A local documentary called Young and Hooked on Chemsex has recently been released. It takes a look at the journeys of three young men who have sex with men and the impact drug-use has had on their sex and personal lives. 

While documentaries don’t always paint the most balanced or appropriate picture of the situations people are in - we know that they get watched and can raise awareness and show people that they are not alone in these experiences. 

Trigger warning - this documentary features some very intense depictions of sexual assault, homophobia and some stigmatising language around sex work. 

If you do want to watch it, we also recommend checking out the Re:News article about the documentary, which tells us a bit more of the story of one of the guys who took part, and their journey through getting support and deciding they wanted to make changes - they actually took part in our Rewired programme. 

If you do check out the doco and it brings up some feelings or questions for you - there is support available.

Where can I get support:

• Rewired: Online is an online, group support programme specifically for guys who have sex with guys who want to start thinking about how and why they use meth. Rewired is a non-judgemental space that meets people where they are, helps them to reflect on their situation and offers support for any changes they want to make. 

The next Rewired programme for 2022 is a national, online offering running from October to November 2022. Registration is confidential. 

• The Level is a straight-up guide for people who use drugs, created by the Drug Foundation. It has great, non-judgemental resources for safer use, making changes, and finding support. You can actually watch some of the stories of guys who have been through Rewired already on their page - we worked with the Drug Foundation and Rewired participants to record these stories.

The clips below might help you figure out if it's right for you:

•  Burnett Foundation Aotearoa also offers free counselling for guys who have sex with guys - if you need some general wellbeing support or want to talk to someone about your mental health, click here to request an appointment.