drug-fuelled nightclub. We all know a little too much booze can lead to some questionable decision making – those of the sexual variety being no exception – but just how do drugs affect us when we get down and dirty? Recreational drugs act on the parts of our brains involved with motivation and reward for natural behaviours, such as fighting, feasting and frolicking. This is achieved by altering the production or uptake of dopamine and serotonin; neurotransmitters associated with feelings of happiness and satisfaction. Our choice of activities, reactions to events, and adherence to social conventions can all be drastically altered, along with our physical arousal and co-ordination. We’ll start by covering the more familiar drugs, then move on to the harder stuff. Alcohol is one of the most accessible drugs in the world. As many of us know, it can have a cruel combination of effects with regards to sex. We often experience greater sexual desire under the influence of alcohol, but this is coupled with difficulty reaching physical arousal: for men and women. If this can be overcome, however, a couple is likely to be more adventurous while drunk. Marijuana is the most common illicit drug in the UK and, considering its effects on sex, we can see why. Its active ingredient, THC, has
Cocaine can increase and prolong arousal, as well as triggering surprise erections and orgasms, but sustained use can desensitise your private parts and diminish sexual desire. Methamphetamine, another psychostimulant, has similar, but more extreme effects. Meth can intensify sexual pleasure and
been shown to enhance sexual arousal, pleasure and satisfaction in study participants. Be sure to avoid getting freaky with it too often though; it lowers testosterone levels and therefore, like alcohol, can hinder men in ‘rising’ to the occasion. MDMA (ecstasy), a popular drug among students, can heighten pleasure from close physical contact, but sex can become less sexy due to difficulty reaching orgasm and erectile dysfunction. It has been suggested that the difficulty in achieving orgasm could be down to the increased pleasure from sensations of touch, resulting in a sensory overload, confusing the body out of an orgasm. Mixing alcohol, marijuana and ecstasy can lead to more risky sexual behaviour such as promiscuity or unprotected sex, but other substances can prove more damaging.
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evaporate all inhibition, resulting in reckless behaviour. Users of opiates such as heroin are more frequently involved in unprotected sex with multiple partners, and serious STDs such as HIV are prevalent in these groups. While small doses can heighten sexual desire and enhance performance in bed, repeated use curbs sexual desire, response and orgasms. All that being said, we must keep in mind that drugs can affect our sexual function in different and unpredictable ways. What might seem like an exciting idea at the time may actually turn into a night of lackluster disappointment. And Skins made sex and drugs look so glamorous…
Will Latter is studying for an Msc in Science Communication
I, Science
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Illustration: Jean-Francois Painchaud