How to manage chemsex comedowns

You will find here:

  1. What is a chemsex comedown?
  2. Symptoms
  3. How long does a comedown last?
  4. Tips to recover from a comedown 

WHAT IS A CHEMSEX COMEDOWN

A comedown happens mostly after using stimulant drugs (crystal meth - Tina, mephedrone, MDMA, etc.) and it occurs when the effects of your drugs wear off. It’s basically that your body is drained of energy, and your system has to work hard to restore order to reach normal energy levels.  

SYMPTOMS

f you're coming down you're likely to feel the opposite of what you feel when you're high. These are some symptoms associated to come downs:

  • Exhaustion. Fatigue. Low energy
  • Disrupted sleeping. Need to sleep for a day or two, although you may have difficulty sleeping.
  • Depression
  • Anxiety or on edge
  • Disrupted eating patterns: appetite fluctuations
  • Paranoia
  • Hallucinations
  • Anhedonia: inability to feel pleasure from any activity
  • Feeling flat
  • Mood swings
  • Irritability
  • Agitation
  • Unpredictable behaviours that may even be violent
  • Trouble making decisions
  • Poor concentration
  • Difficulty planning
  • Slow moving
  • Nausea
  • Memory issues
  • Headaches
  • Blurred vision
  • Powerful cravings for the drug 

HOW LONG A CHEMSEX COMEDOWN LAST

Normally symptoms typically peak within 2-3 days and then start to taper off slowly after the next week or two, but it’s really difficult to answer that because it depends on many factors:

  • Which drugs you have been taking.
  • How much.
  • How many hours / days you have been using.
  • If you have skipped nights of sleeping (which means no rest).
  • Route of administrations (comedowns after slamming are usually stronger).
  • How often you use chems (regularity).
  • For how long have you been using these drugs.
  • Your constitution (some people are more sensitive than others). 

TIPS TO RECOVER

We know, it is terribly frustrating, but unfortunately there is no magic solution to avoid it, which means that even though these tips are helpful to recover faster, it is going to take a little while. We know that lots of people who are reading this document are looking for that magic trick to feel better because comedowns can be terribly challenging and their emotions and feelings might be all over the place. Obviously it's not realistic to think that there is something in this world to take that could help someone who hasn't slept and who hasn't been eating, drinking properly, etc for long hours of even days, to magically go back to how they were feeling before they started his sessions. 

We need to embrace the fact that comedowns might be part of the price that people have to pay for getting high, and we can do little or nothing to prevent them. We have, however, these simple and healthy things that you can try which might help you to make it through:

  • DO NOT TAKE MORE CHEMS TO REDUCE CRAVINGS: This will only delay the comedown
  • STAY HYDRATED: Your body will need water to flush the drug out of your system through the kidneys. Rehydration is critical here, an easy way to see how hydrated you are is to see the colour of your pee, the darker it is the more dehydrated. Water is great, however at this stage, some kind of isotonic fluids, such as lucozade sport, contain electrolytes, which hydrate you quicker than  water alone. Don’t over do it, maybe start with a pint, and see how you are a little later. 
  • EAT HEALTHY FOOD: If your appetite is poor, aim for little and often. Fruit, vegetables, carbohydrate heavy foods like pasta and lean protein are the best ideas; only junky food can lead to more physical discomfort later. Bananas and nuts can help replenish serotonin so they are highly recommended.
  • DISTRACT YOURSELF UNTIL YOU CAN FALL ASLEEP: Try to find something that can hold your attention until then: Talk with friends, have a warm bath, write a letter to yourself, anything that can help to start to relax
  • TRY TO AVOID ANYTHING RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY: Particularly hook up apps and Porn. It will be very easy to get stuck there for hours and hours, keeping your brain and body alert and making very difficult to fall asleep.
  • GET ENOUGH REST: Relax and avoid high-stress environments. If you can, take the day off any mentally or physically exhausting activity. Nap when you need to.
  • LEARN RELAXATION TECHNIQUES: Yoga, mindfulness meditation, acupuncture, massage therapy etc, can help to relieve stress, clear the mind and aid in mood regulation.

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